Traditional hymns have fallen out of the top 10 most popular funeral songs for the first time ever, according to the latest chart figures.
The 2019 funeral chart, published by Co-op, shows religious favourites such as The Lord is my Shepherd and Abide with me have been shunned amid stiff competition from pop hits.
Read more: Music industry revenue grows 10 per cent
The three hymns dropped out of the top 10 for the first time this year, while the wildly popular Ed Sheeran and Irish heartthrobs Westlife made their first appearances.
There was no change in the top three swansongs, with Frank Sinatras My Way a dead cert in first place once again. Time To Say Goodbye and Eva Cassidys Over The Rainbow came in second and third.
Ranking | Song Name | Artists | Movement since 2016 Chart |
1 | My Way | Frank Sinatra | Non-mover |
2 | Time To Say Goodbye | Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman | Non-mover |
3 | Over The Rainbow | Eva Cassidy | Non-mover |
4 | Wind Beneath My Wings | Bette Midler | Non-mover |
5 | Angels | Robbie Williams | Re-entry |
6 | Supermarket Flowers | Ed Sheeran | New entry |
7 | Unforgettable | Nat King Cole | Up three places |
8 | You Raise Me Up | Westlife | New entry |
9 | We'll Meet Again | Vera Lynn | Down three places |
10 | Always Look on the Bright Side of Life | Eric Idle – from Monty Python's Life of Brian | Down two places |
The charts reflect an ongoing shift away from religious ceremonies, as more and more people opt to bow out to secular songs.
But Brits still have a sense of comedy on their deathbeds, iRead More – Source