Choosing the music that feels like them
A gentle guide to choosing meaningful songs for a memorial tribute
Choosing music for a memorial tribute can feel surprisingly difficult. A song can bring back a memory, capture their personality or simply create the feeling you want the tribute to have.
There is no right or wrong choice.
Whether you already know the songs you would like included or need a little guidance, this page is here to help you find music that feels right for them.
Music helps shape the feeling of the tribute
Questions to help you choose
If you are unsure where to begin, these questions can help guide your choices
Think about:
Did they have a favourite artist or singer?
Was there a song they always played?
What kind of music did they love — country, classics, hymns, piano, rock or something else?
Was there a wedding song or a song that held special meaning for your family?
What music instantly reminds you of them?
Is there a song that simply wouldn't feel right to leave out?
Did they have music connected to road trips, dancing, weekends at home or other everyday memories?
Would something emotional, uplifting, calm or joyful feel most like them?
Sometimes a song says what words cannot.
How to provide your music
Preferred music formats
If you already have your own music files, the preferred formats are:
• MP3
• WAV
• M4A (provided the file is not protected)
If you're unsure whether your music file is suitable, you can send us the details and we'll help you work out the best option.
If you already know which songs you would like included, you can send them along with your photographs and other tribute materials.
Before sending your music, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Music from streaming services
Songs saved through subscription services such as Apple Music or Spotify generally can't be supplied as music files for your tribute.
Even if a song has been downloaded for offline listening, it may still be protected and only playable within the streaming app.
Please don't download or send music directly from a streaming subscription.
If you're unsure how to provide a particular song, just let us know and we'll guide you.
Easiest ways to send music
Option 1 - Send an existing music file
If you already have the song as a music file, simply upload it with your tribute materials.
Suitable files include:
• MP3
• WAV
• unprotected M4A
You’ll receive an upload link as part of the tribute process.
Option 2 - Purchase the song
If you don't already have a suitable music file, you may be able to purchase and download the song from a digital music store.
Before purchasing, make sure the song can be downloaded as an audio file rather than only played through a streaming app.
Once downloaded, upload the music file with your other tribute materials.
Option 3 - Let Drift & Flow help
If you're unsure what music to choose, we can help you narrow down the options.
We can:
• suggest music styles that may suit the person and tribute
• suggest gentle instrumental options
• help you think about the mood and feeling you would like the music to create
Music Copyright
Copyright requirements can vary depending on how music is used and where the finished tribute is played, shared or streamed.
Drift & Flow does not supply or license commercial music. Families are responsible for ensuring they have any permissions or licences required for their chosen music and intended use of the finished tribute.
If the tribute will be livestreamed, uploaded online or shared publicly, additional music permissions may be required.
The right music can gently bring memories back to life
Different songs create different feelings
The music you choose can shape the feeling of a tribute — reflective and gentle, warm and uplifting, or even joyful.
The suggestions below are simply a starting point to help inspire ideas. The most meaningful choice will always be music that feels connected to the person you're remembering.
Memorial tribute song suggestions
Gentle & Emotional
Supermarket Flowers — Ed Sheeran
Slipping Through My Fingers — ABBA
Tears in Heaven — Eric Clapton
The Dance — Garth Brooks
Angel — Sarah McLachlan
I Will Remember You — Sarah McLachlan
Dance with My Father — Luther Vandross
Make You Feel My Love — Adele
Landslide — Fleetwood Mac
The Living Years — Mike + The Mechanics
Bridge Over Troubled Water — Simon & Garfunkel
The Last Goodbye — Billy Boyd
Celebrating a Beautiful Life
What a Wonderful World — Louis Armstrong
Forever Young — Rod Stewart
My Way — Frank Sinatra
Time of Your Life (Good Riddance) — Green Day
Beautiful Day — U2
Here Comes the Sun — The Beatles
Simply the Best — Tina Turner
You've Got a Friend — James Taylor
Stand by Me — Ben E. King
I Hope You Dance — Lee Ann Womack
Forever in Blue Jeans — Neil Diamond
Throw Your Arms Around Me — Hunters & Collectors
Faith & Spiritual
Amazing Grace — Traditional Hymn
How Great Thou Art — Traditional Hymn
Ave Maria — Franz Schubert
Abide with Me — Traditional Hymn
Morning Has Broken — Cat Stevens
On Eagle's Wings — Michael Joncas
The Prayer — Andrea Bocelli & Céline Dion
You'll Never Walk Alone — Gerry & The Pacemakers
Go Rest High on That Mountain — Vince Gill
Jealous of the Angels — Donna Taggart
You Raise Me Up — Westlife
One Day at a Time — Cristy Lane
Country & Heartfelt Storytelling
Remember When — Alan Jackson
The Dance — Garth Brooks
Humble and Kind — Tim McGraw
If Tomorrow Never Comes — Garth Brooks
There You'll Be — Faith Hill
When I Get Where I'm Going — Brad Paisley & Dolly Parton
Love Without End, Amen — George Strait
You Should Be Here — Cole Swindell
If I Had Only Known — Reba McEntire
Lead Me Home — Jamey Johnson
Angels — Randy Travis
Looking Forward, Looking Back — Slim Dusty
Modern & Cinematic
Experience — Ludovico Einaudi
Nuvole Bianche — Ludovico Einaudi
River Flows in You — Yiruma
Time — Hans Zimmer
Cornfield Chase — Hans Zimmer
Arrival of the Birds — The Cinematic Orchestra
To Build a Home — The Cinematic Orchestra
Turning Page — Sleeping At Last
Saturn — Sleeping At Last
Fix You — Coldplay
Somewhere Only We Know — Keane
Into My Arms — Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Peaceful Instrumentals & Timeless Classics
Clair de Lune — Claude Debussy
Canon in D — Johann Pachelbel
Air on the G String — Johann Sebastian Bach
Gymnopédie No. 1 — Erik Satie
Moonlight Sonata — Ludwig van Beethoven
Adagio for Strings — Samuel Barber
The Swan — Camille Saint-Saëns
Meditation from Thaïs — Jules Massenet
Nimrod from Enigma Variations — Edward Elgar
Gabriel's Oboe — Ennio Morricone
Somewhere in Time — John Barry
Time to Say Goodbye — Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
The most meaningful songs are often the ones that instantly remind you of them.
Questions Families often ask
From choosing the right music to understanding file formats and copyright, we're here to make things feel clear and manageable.
Helpful Resources
When you feel ready
When you're ready to begin, we'll guide you through the next steps and make it clear what we need from you.