37 Sad Funeral Songs

25. “Sinking In” by Katelyn Tarver, Jake Scott

Song Year: 2019

“Sinking In” is a song about the ugly truth dawning on us when we realize we may lose someone or do lose them. We have that moment where we know life will never be the same, and neither will we.

Losing someone we love feels like losing ourselves, and sometimes we grieve the loss of more than one person, despite only one person having died.

26. “Please Don’t Go” by Stephanie Rainey

Song Year: 2015

Death, whether expected or shocking, causes the same pain. “Please Don’t Go” is about loving someone as much as you can before they pass when you know they eventually will, and the aftermath of losing someone you never expected to.

27. “Lost Without You” by Freya Ridings

Song Year: 2018

“Lost Without You” is about being accustomed to your life and feeling like you know who you are, but the moment you lose the one you love, you realize you’re completely lost. It’s impossible to cope without the one person who could’ve helped you through it.

28. “Happiest Year” by Jaymes Young

Song Year: 2020

While this song specifically mentions one year, the lyrics metaphorically refer to having finally found ourselves with the one we love, only to lose them and ourselves in the blink of an eye.

What makes this song a beautiful funeral song is that it is essentially saying “thank you” and “goodbye.”  It’s a song about closure.

29. “Not About Angels” by Birdy

Song Year: 2014

“Not About Angels” is about a tragic, inevitable end, yet still loving fully, knowing it will break us in the end. A life without love is worse than a life with love lost. It’s unbearable to lose someone we love, but would we give up their memory to not feel this pain?

30. “Cloud” by Elias

Song Year: 2016

With a powerful piano, “Cloud” is a stunning song paired with heart-wrenching lyrics about giving up a fight. Whether this gets taken as the moment we finally accept the death of a loved one, or as something else entirely, this song is fitting for a funeral.

31. “Waves” by Dean Lewis

Song Year: 2016

“Waves” is a song that represents grief in an understanding way. Losing someone we love will never be easy, and the grief and sorrow will be overpowering some days and weaker the others, there for weeks and go for some.

It’s different for everyone, but the truth is, it’ll always remain no matter how it comes.

32. “Hallelujah” by Rufus Wainwright

Song Year: 2001

“Hallelujah” is another song that’s classically used for funerals because of its religious background and references. Even if you aren’t religious, this song is heart-breaking in its lyrics and instrumental.

33. “Safe & Sound” by Taylor Swift

Song Year: 2012

Taylor Swift sounds ethereal in this beautiful, sorrowful song about protecting the ones we love and waiting for the storm to pass. The singer’s voice is reassuring, although there is no certainty in anything happening around them.

“Safe & Sound” reminds us we can do everything in our capabilities to protect those we love, but there’s no certainty in life.

34. “I Never Told You” by Colbie Caillat

Song Year: 2010

“I Never Told You” is a difficult listen because of the yearning, sorrow, and regret in Colbie Caillat’s voice. It makes us rethink everything we said and did before we lost our loved ones, and nothing will keep us from missing them and loving them until we reach our end.

35. “In the Stars” by Benson Boone

Song Year: 2022

Benson Boone beautifully sings about how life without a loved one is impossible because we hold onto everything they said and did. We lose ourselves with them, and “In The Stars” is about being stuck in-between life and death. We live on, but our soul dies with them.

36. “Wait” by M83

Song Year: 2012

“Wait” is a song that relies heavily on its instruments to deliver a beautifully heart-breaking funeral song. The lyrics, while few, hold a strong impact with the repetition of the same two words that essentially say there was no time.

Losing someone so soon can feel like we have been robbed of the time we should have gotten with them.

37. “The Scientist” by Coldplay

Song Year: 2002

Rounding off the list with my favorite song of all time, “The Scientist” is a sound with a beautiful piano and heart-breaking lyrics of wishing to go back in time. It acknowledges the difficulty and pain of loving someone and how nothing can prepare you for it.

Saddest Funeral Songs, Final Thoughts

That’s out list of sad funeral songs. Grief and sorrow are difficult emotions to cope with, especially on the day you’re meant to say goodbye. Funerals are sad no matter how you look at them because even those that celebrate the life of a loved one are bittersweet.

Forever goodbyes are heart-breaking, and sometimes the only way to get through them is to feel them deep in our cores. Sad music helps us express those raw, intense emotions, and this list has a variety of songs to pick from.