[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 a loved one. Tracks to listen to while thinking of someone dear
- [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] Background Music to Remember the Deceased | Also Featuring Requiems and Laments Praying for Peace (21–30)
Becoming a Thousand WindsAkiyama Masashi
The American-origin poem “Do not stand at my grave and weep” was rendered into Japanese and set to music by novelist Man Arai as “Sen no Kaze ni Natte.” It is also known for having been covered by various artists.
Its gentle, beautiful melody and the message—asking loved ones not to cry at one’s grave—soothe and quietly seep into the hearts of those left behind.
Requiem in D minor, K. 626Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
This piece was commissioned through an anonymous messenger, and Mozart was working on it up until just before his death.
After being bedridden for a time, he passed away at the young age of 35, leaving many sections unfinished.
A Requiem is, by origin, a liturgical vocal work written to be performed at the Catholic Church’s “Mass for the Dead.” Its text uses Latin liturgical passages composed of words and verses drawn from the Bible.
In addition to praise of God and union with Him, it includes depictions of the “Last Judgment” found in the Bible and prayers that the dead may be saved from that judgment and granted eternal rest.
dogwood (flowering dogwood)Hitoto Yo
Since its release in 2005, Hanamizuki has remained a hit song that consistently ranks on karaoke popularity charts.
It is said to have been written about the September 11 attacks in the United States.
The song carries a wish for the end of tragic accidents, unacceptable wars, and acts of terrorism, and for a hundred years of continued peace.
Many artists have covered Hanamizuki.
1106WANIMA
It’s a song from WANIMA’s early days, a band known for energetic, forward-looking, high-velocity tracks that really give you a push on the back.
This track, “1106,” is well known among fans as a song dedicated to vocalist KENTA’s late grandfather.
He sings his feelings for his grandfather gently, as if reading a letter, while recalling the way he was in life.
When you listen with those feelings in mind—or put yourself in his place—you’ll find it hard to hold back the tears.
NonfictionHirai Ken
I think many people find themselves in tears when they hear Ken Hirai’s singing voice.
This song was written for the drama “A Small Giant,” starring Hiroki Hasegawa, and became its theme song.
When life feels hard or you’re about to be crushed by stress, you sometimes find yourself thinking of someone dear to you—or of someone you can no longer see.
This number pierces right into those feelings, and if you’re remembering someone who has passed away, it’s a song that fits perfectly.
the scent of flowersMr.Children
It’s a classic Mr.Children ballad.
In the way Kazutoshi Sakurai excels at—blurring the essence of the lyrics and not stating things outright—this song, Hana no Nioi, doesn’t exactly feel like a requiem at first.
But if you listen closely, it resonates as a deeply aching, sorrowful piece.
We don’t know who it’s about, but the feelings one has when losing someone truly precious come through—not so much in the lyrics as in the voice itself.
Kazutoshi Sakurai really is an exceptional vocalist.
Requiem in D-flat major, Op. 148Robert Schumann
“Requiem,” which is rendered as “rest,” is a piece performed at Catholic memorial Masses.
The Requiem written by Robert Schumann—who was born into a family of Protestant pastors—is not intended for formal liturgical use; Schumann himself said he was “writing it for myself.” In fact, it became his final large-scale work, and its characteristically Schumann-esque poetic, brooding phrases lead us into a painful yet beautiful world.