Choosing the Music That Feels Like Them
A gentle guide to choosing meaningful songs for a memorial tribute
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.
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?
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:
Apple Music
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.
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:
Download the file
Save it to your computer or phone
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
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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.
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Yes. Many tribute presentations use more than one piece of music ,depending on the length of the tribute.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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