Best Songs for a Funeral Slideshow or Memorial Video

A practical guide to choosing music for a funeral slideshow, memorial video or celebration of life, covering personal meaning, tone, instrumental options, family disagreement and copyright, without ranking songs as objectively "best."

By Chris C, reviewed by Kathleen G

There's no single list of "best" funeral songs that will suit every family, every service or every person being remembered. The most appropriate song is usually one that had real meaning to the person or their family: a song they loved, a song tied to a memory, or simply a piece of music that feels right for the tone of the day. This guide is about how to choose well, not which song to pick.

How to Choose the Right Music

A few things worth thinking through as you narrow down options:

• The person's own musical preferences. What did they actually listen to? This is often a better starting point than any "typical" funeral playlist.
• The emotional tone of the service. A quiet, reflective service calls for different music to a celebration-of-life gathering with more energy in the room.
• The relationship between the music and the images. Fast-paced music can feel mismatched with slow, contemplative photos, and vice versa, so it's worth watching a rough cut with the music before finalising it.
• The audience and setting. Consider who will be in the room, a mix of generations, family and colleagues, for instance, and what will feel appropriate to that group.
• Lyrics and subject matter. If you're including lyrics, read them through properly rather than just recalling the chorus. Some songs carry meanings in later verses that aren't obvious from the parts people know best.
• Cultural or religious expectations. Some ceremonies have specific expectations or restrictions around music. Check with the celebrant, officiant or family elders if this applies to your service.
• Whether the music will be used privately or published online. This affects copyright considerably (more on this below).
• Whether the family agrees with the choice. Music can be surprisingly emotive to agree on, so raise it early with close family rather than deciding alone and presenting it as final.

Music Approaches That May Work Well

A Favourite Song

Sometimes the most meaningful choice isn't a conventional "funeral song" at all. It's simply a song the person loved. A track they played often, sang along to, or mentioned as a favourite can feel far more personal than something chosen because it's commonly used at funerals. If in doubt, personal meaning is usually a stronger guide than convention.

A Song Connected to a Shared Memory

Music tied to a specific memory can be powerful, even if the song itself isn't obviously "about" loss or remembrance. Consider music associated with:

• Family trips or holidays
• A wedding or anniversary
• Dancing together, at home or at an event
• Their work or career
• A sporting team or event they loved
• Regular holidays or annual traditions
• Everyday routines: a song that was always on in the kitchen or the car

These songs often carry more weight for the people who shared the memory, even if the connection isn't obvious to everyone else in the room.

Instrumental Music

Instrumental music can work well when the video includes captions, narration or spoken tributes, since there's no competition between sung lyrics and spoken or written words. It also tends to sit more gently in the background during a wake or visitation, where people are talking as much as watching.

Religious or Sacred Music

Expectations around music vary a lot by faith, congregation, family and the specific ceremony being held. Some services have set hymns or sacred music that are expected or required; others are more flexible. If your service is being held within a particular religious or cultural tradition, check directly with the celebrant, priest, imam, rabbi or other appropriate leader about what's expected or permitted, rather than assuming.

Classical, Folk or Traditional Music

Music connected to heritage, community or cultural identity can be a meaningful choice, especially for families wanting the video to reflect where the person came from or the community they belonged to. This might be a traditional folk song, a piece of classical music with personal significance, or music tied to a specific cultural or community celebration.

Music That Reflects Personality

A memorial video doesn't need to be solemn from beginning to end. Music can reflect who the person actually was: their

• Humour
• Energy
• Tenderness
• Independence
• Sense of adventure
• Calm
• Joy

For some families and some people, an upbeat, funny or unconventional song is exactly right, especially for a celebration-of-life gathering rather than a traditional funeral service.

Music Ideas by Tone

The table below is a starting point for thinking about musical direction, not a list of specific songs to use. Any named examples are illustrative only, require the family's own judgement about suitability, and need their own copyright check before use.

One Song or Several?

For a short video, one well-chosen song is often enough. It keeps the pacing simple and avoids the video feeling stitched together. For longer videos, or videos with distinct sections (childhood, family, career, for example), two or three songs can help mark those transitions and give each part its own feel.

A few practical points:

• One song works well for videos under about 4–5 minutes, or where the photos and story don't have strong distinct "chapters."
• Two or three songs can create structure, especially for longer videos or ones covering very different periods or themes.
• Too many songs can fragment the video. If the music changes every 30–40 seconds, it can start to feel disjointed rather than considered.
• Transitions matter. A hard cut between songs can feel jarring. A short fade, or a natural pause in the visuals, usually works better than an abrupt change.

For more on structuring the overall video, see our complete guide: How to Create a Memorial Video: The Complete Guide, and for ideas on different storytelling approaches, see Memorial Video Ideas: 15 Ways to Tell Their Story.

Music and Video Length

Song length and video length need to work together. A few things to consider:

• Number of images. More photos generally means a longer video, which may need a longer song or more than one track.
• Photo duration. If each photo is shown for 3–6 seconds, the total photo count roughly determines how long the music needs to run.
• Video pacing. Some songs have a slow build or a distinct instrumental section that can be matched to a particular part of the video, such as a quieter opening or a fuller section in the middle.
• Opening and closing cards. Allow a little extra time at the start and end of the music for name/date cards or a closing message, rather than cutting straight to black.
• The timing of the funeral or memorial service. If there's a strict time slot for the video during the service, work backwards from that to decide how much music, and how many photos, you actually have room for.

For guidance on how many photos you're likely to need, see: How Many Photos Do You Need for a Funeral Slideshow?

Copyright and Online Sharing

Music copyright is one of the most misunderstood parts of putting together a memorial video, so take it seriously rather than assuming it will be fine.

• Private use at a funeral or family event generally involves different considerations to publishing a video more widely, but this isn't a blanket exemption, and requirements can depend on the venue and how the music is used.
• Public posting on YouTube or social media brings the video into a much more visible copyright environment, where platforms actively scan for copyrighted audio.
• Online memorial pages that host a video publicly, even if not heavily promoted, are generally treated as public use, not private use.
• Platform copyright detection (such as YouTube's Content ID system) can mute, restrict or take down a video automatically if it detects copyrighted music, regardless of the intention behind using it.
• Royalty-free or licensed music avoids most of these issues and is worth considering, especially for any video intended for online sharing.
• The rules can change, and they can depend on the specific song, the platform, and the country, so check the current position before publishing anything online rather than relying on general assumptions.

Copyright requirements can vary depending on the music, the country, the platform and whether the video is shared privately or publicly. Confirm the current position before publishing a video online.

What If the Family Cannot Agree?

Disagreements about music are common, and they're often about more than the song itself. A few practical suggestions:

• Identify what the disagreement is really about. Sometimes it's less about the specific song and more about who gets to make the decision, or differing ideas about what the person "would have wanted."
• Return to the person's own preferences as a neutral reference point, where they're known. This can help move the conversation away from individual taste.
• Consider using more than one song, so different preferences can each have a place in the video rather than competing for the same slot.
• Separate ceremony music from online-video music where appropriate. The song played live at the service doesn't have to be identical to any music used in a video shared afterwards.
• Appoint one person to coordinate decisions, so the choice doesn't need full consensus from everyone at every step.
• Allow a defined review period, for example "let's each suggest one option by Thursday," so the decision doesn't drag on indefinitely.
• Avoid turning music selection into a proxy argument about grief. If a disagreement is becoming heated, it can help to name that directly and step back, rather than pushing the decision through in the moment.

Still Frames' Role

Choosing music is often one of the harder parts of putting a tribute video together, not because it's technically difficult, but because it carries real emotional weight for the family. Still Frames makes it simple: pick from our curated music library, choose a purpose-built template, and add your photos and videos. No editing skills needed, just simple guided steps from start to finished video.

Ready to start? Create your memorial video and browse the music library to find what fits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good songs for a funeral slideshow? There's no universal answer. The most appropriate song is usually one with personal meaning to the person or their family, rather than a generic "funeral song." Think about what they actually listened to, and the tone you want the video to have.

Can I use a favourite song in a memorial video? Yes, and for many families this is more meaningful than choosing a conventional funeral song. Just be mindful of copyright if the video will be shared or published online.

Is instrumental music suitable for a funeral video? Yes, instrumental music often works well when the video includes captions, narration or spoken tributes, since there's no competition between lyrics and spoken or written words.

Can I use copyrighted music in a memorial video? It depends on how and where the video will be used. Private use at a service is generally treated differently to publishing online, and platforms often detect copyrighted audio automatically. Check the current position before sharing a video publicly.

How many songs should a memorial video have? One song is often enough for shorter videos. Two or three can work well for longer videos or ones with distinct sections, but using too many songs can make the video feel fragmented.

Conclusion

Choosing music for a memorial video comes down to a few simple principles: personal meaning matters more than convention, the music should support the story rather than overpower it, and the setting and audience should guide the tone. If the video is going to be shared online, check copyright before publishing, and if the family can't agree straight away, it's usually worth slowing down rather than forcing a decision. The right song is the one that feels true to the person being remembered.

Once the music is settled, Funeral and Memorial Video Technical Checklist covers the audio and playback checks worth doing before the service.

About the author

Chris C Chris C writes Still Frames' guides on the creative side of a memorial video, covering music, storytelling and what actually belongs in a tribute that feels right. He focuses on helping families make confident creative choices without turning the process into a production.

Reviewed by Kathleen G.