[Music Funeral] BGM to Remember the Deceased | Spotlight on Requiems and Dirges Praying for Peace
In recent years, the term “music funeral” has become more common, and it’s increasingly popular to play music at funerals to honor the deceased.
It’s also said that more people are choosing songs in advance during their lifetime, entrusting their feelings to music as a way to express gratitude and love.
In this article, we introduce several recommended songs for remembering the departed and for use as funeral background music.
We’ve gathered a variety of pieces—songs that express feelings for the deceased, songs that convey gratitude for the past, classical works including requiems, and calm J-pop—so please use this as a reference.
- Songs to Play at My Own Funeral: Timeless Gems to Make Farewells Uniquely My Own
- [Songs of Bereavement] Songs about losing someone dear. Tracks to listen to while thinking of a loved one.
- [Thank-You Song] A song to convey your feelings of “thank you” to someone special
- [Bereavement Song] To you whom I can no longer meet... Tear-jerking songs about death
- [Memorial Song] A moving classic and love song dedicated to a beloved person embarking on a journey to heaven
- Masterpieces of requiems and dirges
- A song I want people who have lost a beloved partner to listen to
- Great songs recommended for people in their 80s: a collection of tracks with lyrics that touch the heart
- A gentle song. A classic that calms the heart. A song that makes you feel kind.
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- A nostalgic song—a timeless classic that somehow feels familiar and touches the heart.
- [Standard] A compilation of popular songs recommended for award ceremonies [Classical / BGM]
- [For when you want to cry or feel sad] Tear-jerking masterpieces that make you cry when you listen
[Music Funeral] BGM to Remember the Deceased | Also Noteworthy: Requiems and Dirges Wishing for Peace (1–10)
I can’t put it into wordsofukōsu
Partings from those dear to us, encounters with the ones we love, and emotions too deep for words.
This gem of a ballad, released by Off Course in February 1982, gently sings of such delicate moments in life.
Kazumasa Oda’s clear, pure voice and the beautiful melody seep deep into the heart.
The song is included on the album “over” and was released as a double A-side single with “Kimi ni Okuru Uta.” In 1999, it was chosen for a life insurance company’s commercial, once again moving the hearts of many.
It’s a song to play when your feelings for someone overflow or when you want to express gratitude to someone precious.
SoranjiMrs. GREEN APPLE
It’s a ballad imbued with a message that touches the depths of life.
Written as the theme song for the film “From Siberia With Love,” starring Kazunari Ninomiya and Keiko Kitagawa, it was released in November 2022.
Reflecting the film’s worldview, the lyrics gently convey the preciousness of life and the importance of bonds with loved ones.
Its grand arrangement featuring strings and the emotionally resonant vocals leave a strong impression.
When you feel lost in life or think of someone dear, this song is sure to give you courage.
Requiem in B-flat majorJohann Christian Bach
A Mass composed by Johann Christian Bach, the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach, the great Baroque master who left behind numerous masterpieces.
It is said to have been written in Italy when he was 22 years old.
Although Johann Christian Bach has often been overshadowed by his illustrious father and by successors such as Haydn and Mozart, he was an active and highly acclaimed composer during his lifetime in Germany, England, and Italy.
While long little known in Japan, this work is a must-hear for its elegant and magnificent sonorities, which retain elements of classical Baroque music while also incorporating the style of Italian church music.
[Music Funeral] BGM to Remember the Deceased | Spotlight on Requiems and Dirges Praying for Peace (11–20)
aspiration; longing; ardent desireFukuyama Masaharu
This is a song Masaharu Fukuyama wrote for the film “If Only I Could Meet You Again on the Hill Where That Flower Blooms.” Released in December 2023, the movie portrays a heartrending love and parting set during wartime.
From this song, you can feel the protagonist’s emotions as they carry love for someone dear while having no choice but to accept their farewell.
The wish for the small joys of everyday life stands in poignant contrast to the harsh reality of war.
Played at a funeral, it could convey to your loved ones, “Those ordinary days were truly happiness.”
Even if I’m not there.Hirai Dai
Gaining widespread support for its storytelling, “Even If I’m Not Here.” It tells the story of a man who is about to pass away writing a letter to a child he has yet to meet.
Most of the lyrics are composed as the text of that letter, filled with messages cheering the child on until they grow up.
Pay special attention to the final line, which ties in with the song’s title.
Since the song never explicitly states who the letter is addressed to, it’s also appealing that listeners can reinterpret the parent–child relationship as a romantic one or a friendship, making it easier to empathize.
Close your eyesHirai Ken
A gem-like, soul-stirring ballad by Ken Hirai that delicately portrays the deep sorrow and sense of loss after losing a loved one.
The story begins with a morning awakening, and the everyday moments and memories shared with the person who is gone are beautifully recounted.
A pure wish to let a cherished presence live on forever in one’s heart resonates throughout the lyrics, accompanied by vivid, moving imagery.
Released in April 2004, it topped the annual Oricon singles chart.
As the theme song for the film “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World,” this work is etched into the memories of many and gently embraces the hearts of those left behind in times of parting.
Tears Flowing EndlesslyNatsukawa Rimi
Now considered one of Japan’s national songs, “Nada Sōsō.” The title, in the Okinawan language, means “tears falling and spilling over,” and was given by the composing trio BEGIN.
After hearing the demo, Ryoko Moriyama wrote the lyrics while thinking of her older brother, who passed away young.
Living on while drawing strength from someone dear who is no longer here—this sentiment resonated widely, leading to numerous films and TV dramas based on the song.