How many songs do you need for a funeral slideshow?

Most funeral or memorial slideshows use 4 to 6 songs for 60 to 80 photos, at roughly 3 to 5 seconds per photo. A shorter tribute of 30 to 40 photos may only need 2 or 3. Let the length of the service guide you.

How long should a memorial slideshow be?

Five to eight minutes is the sweet spot — long enough to honor a whole life, short enough to hold the room during a service or reception. Longer than about ten minutes and attention tends to drift.

How do you choose songs for a funeral slideshow?

Start with the person, not the list. A song they loved or hummed around the house will move the room more than the most beautiful song that wasn't theirs. Then fill in around it by mood — gentle, reflective, or faith-based.

Can you use a personalized song instead of well-known tracks?

Yes. Some families choose an original song written about the person rather than a familiar track. My Video Gift can write one from your memories and set the photos to it, with a free preview before you decide anything.

Slideshow songs

Songs for a funeral or memorial slideshow

The short answer

A funeral slideshow usually runs 5 to 8 minutes and needs about 4 to 6 songs for 60 to 80 photos. The best choices were meaningful to the person, or fit the room's feeling — gentle, reflective, faith-based, or classic. Here are dozens organized by mood so you can find the right ones quickly.

Choosing the music for a memorial slideshow is one of the harder small decisions in a hard week. The right songs carry the room when words run out. Below are songs families return to, grouped by the feeling they bring, so you can find the right ones without endless scrolling.

There's no wrong choice here. The most meaningful song is almost always the one that was already theirs.

40 songs across 7 categories.

Gentle and uplifting

For celebrating a life well-lived rather than only mourning it.

What a Wonderful WorldLouis Armstrong
Somewhere Over the RainbowIsrael Kamakawiwoʻole
Here Comes the SunThe Beatles
Three Little BirdsBob Marley
Lovely DayBill Withers
Forever YoungBob Dylan

Reflective and tender

Fields of GoldEva Cassidy
Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)Don McLean
The Living YearsMike + The Mechanics
Tears in HeavenEric Clapton
Fire and RainJames Taylor
AngelSarah McLachlan
HallelujahJeff Buckley

Faith and comfort

Amazing Gracetraditional
You Raise Me UpJosh Groban
On Eagle's WingsMichael Joncas
How Great Thou ArtCarrie Underwood
I Can Only ImagineMercyMe
Precious Lord, Take My HandMahalia Jackson

Country and heartland

Go Rest High on That MountainVince Gill
If Heaven Wasn't So Far AwayJustin Moore
Humble and KindTim McGraw
I'll Fly AwayAlison Krauss & Gillian Welch
The DanceGarth Brooks
Angels Among UsAlabama

Classic send-offs and standards

My WayFrank Sinatra
Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
Wind Beneath My WingsBette Midler
UnforgettableNat King Cole
Moon RiverAndy Williams

Modern and pop

See You AgainWiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
Supermarket FlowersEd Sheeran
Fix YouColdplay
I Will Remember YouSarah McLachlan
Dancing in the SkyDani and Lizzy
PhotographEd Sheeran

For a parent or grandparent

When the slideshow honors a whole life across generations.

LandslideFleetwood Mac
Simple ManLynyrd Skynyrd
In My LifeThe Beatles
SongbirdEva Cassidy

A song written for them, not a stock track

Any of these songs will carry the room. If you'd like the music to be about them by name, My Video Gift writes an original song from your memories and sets your photos to it — with a free preview to watch before you decide anything.

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Common questions

How many songs do you need for a funeral slideshow?: Most funeral or memorial slideshows use 4 to 6 songs for 60 to 80 photos, at roughly 3 to 5 seconds per photo. A shorter tribute of 30 to 40 photos may only need 2 or 3. Let the length of the service guide you.
How long should a memorial slideshow be?: Five to eight minutes is the sweet spot — long enough to honor a whole life, short enough to hold the room during a service or reception. Longer than about ten minutes and attention tends to drift.
How do you choose songs for a funeral slideshow?: Start with the person, not the list. A song they loved or hummed around the house will move the room more than the most beautiful song that wasn't theirs. Then fill in around it by mood — gentle, reflective, or faith-based.
Can you use a personalized song instead of well-known tracks?: Yes. Some families choose an original song written about the person rather than a familiar track. My Video Gift can write one from your memories and set the photos to it, with a free preview before you decide anything.

More song lists

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Last updated July 11, 2026 · Written by Adam Kling, founder of My Video Gift. Song suggestions are reference only (titles and artists, no lyrics), verified July 11, 2026.