‘Jerusalem’ tops list of songs over 50s want played at funeral

According to a new study, 70% of over 50s would like to have music played at their funeral service, with Jerusalem by Edward Elgar topping the list.

The research, commissioned by funeral plan providers, Ecclesiastical Planning Services, asked 1,000 people aged 50 and above whether they would like music to be played at their funeral service and if so, which song would they most like played.

In total, 70% of respondents revealed that they would like some form of music to be played at their funeral service. Women (74% of total women asked) were more likely than men (64% of total men asked) to request music at their funeral service, with just 13% of respondents indicating they would not like to have music played at their service.

Among the most commonly requested songs were Frank Sinatra’s My Way, Robbie Williams’ Angels, and ACDC’s Highway to Hell. The research highlighted that many people still have a preference for hymns and more traditional scores such as Edward Elgar’s Jerusalem and Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli.

Marketing manager of Ecclesiastical Planning Services, Emma Simpson, said: “It was fascinating to read these results and see which tracks people would most commonly choose to have played at their funeral service.

“Each year, it’s interesting to hear about which funeral songs have been the most popular, but often these will have been picked on behalf of the deceased by their family and friends, so it’s great to see what people would actually choose for themselves. Pre-paid funeral plans are ideal for those with special funeral song requests or other specific funeral wishes, allowing them to be recorded and kept safe until the time of need.”