Classic Soloist song list
Songs and hymns included in our £275 + VAT Classic Soloist package
Why have live music at a funeral
Why do people hire singers instead of just playing a recording?
Is it worth hiring a singer or choir for a funeral? Funerals are already expensive - why spend more money?
We'll let our families tell you in their own words why live singers are the one thing they’re glad they didn’t skip. This blog is based on actual customer feedback, featuring real reviews left for The London Funeral Singers on Google and Trustpilot.
It releases the tension
Anyone who has sat through a funeral knows how constricted the room can feel. People are trying to stay composed, don’t know where to look or what to do with their hands. Singing and live music release that tension. It gives the room permission to feel, and if you’ve had to hold it together for everyone else you’ll find that a song is what finally lets you cry, smile, take a breath, or just remember.
"Ave Maria in particular had grown men crying." - Sue, Hanwell
It takes the pressure off everyone else
Congregations often want to sing but feel self-conscious, and there’s nothing worse than a long hymn falling flat. A professional singer or choir carries the tune, meaning everyone can join in as much or as little as they like. It's the difference between getting through the hymns and actually enjoying them, and there's no need to worry that it'll go wrong. Book a choir and you’ll get to hear all the harmonies too.
Recorded music can’t do what a voice in the room can
A recording is the same every time, played through speakers that may or may not be good. A live singer responds to the room. They breathe with the moment, let a pause hang perfectly, and add just the right expression to make the words land. It’s happening right there, in the room, just for you, your family, and your loved one. It’ll never be done exactly the same way again.
It’s a comfort
Grief is lonely, and music reaches people where words can’t. Some people say that for a few minutes the person you’ve lost feels close again.
It's a shared experience. There’s a human being, or a group of people, there with you, sharing the moment and giving voice to what everyone is feeling. Hearing the music sung live can help people feel held, and that they weren’t going through it alone.
"During the Eulogy I described the way in which my Dad used to sing Sixteen Tonnes (getting the audience to clap the beat and then sing along). Michael listened to the Eulogy and then adapted his performance to match. I genuinely never thought I'd see anyone perform like my Dad used to ... Michael's rendition unexpectedly gave the feeling of a having few more mins of fun with my Dad. I can't thank Michael enough, it was very special for me and our family and has really helped with the grieving process." - Glenda, Woking
An easy way to make it personal
Funeral services can feel formulaic, especially where the time is short and the format is set. Live music is an opportunity to make it unmistakably about the person you’ve lost. It might be a hymn they loved, the pop song they used to sing along to, the classic that always made them cry - or just something that helps you express what they meant to you. And it works better than anything.
It’s a tradition with deep roots
Live music at a funeral is no modern indulgence. Singing has accompanied Christian farewells for centuries, and almost every major Christian denomination encourages music as part of the funeral service. In August 2026, speaking about worship in general, Pope Leo XIV called music an integral part of the liturgy and far more than decoration. He described the Church’s musical tradition as a treasure of inestimable value and singing as an act of prayer¹. If faith matters to your family, and to the loved one you’ve lost, hiring singers is a tradition your church will recognise and encourage.
Spending the money on something that will last
Singers and choirs can cost less than the flowers or the coffin, but the impact they have on the funeral is absolutely incomparable. People forget whether it was roses or lilies, and what the order of service was printed on, but the way the music makes them feel on the day is cherished for the rest of their life.
Talk to us
If you’re weighing it up, we’d be happy to talk it through with no obligation. Get in touch to tell us about the person you’re remembering, and how you'd like our singers to help celebrate their life.
Need more inspiration?
Check out our articles to find more funeral music ideas
