Memorial Video Songs
About Memorial Video Songs Funeral Songs
The best songs for a memorial video are “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa, “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, and “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler. A memorial video transforms photographs into a story — the right song gives that story its emotional arc, from gentle opening through the peak of memories to a hopeful close.
Best Songs for Memorial Video
Best songs for memorial video include “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth, “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler, and “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran. The best memorial video songs match photo transition timing while building emotional intensity.
“See You Again” — Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
Written for Fast & Furious 7, the verse-chorus structure creates natural emotional peaks. The piano intro (first 30 seconds) works perfectly over childhood photos before the full arrangement kicks in.
“What a Wonderful World” — Louis Armstrong
At 2:21, it's the ideal single-song slideshow length. The warmth matches life celebration perfectly — baby photos through golden years feel natural under Armstrong's voice.
“Wind Beneath My Wings” — Bette Midler
The slow build from verse to chorus mirrors a life's journey. The "Did you ever know that you're my hero?" chorus hits when mid-life family photos appear.
“Photograph” — Ed Sheeran
The title alone makes it thematically perfect. "Loving can hurt / Loving can heal" captures the dual nature of looking at photos of someone gone.
We keep this love in a photograph.
“Tears in Heaven” — Eric Clapton
The gentle acoustic guitar and 4:33 runtime give breathing room for a longer slideshow. The emotional restraint prevents the video from becoming overwhelming.
Songs for Memorial Slideshow
Songs for a memorial slideshow need to serve a different purpose than songs played live at a funeral. A memorial slideshow song must match photo timing — typically 3-4 seconds per image at 60-80 BPM. “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong is the most used memorial slideshow song because its 2:21 runtime fits 35-45 photos perfectly. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole at 3:28 extends to 50-65 photos.
For longer memorial slideshows, “Wind Beneath My Wings” (4:53) or “Tears in Heaven” (4:33) accommodate 70-90 photos. Songs for memorial slideshows work best when the emotional arc matches the chronological arc of photos — gentle opening over childhood, building through milestones, emotional peak at family moments, and a hopeful resolution over final images. Avoid songs with sudden tempo changes that disrupt the viewing rhythm.
Memorial Video Songs by Moment
Memorial video songs work best when matched to specific moments in the video. The opening needs gentleness, the middle needs emotional build, and the closing needs resolution. Matching songs to video moments creates a narrative arc that transforms a photo collection into a story.
“Canon in D” — Pachelbel
Opening — the familiar progression builds gradually, drawing viewers in without overwhelming. Perfect over baby photos and childhood images.
“Supermarket Flowers” — Ed Sheeran
Middle section — the domestic details in the lyrics ("half-empty cups of tea") match family photos. The emotional build reaches its peak naturally.
A heart that's broke is a heart that's been loved.
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” — Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
Closing — the ukulele version creates gentle hope. Pairs naturally with final photos and creates a sense of peaceful farewell as the video ends.
Instrumental Songs for Funeral Slideshow
Instrumental songs for a funeral slideshow let the photographs speak without lyrical competition. “Clair de Lune” by Debussy (5:00) creates reflective beauty. “Nuvole Bianche” by Ludovico Einaudi (5:57) provides an emotional piano journey that builds and resolves. “River Flows in You” by Yiruma (3:30) is accessible and widely recognised.
Instrumental funeral slideshow songs are especially effective when the video includes on-screen text — dates, quotes, or captions — because lyrics can compete with written words. “Ashokan Farewell” by Jay Ungar carries Americana warmth (familiar from Ken Burns documentaries). “The Lark Ascending” by Vaughan Williams works for longer slideshows at 14 minutes.
Top 10 Memorial Video Songs
The most-chosen songs for memorial videos and funeral slideshows, ranked by popularity.
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon and Garfunkel
A promise of support and comfort through life's troubled waters.
Why it's meaningful: Celebrates those who were sources of strength and refuge for others.
Best moment: Perfect for honoring someone who was always there for others.
Forever Young
Rod Stewart
A parent's heartfelt wishes for their child - to be courageous, righteous, and forever young in spirit.
Why it's meaningful: Captures a parent's eternal hopes and dreams for their child.
Best moment: Uplifting choice for celebrating a son or daughter's spirit.
Unchained Melody
The Righteous Brothers
A timeless ballad about enduring love and longing that spans generations.
Why it's meaningful: Speaks to the eternal nature of true love, even beyond death.
Best moment: Beautiful for services celebrating long marriages.
Stand by Me
Ben E. King
Ben E. King's timeless soul classic about loyalty and devotion through life's darkest moments.
Why it's meaningful: The promise to stand by someone no matter what honors relationships built on unwavering loyalty and support.
Best moment: Perfect for honoring sisters, brothers, or anyone who stood by you.
I Will Always Love You
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton's original — a graceful farewell that acknowledges the bittersweet nature of parting while affirming eternal love.
Why it's meaningful: Themes of eternal love make it a funeral staple. The country original is more intimate than the Whitney Houston version.
Best moment: Spouse's funeral or mother's farewell. The stripped-back arrangement lets the words carry the weight.
My Girl
The Temptations
The definitive Motown love song — sunshine on a cloudy day. David Ruffin's tenor makes ordinary devotion feel transcendent.
Why it's meaningful: For daughters, wives, and mothers who were someone's 'sunshine.' The warmth and simplicity capture what it meant to have them in your life.
Best moment: Tribute or slideshow. The iconic bass line creates instant recognition and emotional connection.
Con te partirò (Time to Say Goodbye - Italian)
Andrea Bocelli
The original Italian version of Bocelli's iconic farewell—even more powerful in its native language.
Why it's meaningful: In Italian, the farewell feels more intimate and genuine. 'I will go with you' becomes a spiritual promise.
Best moment: During the service. The Italian language adds authentic emotion.
My Way
Frank Sinatra
Sinatra's iconic declaration of a life lived on one's own terms—'I did it my way.'
Why it's meaningful: The ultimate tribute to someone who lived authentically. No regrets, no apologies.
Best moment: Recessional or closing. The definitive send-off.
Landslide
Fleetwood Mac
Stevie Nicks' reflective ballad about aging, change, and the passage of time.
Why it's meaningful: The honest confrontation with time's passage resonates deeply at funerals.
Best moment: Powerful for honoring women and reflecting on life's journey.
Wind Beneath My Wings
Bette Midler
The ultimate tribute to the quiet supporter: 'Did you ever know that you're my hero?' Perfect for those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes for their family.
Why it's meaningful: Gives voice to gratitude the family feels they didn't express enough in life. A final public declaration of thanks.
Best moment: Eulogy support or tribute. The emotional build allows the speaker time to compose themselves.
All Memorial Video Songs
One More Day
Diamond Rio
A wish for just one more day with someone who has passed.
Why it's meaningful: Captures the universal desire for more time with those we love.
Best moment: Helps express gratitude for the time we had while acknowledging our wish for more.
The Dance
Garth Brooks
A country ballad about cherishing life
Why it's meaningful: Reminds us that the pain of loss is worth it for the joy of having loved.
Best moment: Touching choice for celebrating a life well-lived.
Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen
A haunting meditation on love, loss, and the complexity of human emotion.
Why it's meaningful: Cohen's masterpiece captures the bittersweet nature of life and love, resonating deeply at farewell moments.
Best moment: Perfect for reflection during the service or viewing.
In My Life
The Beatles
A tender reflection on places and people who shaped us, acknowledging that love endures even as life changes.
Why it's meaningful: Perfectly balances honoring the past while acknowledging loss.
Best moment: Universal choice for honoring anyone, celebrating their place in your life.
Jealous of the Angels
Donna Taggart
An Irish singer's poignant ballad about being jealous of heaven for taking someone too soon.
Why it's meaningful: Honestly expresses the envy we feel toward heaven for taking our loved ones.
Best moment: Particularly moving with its Celtic arrangement and heartfelt delivery.
Angels Among Us
Alabama
A country classic about angels walking among us and watching over us from heaven, offering comfort that loved ones become our guardian angels.
Why it's meaningful: Provides comfort in believing your son is now an angel watching over you, transforming devastating loss into ongoing spiritual presence.
Best moment: Uplifting choice for celebrating the belief that your son is still with you.
Lean on Me
Bill Withers
A song about mutual support and being there for each other through difficult times.
Why it's meaningful: Pets lean on us and we lean on them. The mutual dependence and comfort captures the pet-owner bond perfectly.
Best moment: Pet memorial service or private remembrance.
Time to Say Goodbye
Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
A powerful duet about parting that combines classical grandeur with emotional depth.
Why it's meaningful: The soaring vocals and orchestral arrangement create a moment of beautiful farewell.
Best moment: Often chosen for the final farewell or committal.
I'll Be Missing You
Puff Daddy ft. Faith Evans & 112
A tribute to The Notorious B.I.G. built on The Police's 'Every Breath You Take.' One of hip-hop's defining memorial songs.
Why it's meaningful: Created from genuine grief, it became the anthem for anyone who's lost someone too soon.
Best moment: For someone who loved hip-hop. The spoken sections are deeply personal.
Unforgettable
Nat King Cole
The song that reinforces legacy: 'Unforgettable, that's what you are.' The 1991 duet with Natalie Cole is particularly potent for father-daughter tributes.
Why it's meaningful: Reassures the bereaved that the deceased will not be erased by death. The virtual duet version symbolizes connection across the divide.
Best moment: Family tribute or accompanying a eulogy. The duet version works especially well for a daughter's tribute.
Over the Rainbow
Judy Garland
The original 1939 classic about a place of beauty and peace beyond the troubles of this world.
Why it's meaningful: The dream of a better place 'over the rainbow' needs no religious framing to offer comfort.
Best moment: For someone who dreamed big. The classic recording carries decades of emotional weight.
Angels
Robbie Williams
A modern anthem about protection and love from beyond.
Why it's meaningful: Speaks to the belief that loved ones continue watching over us.
Best moment: Uplifting choice for celebrating life rather than mourning death.
Calling All Angels
Train
A plea for angelic help and guidance through difficult times, with a driving melody that builds hope.
Why it's meaningful: The desperate call for angels to come resonates with the feeling of needing supernatural comfort after loss.
Best moment: During the service or reflection. The building intensity matches the urgency of grief.
Songbird
Fleetwood Mac
Christine McVie's impossibly gentle love song — just voice and piano. A lullaby of gratitude for someone who brought joy.
Why it's meaningful: The simplicity is the point. No production tricks, just pure love. 'The songbirds keep singing like they know the score' suggests nature continues the melody.
Best moment: Exit or tribute. The spare arrangement leaves space for tears and memory.
Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran
A romantic acoustic ballad about loving someone through every stage of life.
Why it's meaningful: The image of loving someone until you're seventy captures a life spent together.
Best moment: For a spouse's service. The warm guitar arrangement feels personal.
One Sweet Day
Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
A powerful duet about missing someone and looking forward to reunion, expressing all the things left unsaid.
Why it's meaningful: The soaring harmonies and emotional vocals create a cathartic release while offering hope of eventual reunion and expressing unspoken love.
Best moment: Emotional peak moment during service, allows congregants to fully feel their grief.
What a Wonderful World
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong's warm celebration of the simple beauty in everyday life.
Why it's meaningful: A reminder to appreciate the world's beauty—trees, skies, friends—as the departed did.
Best moment: Recessional or memorial slideshow. The warmth sends people off with gentle hope.
Here Comes the Sun
The Beatles
George Harrison's joyful declaration that dark times are ending and light is returning.
Why it's meaningful: After the long winter of grief, the sun will come again. Hope without requiring faith.
Best moment: Recessional or closing. Sends mourners into the light.
Photograph
Ed Sheeran
A tender song about keeping someone close through photographs and memories.
Why it's meaningful: The idea that love lives on in photographs perfectly captures how we hold onto the departed.
Best moment: Memorial slideshow or photo tribute. The perfect accompaniment to images.
Dance With My Father
Luther Vandross
A tender reflection on memories of dancing with a beloved father.
Why it's meaningful: Celebrates the special bond between fathers and children.
Best moment: Touching tribute for fathers who were loving and present.
Funeral Slideshow Songs for Dad
Funeral slideshow songs for dad need to capture a lifetime of strength, protection, and quiet love. “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler is the most popular choice for a dad's memorial video — its tribute to unsung heroism matches the photos of a father who showed up every day without asking for recognition. “My Way” by Frank Sinatra pairs naturally with a slideshow of a dad who lived on his own terms, from young adventurer to family patriarch.
“Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton works when the loss is fresh and the slideshow leans into emotion. For country-loving dads, “The Dance” by Garth Brooks accompanies photos beautifully — “I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance” reframes every photo as evidence of a life worth celebrating. “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa resonates especially with younger family members creating slideshows for their father. Match the song's emotional arc to the photo chronology: gentle opening over childhood, building through milestones, emotional peak at family moments.
Funeral Slideshow Songs for Brother
Funeral slideshow songs for a brother should reflect the unique bond between siblings — part friendship, part rivalry, part irreplaceable. “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth has become the most requested slideshow song for brothers, especially for younger men, because its origin as a tribute to a lost friend captures the peer-level bond siblings share. “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers honours a brother who was always there when needed.
“Brothers in Arms” by Dire Straits works for a slideshow of adventures shared, while “You've Got a Friend” by James Taylor or Carole King captures the permanence of the sibling bond. For a brother who loved rock music, “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd expresses the ache of absence without sentimentality. Include photos of childhood together, shared milestones, and candid moments — the song should feel like the soundtrack to your shared history. For younger brothers, modern songs from their own playlists often make the most personal impact.
Funeral Slideshow Songs for Grandmother
Funeral slideshow songs for grandmother should evoke the warmth, wisdom, and unconditional love that grandmothers embody. “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong is the most popular choice — its gentle celebration of life's beauty mirrors how grandmothers teach us to appreciate small joys. At just 2:21, it fits a concise slideshow of 35-45 photos perfectly. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole creates an atmosphere of tender nostalgia ideal for childhood memories with grandma.
“Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole (or the duet version with Natalie Cole) honours a grandmother whose presence defined family gatherings. “You Are My Sunshine” works especially well if she sang it to grandchildren — hearing the song over photos of her with them creates a visceral emotional connection. For grandmothers of faith, “Amazing Grace” provides familiar comfort, while “Ave Maria” by Schubert suits Catholic grandmothers. Match the song to who she was: a lively grandmother might deserve “Isn't She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder, while a quieter soul might suit “Clair de Lune” by Debussy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best songs for a memorial video?
The best songs for a memorial video are "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler, "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran, and "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton. The best memorial video songs share three qualities: emotional resonance without being overwhelming, a tempo that matches photo transitions (typically 60-80 BPM for 3-4 seconds per photo), and lyrics that feel personal without being too specific to one relationship. "See You Again" works because its verse-chorus structure naturally creates emotional peaks that align with key photos.
How long should a memorial video slideshow be?
A memorial video slideshow should be 3-5 minutes, which is the length of one or two songs. At 3-4 seconds per photo, a single 4-minute song accommodates 60-80 photos — enough to span a lifetime without testing attention spans. Funeral directors recommend keeping slideshows under 5 minutes for services and under 8 minutes for receptions. If you have more photos, show them on a loop at the reception rather than extending the service slideshow. Choose one song that carries the full emotional arc rather than cutting between multiple tracks, which can feel disjointed.
What songs work for the opening of a memorial video?
Songs for the opening of a memorial video should be gentle and draw viewers in without overwhelming them. "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong opens with warmth that matches baby photos and early life images. "Canon in D" by Pachelbel provides instrumental beauty that lets the photos speak. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole creates an immediate sense of tenderness. "Clair de Lune" by Debussy works for elegant, understated openings. The opening 15-20 seconds should match the emotional tone of childhood and early photos — save the emotional peaks for middle and closing sections.
Can you use copyrighted music in a memorial video?
You can use copyrighted music in a memorial video shown at a funeral service — this falls under personal, private use and no licence is needed. However, if you plan to upload the video to YouTube, Facebook, or a memorial website, the platform may mute or block copyrighted audio. Options for online sharing: use the platform's built-in music library (YouTube has a free audio library), purchase a sync licence through services like Musicbed or Artlist ($15-30 per song), or use royalty-free alternatives. Many families create two versions — one with the original song for the service and one with a licensed alternative for online sharing.
What are good instrumental songs for a funeral slideshow?
Good instrumental songs for a funeral slideshow include "Canon in D" by Pachelbel (5:30, gentle build), "Clair de Lune" by Debussy (5:00, reflective), "Nuvole Bianche" by Ludovico Einaudi (5:57, emotional piano), "River Flows in You" by Yiruma (3:30, accessible beauty), and "Ashokan Farewell" by Jay Ungar (3:22, Americana warmth). Instrumental songs work especially well for slideshows because lyrics can compete with on-screen text and captions. They also avoid the risk of lyrics contradicting the photos being shown. For a longer slideshow, "The Lark Ascending" by Vaughan Williams (14:00) or "Spiegel im Spiegel" by Arvo Pärt (10:00) provide sustained emotional support.
Taro Schenker
CreatorSoftware developer and creator of Your Funeral Songs. He built the site to close a real gap — no genuinely thoughtful, easy-to-use guide to funeral music — with hand-curated, source-checked song lists.