Ed Sheeran has made it into the list of top 10 most requested songs at funerals for the first time, a survey has found.
Funeral provider, Co-op Funeralcare, which launched its first funeral music list chart in 2002, has revaled that Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ tops this year’s list, followed by Andrea Bocelli and Eva Cassidy.
For the first time ever, no traditional hymns have made the cut, suggesting a shift in the music people are choosing for their final farewells. ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’ and ‘Abide with me’ – previously strong contenders in the funeral chart – have been pushed out as Westlife and Sheeran make their debuts.
The list is based on data and insights from Co-op’s own funeral directors, who conduct up to 100,000 funerals a year.
The 2019 funeral music chart top 10:
1. My Way by Frank Sinatra
2. Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman
3. Over the Rainbow by Eva Cassidy
4. Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler
5. Angels by Robbie Williams
6. Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran (new entry)
7. Unforgettable to Nat King Cole
8. You Raise Me Up by Westlife (new entry)
9. We’ll Meet Again by Vera Lynn
10. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Eric Idle
New requests identified by the funeral directors include songs by George Ezra, Wiz Khalifa, Freya Ridings and Stormzy.
The research also showed a rise in people wanting to choose their own music – a quarter (24%) of the 2,000 adults surveyed said they have already told loved ones which songs they want played at their funeral, compared to just a fifth (19%) in 2016.
When it comes to music genres, pop lives up its name with a quarter wanting it at their funeral. A further fifth (19%) of people would opt for rock, while 20% choose classical for their services.
“We all live such unique lives and funerals should completely reflect that,” said David Collingwood, director of funerals at the Co-op. ”Each element of a funeral is a very personal decision which is why the music choice plays such an important and impactful role.”
The top 10 contemporary/pop songs requested at funerals:
1. Angels by Robbie Williams
2. You Raise Me Up by Westlife
3. Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran
4. See You Agin by Wiz Khalifa
5. Dancing Queen by Abba
6. Lay Me Down by Sam Smith
7. Dancing in the Sky by Dani and Lizzi
8. Flying Without Wings by Westlife
9. How Long Will I Love You by Ellie Goulding
10. 7 Years by Lukas Graham.