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.

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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.

RankingSong NameArtistsMovement since 2016 Chart
1My WayFrank SinatraNon-mover
2Time To Say GoodbyeAndrea Bocelli and Sarah BrightmanNon-mover
3Over The RainbowEva CassidyNon-mover
4Wind Beneath My WingsBette MidlerNon-mover
5AngelsRobbie WilliamsRe-entry
6Supermarket FlowersEd SheeranNew entry
7UnforgettableNat King ColeUp three places
8You Raise Me UpWestlifeNew entry
9We'll Meet AgainVera LynnDown three places
10Always Look on the Bright Side of LifeEric Idle – from Monty Python's Life of BrianDown two places

The charts reflect an ongoing shift away from religious ceremonies, as more and more people opt to bow out to secular songs.

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