Trends in Funeral Music Selections

Have you ever thought about the music you'd like played at your funeral? Well, the most popular funerals songs have been revealed, and some of them might surprise you.

The organization FuneralCare does an annual music study, gathering data from over 30-thousand funerals to find the top music chosen for services.

The most popular choices overall are Frank Sinatra's "My Way" - "Wind Beneath My Wings" from Bette Midler - "One Sweet Day" from Mariah Carey - and "Tears In Heaven" by Eric Clapton. But when the list gets broken down into different musical genres, things get interesting...

For example, in the "indie" music category, the top song is Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars" - made famous by Grey's Anatomy.

When it comes to rock music, the top songs are Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven," followed by "Free Bird," from Lynyrd Skynyrd, and AC/DC's "Highway To Hell," proving that even when it comes to death, some people have a sense of humor.

David Collingwood is the head of operations for FuneralCare... And he says funerals are very much about personal choice and reflecting the personality, hobbies and interests of a person. So more than ever, they're seeing people pre-plan their funeral music and 42% of funeral directors now receive ready-made funeral playlists provided by the family.

Whether it's a choir, a soloist, or recorded contemporary music, you don't have to go the "traditional" route for funeral music. Just keep in mind the person you are remembering. Did they have favorite songs or artists? Check out their music library for insight. If you choose a song for its lyrics, read them carefully to ensure they are appropriate for the person being remembered.

John Tesh is a 6-time Emmy winning musician, TV and Radio broadcaster. He broadcasts the Intelligence for Your Life radio and TV shows speaking about topics including Health, Love, Sleep, Workplace and Pets.