[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] Background Music to Remember the Deceased | Also Featuring Requiems and Laments Praying for Peace (21–30)
The Final RiverCHEMISTRY
“Saigo no Kawa,” CHEMISTRY’s 22nd single, was released in 2007.
The song was used as the theme for the film The Elephant’s Back, which portrays a protagonist who has been given a terminal diagnosis and the love of his family.
Both the original story and the song’s lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto, and the lyrics were crafted to link with the film’s narrative, making it a tear-jerking piece.
While songs that mourn the deceased often focus on the feelings of those left behind, this one depicts the feelings of the person who has passed away—the one who set out on the journey first.
budKobukuro
Kobukuro’s 14th single, released in 2007.
This song was also used as the theme for the drama “Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad.” Sung with a gentle, and at times powerful, voice that speaks to you, it resonates deeply—a number sung with someone dear in mind.
Even while knowing these feelings can no longer be conveyed, the desperate desire to be heard comes through painfully.
I think it’s a song that stays close to the feelings of seeing off someone important.
[Music Funeral] Background music to remember the deceased | Also featuring requiems and dirges that pray for peaceful rest (31–40)
The Poem of Beginnings, To YouIwasaki Hiromi
Hiromi Iwasaki’s 62nd single.
This song was used as the theme for the 2008 film “Noto no Hanayome” (The Bride of Noto).
The lyrics and music were written by singer-songwriter Senri Oe.
It’s a song that expresses heartfelt gratitude to you.
“Even if one of us must depart first on our journey, I will never forget.” Feelings of thanks too deep to put into words and the sincere wish to keep thinking of you even when we can no longer meet will surely reach the beloved person who has gone on ahead.
Over the RainbowHarold Arlen
It’s the song Dorothy sings in The Wizard of Oz, known in Japan by the title “Niji no Kanata ni” (“Over the Rainbow”).
The scene where the song is performed is a beloved classic worldwide and has been covered by many singers.
The lyrics express Dorothy’s feelings: she finds rural life in Kansas dull and feels that the people around her are all missing something, so she dreams of an ideal place beyond the rainbow.
It’s a song that longs for a place beyond the rainbow—somewhere no one can truly imagine—and it can convey a wish for peace in the world beyond death.
Because you are hereUru
With a heartrending, lingering voice that instantly captivates listeners, Uru draws you in.
Her song “Anata ga Iru Koto de” was also the theme for the drama “Ship of Theseus,” so many of you may have heard it.
It’s a song that makes you want to properly convey your feelings to the one you love, reminding you how important it is to express them.
Singing of a vast, embracing love, it’s a number that will surely slip gently into anyone’s heart.
It captures both the bittersweet ache of thinking of someone and an unwavering resolve—a song you’ll want by your side when it’s time to say goodbye.
dearestKOH+
KOH+, the unit formed by Kou Shibasaki and Masaharu Fukuyama who played the lead duo in the hugely popular drama series Galileo.
Their song Saiai, created as the theme for the film adaptation Suspect X, is built around the theme of a requiem for a love that can never be fulfilled.
The lyrics mirror the emotions of the film’s characters, and Shibasaki’s gentle voice—so tender it even feels a bit unsteady—makes it achingly heartbreaking.
Goodbyekariyushi 58
“Sayonara” was Kariyushi58’s first song to be tied in with a TV drama.
Life is full of farewells—parting from friends, from family, and even from the person you chose as your life partner someday comes a goodbye.
No matter how painful it is, life goes on, but it’s not something you can forget so easily.
In that case, don’t run away or force yourself to endure it—just keep saying “sayonara” until you can accept it.