People doing it their way... as pop songs dominate funeral playlists

Frank Sinatra's My Way topped a funeral song chart compiled by Co-op Funeralcare, ahead of Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, and Over The Rainbow by Eva Cassidy. Picture: Adam Butler/PA Wire

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POP SONGS are becoming the most popular music played at funerals, with people actually drawing up their own playlists.

Frank Sinatra’s My Way topped a funeral song chart compiled by Co-op Funeralcare, ahead of Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea  Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, and Over The Rainbow by Eva Cassidy.

A study among 300 Co-op funeral directors and 2,000 adults showed increasing numbers of people having a playlist ready for their funeral.

Two out of five of those polled said they wanted to “raise a laugh” at their funeral, explaining why Monty Python’s Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life remains one of the most popular songs, with one in 10 saying they would consider The Jam’s Going Underground. Hymns are becoming less popular, although The Lord Is My Shepherd was the fifth most popular request this year.

Theme tunes from TV programmes such as Game Of Thrones could become more popular in the future, the Co-op predicted.

A list of the most popular funeral songs by pop artists included Robbie Williams, Westlife, Adele and Rihanna.

Top 10

My Way - Frank Sinatra

Time To Say Goodbye - Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman

Over the Rainbow - Eva Cassidy

Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler

The Lord is my Shepherd - Psalm 23

We’ll Meet Again - Vera Lynn

All Things Bright and Beautiful - Traditional

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life - Month Python

Abide With Me - Traditional