Choosing the Music That Feels Like Them

A gentle guide to choosing meaningful songs for a memorial tribute

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Music Helps Shape The Feeling Of The Tribute

Choosing music for a memorial tribute can feel emotional and overwhelming. This guide helps families select meaningful funeral songs, memorial slideshow music, and gentle tribute presentation ideas that reflect personality, memory, and connection.

There is no right or wrong choice.

Whether you already know the exact songs you would like included, or need a little guidance, this page is here to help gently inspire ideas.

Sometimes a song says what words cannot.

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Questions To Help You Choose

If you are unsure where to begin, these questions can help guide your choices

Questions to Ask Yourself:

  • Did they have a favourite artist or singer?

  • Was there a song they always played?

  • Did they love country, classics, piano, church hymns, or modern music?

  • Was there a wedding song or special family song?

  • What music reminds you most of them?

  • What song would feel wrong not to include?

  • Did they love road trip music, pub classics, dancing songs, or soft instrumentals?

  • Would they prefer something emotional, uplifting, calm, or joyful?

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How to Provide Your Music

Preferred Music Formats

Best Formats

  • MP3

  • WAV

  • M4A

These formats work best for creating tribute videos.

If you already have songs selected, you are welcome to upload them along with your photos and information.

To make things as smooth as possible, please read the information below before sending music files.

Streaming Services Important Information

Songs from streaming subscriptions such as:

are often protected by DRM (digital rights management) and cannot be used by Drift & Flow.

This means:

  • the song may play inside the app

  • but cannot be used in a memorial tribute

Please do not supply songs directly downloaded from Apple Music subscriptions or Spotify playlists.

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Easiest Ways to Send Music

Option 1 — Send Existing Music Files

If you already own the songs:

  • send the MP3 files

  • upload them with your photos

  • email them

  • share via Google Drive

Option 2 — Purchase the Song

The easiest option is usually purchasing the song as an MP3 download.

Recommended Stores

  • Amazon Music Store

  • iTunes Store

After purchasing:

  1. Download the file

  2. Save it to your computer or phone

  3. Upload it with your tribute materials

Option 3 — Let Drift & Flow Help

If you are unsure what music to choose, Drift & Flow can:

  • suggest suitable music styles

  • recommend gentle instrumental pieces

  • help guide the overall atmosphere of the tribute


Music Copyright

Families are responsible for ensuring they have the appropriate rights or permissions to use copyrighted music for memorial services, livestreams, or online sharing.

Drift & Flow does not supply or license commercial music.

The right music can gently bring memories back to life

Different Songs Create Different Feelings

Gentle & Emotional

These song lists are simply gentle suggestions to help inspire ideas and make the selection process feel a little easier.

The most meaningful choices are often the songs that were personally loved by them or deeply connected to your memories together.

If you already have songs in mind, please feel free to use those instead.

There is no right or wrong choice — only what feels most meaningful to you and your family.

What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

Forever Young - Rod Stewart

My Way - Frank Sinatra

Time of Your Life - Green Day

Beautiful Day - U2

Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves

Happy - Pharrell Williams

Count on Me - Bruno Mars

Lean on Me - Bill Withers

Stand By Me - Ben E. King

I Hope You Dance - Lee Ann Womack

Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond

Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles

Simply the Best - Tina Turner

You’ve Got a Friend - James Taylor

Can’t Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley

Forever in Blue Jeans - Neil Diamond

Home - Michael Bublé

Have I Told You Lately - Van Morrison

Go Rest High on That Mountain - Vince Gill

If Tomorrow Never Comes - Garth Brooks

Humble and Kind - Tim McGraw

Remember When - Alan Jackson

Angels Among Us - Alabama

Where the Green Grass Grows - Tim McGraw

There You’ll Be - Faith Hill

When I Get Where I’m Going - Brad Paisley & Dolly Parton

Believe - Brooks & Dunn

Temporary Home - Carrie Underwood

Holes in the Floor of Heaven - Steve Wariner

Love Without End, Amen - George Strait

One More Day - Diamond Rio

You Should Be Here - Cole Swindell

If I Had Only Known - Reba McEntire

I’m Already There - Lonestar

Lead Me Home - Jamey Johnson

Angels - Randy Travis

Wish You Were Here - Mark Wills

Peaceful Instrumentals & Timeless Classics

Clair de Lune - Claude Debussy

River Flows in You - Yiruma

Nuvole Bianche - Ludovico Einaudi

Experience - Ludovico Einaudi

Time - Hans Zimmer

Comptine d’un autre été - Yann Tiersen

Spiegel im Spiegel - Arvo Pärt

Canon in D - Johann Pachelbel

Gymnopédie No.1 - Erik Satie

Ave Maria - Franz Schubert

Adagio for Strings - Samuel Barber

May It Be - Enya

Only Time - Enya

Songbird - Kenny G

Hallelujah (Instrumental) - Vitamin String Quartet

Air on the G String - Johann Sebastian Bach

My Heart Will Go On (Instrumental) - James Horner

Bella’s Lullaby - Carter Burwell

Requiem for a Dream - Clint Mansell

The Last Waltz - André Rieu

Memorial Tribute Song Suggestions

Supermarket Flowers - Ed Sheeran

Slipping Through My Fingers - ABBA

Tears in Heaven- Eric Clapton

The Dance - Garth Brooks

You Raise Me Up- Westlife

Angel - Sarah McLachlan

Hallelujah- Jeff Buckley

Jealous of the Angels - Donna Taggart

Say Something - A Great Big World

I Will Remember You - Sarah McLachlan

If I Could - Barbra Streisand

Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt

Dance With My Father - Luther Vandross

Make You Feel My Love - Adele

Landslide - Fleetwood Mac

A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

The Living Years - Mike + The Mechanics

Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel

Time to Say Goodbye - Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman

Amazing Grace - Traditional Hymn

How Great Thou Art - Traditional Hymn

Ave Maria - Franz Schubert

Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler

On Eagle’s Wings - Michael Joncas

The Prayer - Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion

Pie Jesu - Andrew Lloyd Webber

You’ll Never Walk Alone - Gerry and the Pacemakers

Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens

Abide With Me - Traditional Hymn

Here I Am Lord - Dan Schutte

Softly and Tenderly - Traditional Hymn

Nearer My God to Thee - Traditional Hymn

Go Rest High on That Mountain - Vince Gill

Hallelujah Chorus - George Frideric Handel

Panis Angelicus - César Franck

Jerusalem - Traditional Hymn

Lead Me Home - Jamey Johnson

Prayer of St Francis - Sarah McLachlan

Turning Page - Sleeping At Last

Saturn - Sleeping At Last

Experience - Ludovico Einaudi

Nuvole Bianche - Ludovico Einaudi

To Build a Home - The Cinematic Orchestra

River Flows in You - Yiruma

Arrival of the Birds - The Cinematic Orchestra

Time - Hans Zimmer

Cornfield Chase - Hans Zimmer

Outro - M83

Heartbeats - José González

Anchor - Novo Amor

First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes

Open - Rhye

Near Light - Ólafur Arnalds

All I Want - Kodaline

Skinny Love - Bon Iver

Your Hand in Mine - Explosions in the Sky

Awake My Soul - Mumford & Sons

Clair de Lune - Claude Debussy

Celebrating a Beautiful Life

The most meaningful songs are often the ones that instantly remind you of them.

Faith & Spiritual

Country & Heartfelt Storytelling

Modern & Cinematic

  • That is completely okay. Many families feel unsure at first. Start with songs that remind you of their personality, their favourite era, their faith, or a memory you shared. A song does not need to be perfect. It only needs to feel meaningful.

  • Yes. Many tribute presentations use more than one piece of music ,depending on the length of the tribute.

  • Yes. A song they loved can be one of the most personal choices. It may be emotional, joyful, nostalgic, spiritual, or completely unexpected. If it feels like them, it is worth considering.

  • Yes. Instrumental music can be beautiful when you want the photos and memories to remain the focus. Piano, strings, acoustic guitar, or soft cinematic music can create a calm and elegant feeling.

  • It is okay to choose music that feels gentle without being overwhelming. Many families prefer songs that feel warm, reflective, or comforting rather than deeply sad. The best choice is one that supports the tribute without making it feel too heavy.

  • This is incredibly common.

    Where possible, yes. You can provide the song file. If the song is being played at a funeral or memorial service, it is also important to check with the venue or funeral director about music licensing requirements.

  • Music is protected by copyright. Drift & Flow does not provide legal permission to use copyrighted music. Families are responsible for ensuring the chosen music can be used at their service or event, and funeral venues may already have their own licensing arrangements.

  • No. The music does not need to match every single image. It should support the overall feeling of the tribute. A carefully chosen song can bring the whole presentation together, even when the photos come from many different stages of life.

  • This is very common. A helpful approach is to choose one song that reflects the person being remembered, rather than trying to please everyone. You may also choose different songs for different sections of the tribute if that feels more balanced.

Questions Families Often Ask

From how song choices to copyright, we’re here to make things clear and easy

Helpful Resources

When You Feel Ready

We’ll guide you gently through the next steps and make everything feel simpler

There is no perfect choice.
Only music that feels meaningful.