Ed Sheeran and Stormzy are now also among the artists played at funerals, according to the Funeral Music Chart 2019 revealed by Co-op Funeralcare.
Launched in 2002, the chart is based on data and insights from the Co-op Group’s funeral directors, who conduct up to 100,000 funerals a year.
- My Way – Frank Sinatra
- Time to Say Goodbye – Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman
- Over The Rainbow – Eva Cassidy
- Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
- Angels – Robbie Williams
- Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran
- Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
- You Raise Me Up – Westlife
- We’ll Meet Again – Vera Lynn
- Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Eric Idle
For the first time ever, hymns have not made it into the chart’s top 10,while new requests include George Ezra, Wiz Khalifa, Freya Ridings and Stormzy.
Consumer research from the Co-op conducted among 2,000 UK adults also revealed a trend in more people keeping music in the family, as a third (32%) of people say they would consider asking a relative to do the honour of performing.
Furthermore, a quarter (24%) of UK adults say they have already told loved ones which songs they want playing at their funeral, compared to just a fifth (19%) in 2016.
Pop music is still the most popular choice, with a quarter (25%) of UK adults revealing they would want such music at their funeral. A further fifth (19%) would opt for rock, whilst a fifth (20%) would choose classical for their final farewell.
David Collingwood, director of funerals at the Co-op Group, said: “We all live such unique lives and funerals should completely reflect that. Each element of a funeral is a very personal decision which is why the music choice plays such an important and impactful role.
“We’re always encouraging people to be more open about their funeral wishes, making it clear to their loved ones what they would want for themselves when the time comes. Even knowing what song someone would have wanted can bring such comfort at an incredibly hard time.’’
The research shows that over half (55%) of UK adults say music at funerals makes people feel nostalgic. A third (34%) said it makes mourners feel sad and a further third (32%) said it makes people happy. Just a seventh (14%) said music makes people laugh.
However, over a quarter of respondents (27%) agreed they would want the music to make guests laugh, highlighting a trend of funerals becoming more of a joyful celebration in the future.
