125 Memorial Songs For Remembering Loved Ones Lost
A bride’s wedding is one of the most important days in her life that she plans from the time of being a young girl. However, not every wedding is a fairytale wedding with a father walking a bride down the aisle or a mother helping plan all the wedding details. Sometimes life is not what is expect and special people close to us pass away, whether it be a parent, sibling, special relative, or friend. Memorial songs celebrate the life and memories of loved ones lost.
At wedding ceremonies or wedding receptions, special songs can be played in remembrance of a special person who has passed away and not able to attend the wedding. These are the Best Memorial Songs. If you would like to play a song in remembrance at a wedding ceremony or wedding reception, we created a list of popular memorial songs. When remembering a loved one, who has passed during a wedding, we would recommend having a special object at the wedding ceremony and wedding reception in their honor. An example would be to have a lit candle in remembrance.
When selecting memorial songs, we would suggest a song that was special between the bridal couple and the person no longer living. It doesn’t matter the song or theme as it pertains to your relationship and memories together. If you do not have a specific song in mind we have listed our Top 100 Memorial Songs. We have listed many different types of music to cover anyone’s needs. We have rap, rock, country, jazz, r&b, and much more.
If you would like to think of someone who has passed away looking down on the bride and groom and/or looking over them, we would suggest the following songs: Holes In The Floor Of Heaven by Steve Wariner and Angels Among Us by Alabama. If it were a child that passed away we would suggest Angels In Waiting by Tammy Cochrane or Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton. Eric Clapton wrote the song after he lost his son.
If you would like to remember a soldier, we suggest Arlington by Trace Atkins or Live Like We Were Dying by Tim McGraw. The song played for Princess Diana, Candle In The Wind by Elton John, would be great for remembering a classy woman.
People come and go, but their memories will live on. It is very difficult for a bride and groom to have a special loved one pass early and not be able to physically attend their wedding. Therefore, we have assembled a list of our favorite in memory of songs. The songs can be played during the wedding ceremony or the wedding reception.
Top 3 Remembering a Father Songs
- Dance With My Father – Luther Vandross
- In the Living Years – Mike & the Mechanics
- Thank You for Being My Dad – Jon Barker
Top 3 Remembering a Mother Songs
- Two Of Us – Louis Tomlinson
- Mama – Il Div
- Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran
Top 3 Remembering a Child Songs
- Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton
- Heaven Bound Balloons – Granger Smith
- Who’d You Be Today – Kenny Chesney
Top 5 Remembering A Friend Songs
- See You Again – Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth
- Drink A Beer – Luke Bryan
- Broken Halos – Chris Stapleton
Top 3 Remembering A Loved One Songs
- Sad Song – We The Kings featuring Elena Coats
- Lay Me Down – Sam Smith
- My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
Top 3 Remembering A Military Person Songs
- Arlington – Trace Adkins
- The Ones Who Didn’t Make it Back Home – Justin Moore
- Some Gave All – Billy Ray Cyrus
Songs To Remember Loved Ones
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7. Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton
Eric wrote this song after the passing of his son.
Our favorite phrase in the song is as follows: “Beyond the door, there’s a peace I’m sure, and I know there’ll be no more, tears in heaven”.
6. One More Day – Diamond Rio
This is a great generic song for all the loved ones lost too early. One More Day is themed around having just one more day with a deceased friend or loved one and what we would do if we had the day.
5. Gone Too Soon – Michael Jackson
This song was dedicated to the memory of Micheal’s friend Ryan White, who was expelled from school for having HIV/AIDS.
4. Arlington – Trace Adkins
This is a great military-themed song.
Our soldiers are our heroes and should be remembered and never forgotten. They have provided us our freedom.
3. When I Look To The Sky – Train
This song is a great current mainstream rock song.
A great phrase in the song “When I look to the sky, something tells me you’re here with me and you make everything alright”.
2. People Are Crazy – Billy Currington
This is our oddball pick but one of our favorites.
The song is about a man meeting a second man in a bar and the second man passes away. The chorus of the song is said by the second man at the bar – God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy. The first man leaves a six-pack on the dead man’s grave out of respect.
1. My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
This was the main theme song of the movie Titanic.
The song is about how to carry on after the death of a loved one.
Listen to our songs to remember loved ones playlist on Spotify.
Similar song lists for further reading:
Memorial Songs To Play At Weddings
Memorial dance song list curated by Matthew Campbell
Last Updated: Jannuary 4, 2021
| Song | Amazon Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Adele Make You Feel My Love 2008, Soul |  | |
| Alabama Angels Among Us 1993, Country | | |
| Alan Jackson Remember When 2003, Country | | |
| Alison Krauss The Lucky One 2001, Bluegrass | | |
| Alter Bridge In Loving Memory 2004, Rock | | |
| Avenged Sevenfold So Far Away 2010, Rock | | |
| Barbra Streisand Memory 1981, Pop | | |
| Barry Manilow Memory 1982, Pop | | |
| Beatles Let It Be 1970, Rock | | |
| Bee Gees Wish You Were Here 1989, Pop | | |
| Bill Withers Lean On Me 1972, Soul | | |
| Billy Currington People Are Crazy 2009, Country | | |
| Billy Joel Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel) 1993, Pop | | |
| Billy Ray Cyrus Some Gave All 1992, Country | | |
| Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Tha Crossroads 1996, Hip Hop | | |
| Boyz II Men It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday 1991, R&B | | |
| Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton When I Get Where I'm Going 2005, Country | | |
| Brett Eldredge Sunday Drive 2020, Country | | |
| Brian Fallon 21 Days 2020, Folk | | |
| Brooks & Dunn Believe 2005, Country | | |
| Celine Dion Because You Loved Me 1996, Pop | | |
| Celine Dion My Heart Will Go On 1997, Pop | | |
| Charlotte Church & Josh Groban The Prayer 2001, Pop | | |
| Chris Stapleton Broken Halos 2017, Country | | |
| Chris Young Drowning 2019, Country | | |
| Cole Swindell You Should Be Here 2016, Country | | |
| Corinne Bailey Rae Are You Here 2009, Pop | | |
| Craig Morgan The Father, My Son, and the Holy Ghost 2019, Country | | |
| Dani and Lizzy Dancing in the Sky 2016, Pop | | |
| Darryl Worley I Miss My Friend 2002, Country | | |
| Daughtry Home 2007, Rock | | |
| Diamond Rio One More Day 2001, Country | | |
| Diana Ross Missing You 1984, R&B | | |
| Dream Academy Life In A Northern Town 1985, Pop | | |
| Ed Sheeran Supermarket Flowers 2017, Pop | | |
| Elton John Candle In The Wind 1997, Pop | | |
| Eric Clapton Tears In Heaven 1992, Rock | | |
| Escape Club I'll Be There 1991, Rock | | |
| Evanescence Breathe No More 2005, Rock | | |
| Fleetwood Mac Gypsy 1981, Rock | | |
| Foo Fighters The Last Song 2005, Rock | | |
| Garth Brooks The Dance 1990, Country | | |
| George Harrison All Those Years Ago 1981, Rock | | |
| Granger Smith Heaven Bound Balloons 2019, Country | | |
| Gwen Stefani Wonderful Life 2006, Pop | | |
| Hollywood Undead Coming Back Down 2011, Rock | | |
| Il Divo Mama 2004, Pop | | |
| Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Somewhere Over The Rainbow 1990, World | | |
| Jack Johnson Go On 2008, Folk Rock | | |
| Janet Jackson Together Again 1997, Dance | | |
| Jeff Buckley Hallelujah 2015, Rock | | |
| Jewel Angel Standing By 1995, Pop | | |
| Jo Dee Messina If Heaven Was Needing A Hero 2010, Country | | |
| Joe Diffie Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox (If I Die) 1993, Country | | |
| John Michael Montgomery I Miss You A Little 1997, Country | | |
| Jon Barker Thank You for Being My Dad 2011, Folk | | |
| Jon Bon Jovi August 7, 4:15 1997, Rock | | |
| Josh Groban For Always 2001, Pop | | |
| Josh Groban You Raise Me Up 2003, Pop | | |
| Justin Moore If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away 2011, Country | | |
| Justin Moore The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home 2019, Country | | |
| K. Michelle A Mother’s Prayer 2013, R&B | | |
| Keith Urban Song For Dad 2002, Country | | |
| Kenny Chesney The Good Stuff 2002, Country | | |
| Kenny Chesney Who You'd Be Today 2005, Country | | |
| Killers Goodnight, Travel Well 2008, Rock | | |
| LeAnn Rimes Probably Wouldn't Be This Way 2005, Country | | |
| Lorrie Morgan If You Came Back From Heaven 1994, Country | | |
| Louis Tomlinson Two Of Us 2019, Pop | | |
| Love Street Lovers Not Far Away 2020, Pop | | |
| Luke Bryan Drink A Beer 2013, Country | | |
| Luther Vandross Dance With My Father 2003, R&B | | |
| Mariah Carey Bye Bye 2008, Pop | | |
| Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men One Sweet Day 1995, R&B | | |
| Mark Wills Wish You Were Here 1998, Country | | |
| Michael Jackson Gone Too Soon 1993, Pop | | |
| Mike + The Mechanics The Living Years 1988, Rock | | |
| NAS Dance 2002, Hip Hop | | |
| Nashville Cast feat. Lennon & Maisy A Life That's Good 2017, Country | | |
| Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole Unforgettable 1991, R&B | | |
| Norman Greenbaum Spirit In The Sky 1969, Rock | | |
| Oasis Stop Crying Your Heart Out 2002, Pop | | |
| P!nk Who Knew 2006, Pop | | |
| Patrick Droney Glitter 2020, Pop | | |
| Pearl Jam Last Kiss 1999, Rock | | |
| Pet Shop Boys Being Boring 1999, Pop | | |
| Pretenders Back On The Chain Gang 1982, Rock | | |
| Puff Daddy & Faith Evans I'll Be Missing You 1997, Hip Hop | | |
| R.E.M. Camera 1984, Rock | | |
| Robbie Williams Angels 1997, Pop | | |
| Rush Afterimage 1984, Rock | | |
| Sam Smith Lay Me Down 2014, Pop | | |
| Sarah Brightman Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro) 1995, Pop | | |
| Sarah McLachlan Angel 1998, Pop | | |
| Sarah McLachlan I Will Remember You 1995, Pop | | |
| Shinedown Call Me 2008, Rock | | |
| Sia The Greatest 2016, Pop | | |
| Simple Plan Gone Too Soon 2011, Pop | | |
| Sonic Youth 1 1992, Rock | | |
| Staind Tangled up in You 2008, Rock | | |
| Steve Wariner Holes In The Floor Of Heaven 1998, Country | | |
| Stone Sour Through Glass 2006, Rock | | |
| Sum 41 Pieces 2004, Punk | | |
| Sum 41 With Me 2007, Punk | | |
| Tammy Cochran Angels In Waiting 2001, Country | | |
| Tanya Tucker Forever Loving You 2017, Country | | |
| The Innocence Mission On Your Side 2019, Folk | | |
| The Script If You Could See Me Now 2012, Pop | | |
| Tim McGraw Humble And Kind 2015, Country | | |
| Tim McGraw Live Like You Were Dying 2004, Country | | |
| Tim McGraw Please Remember Me 1995, Country | | |
| Toby Keith Cryin' For Me (Wayman's Song) 2009, Country | | |
| Trace Adkins Arlington 2005, Country | | |
| Train Drops of Jupiter 2001, Rock | | |
| Train When I Look To The Sky 2004, Rock | | |
| Travis Smith Fishing in the Sky 2017, Country | | |
| Trisha Yearwood I'll Carry You Home 2019, Country | | |
| U2 One Tree Hill 1988, Rock | | |
| Vince Gill Go Rest High On That Mountain 1995, Country | | |
| Warren Zevon Keep Me In Your Heart 2003, Rock | | |
| We The Kings featuring Elena Coats Sad Song 2013, Indie | | |
| We Three Heaven's Not Too Far (Radio Version) 2018, Pop | | |
| Willie Nelson Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground 1981, Country | | |
| Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth See You Again 2015, Hip Hop | | |
| Yardbirds An Original Man (A Song for Keith) 2003, Rock | | |
Have a favorite, not on our list? Be sure to share your song at the bottom of the list.
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I lost my son Michael who was only 18 tragically to a dui driver 2 months ago. Some very good songs are “Call Me” Shinedown “Pieces” Sum 41 Stonesour “Through the glass” “Coming Back Down” Hollywood Undead “Tangled up in you” Staind “Gone too soon” Simple Plan “Stop Crying Your eyes out” Oasis “If you could see me now” The Script “With Me” Sum 41 hope this helps some people out there as much as they’ve helped me.
Hi Charles. Sorry to hear about your son. Prayers for you and your family. Thank you for the song suggestions. We will add them to the list!
So Far Away by Avenged Sevenfold?
Thanks Mackenzie. Great song and we will add it to the list.
Great list! I have another addition cole swindale “you should be here”
Thanks Rosie and thanks for the great suggestion. We will definitely add it to the list.
These are all really great suggestions but I have another that might be fitting… “if heaven wasn’t far away” by Justin Moore
Thanks Patricia! Great song and we will add to the list.
I recently lost my son he was 38
I would like some suggestion for songs to play at his memorial
Hi Donna. Sorry for your loss. Many of the songs above are great. However, I would suggest playing songs more to his personality. For example, If he was an upbeat, fun loving guy, then have happy songs in celebration of his life instead of the stereotypical songs played at memorials. Hope this helps. God Bless.