Modern Funeral Songs

When Traditional Hymns Do Not Fit

Not everyone who dies spent their Sundays in a pew. If your person's soundtrack was Spotify playlists and car radios, a service built entirely around "Amazing Grace" and "Abide with Me" can feel like someone else's funeral.

Modern songs work well for celebrations of life, secular services, memorial gatherings at non-religious venues, and the reception or wake portion of a church service. They can also slot into the processional or recessional at more flexible congregations.

Contemporary Songs That Work at Funerals

Released in the 2000s–2020s:

• "See You Again" — Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth (2015)
• "Supermarket Flowers" — Ed Sheeran (2017)
• "If the World Was Ending" — JP Saxe ft. Julia Michaels (2019)
• "Someone You Loved" — Lewis Capaldi (2018)
• "Fix You" — Coldplay (2005)
• "A Thousand Years" — Christina Perri (2011)
• "Chasing Cars" — Snow Patrol (2006)
• "I Will Wait" — Mumford & Sons (2012)
• "Say Something" — A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera (2013)
• "Dancing with Your Ghost" — Sasha Alex Sloan (2019)

Modern worship and spiritual:

• "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" — Matt Redman (2011)
• "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" — Hillsong United (2013)
• "Goodness of God" — Bethel Music (2019)
• "I Can Only Imagine" — MercyMe (2001)
• "Way Maker" — Sinach (2015)

Indie and alternative:

• "Skinny Love" — Bon Iver (2007)
• "Youth" — Daughter (2013)
• "To Build a Home" — The Cinematic Orchestra (2007)
• "Saturn" — Sleeping at Last (2014)
• "Holocene" — Bon Iver (2011)

Where Modern Songs Fit (and Where They Do Not)

Modern picks work anywhere a secular venue or a celebration-of-life format is in play. At religious services, the calculus changes:

Catholic Mass: Secular music of any era is not permitted during the liturgy itself. "Fix You" and "Supermarket Flowers" belong at the vigil or reception. Even instrumental versions of recognizable secular songs are banned if they would distract.

Episcopal/Anglican: The rector has final say. Non-religious popular music is discouraged during the formal service and is typically reserved for the reception.

Non-denominational Christian: Typically more flexible. Modern worship songs like "10,000 Reasons" or "I Can Only Imagine" are commonly accepted.

Secular or humanist services: There are no faith-based repertoire restrictions, but venue policies and music licensing still apply.

Pairing Modern and Traditional

A hybrid approach satisfies multiple generations in the room:

This structure lets older relatives hear the hymns they expect while younger family members feel the service reflects the person they knew.

Checking the Technical Side

If you choose a lesser-known indie track, confirm the funeral home or crematorium has it in its music library. UK crematoriums running the Obitus system have a catalog of over 100,000 songs, but gaps exist. Ask the venue for its submission deadline and accepted playback formats.

For an internet stream, confirm the streaming rights for the destination. The NFDA/ICCFA add-on covers a venue's own website; Facebook and YouTube may still flag copyrighted music through Content ID.

A Shortcut Through the Decision

The Funeral Music Selection Guide includes a five-layer filtering process that helps you narrow from an overwhelming catalog to a final shortlist — accounting for the venue's rules, your family's preferences, the ceremony structure, and what the person actually listened to.