August 25th, 2006

Polls conducted throughout the world indicate that the face of funeral music has changed significantly in the past few decades, leading many professionals in the industry to change the way they build their funeral music libraries. Not only are professionals striving to cut the costs of maintaining large libraries of music for memorial services and music for funerals by using valuable resources such as royalty free music from highly regarded companies like RoyaltyFreeMusic.com and other low-cost, high quality alternatives to the music of major music providers, but they are also starting to note requests for popular music and specific pieces of classical music never before used and responding accordingly.

Until recently, music for funerals and music for memorial services was often restricted to hymns and somber religious music deemed appropriate for conveying the solemnity of the occasion, but not always reflecting the spirit of the decedent. Occasionally selections from masses or requiems and other pieces of well-known classical music has been used, but many funeral industry professionals have based their collections on religious music and music or classical music that could be used as background music in services without being obtrusive.

A survey conducted last month in European countries revealed that many are choosing different styles and selections of background music and using it as funeral music and music for memorial services for loved ones, or expressing a desire to use it as music for funerals in their own services. The poll included over 45,000 adults across Europe asked about their choice of funeral music and was conducted by the digital television Music Choice. This poll revealed that Italians preferred classical music selections as background music, including works by Mozart and other favorites, while Germans preferred heavy metal funeral music by classic rock bands such as AC/DC and Metallica. The British were more apt to choose pop tunes by artists such as Robbie Williams as their background music while those in Finland, France, Denmark and Spain had less focused choices, choosing some classical music funeral music some rock, including hits by Elvis Presley, and contemporary show tunes and old standards by singers such as Bette Midler and Frank Sinatra.

Funeral music experts and those in the industry have been observing this trend shift for many years, explaining that memorial services and funeral services have been moving steadily towards more secular themes. While many still choose to incorporate hymns and other spiritual songs into the services, more are choosing to express the personality of loved ones through more contemporary background music that truly captures the unique essence of the person being honored.

While evidence of the new trend is still highly anecdotal, including stories of funeral directors being handed CDs of Queen's greatest hits and other more bizarre choices moments before services, professionals will soon have to respond to a change. For more information on this story click here.

RoyaltyFreeMusic.com presents specialty collections of royalty free music appropriate for use as funeral music and music for memorial services. With instrumental royalty free music that is contemporary and progressive, including music in rock styles and jazz, and more traditional classical music and hymns, those looking to find the right music for memorial services or music for funerals will find the perfect selections. And because royalty free music involves just a one-time low fee for unlimited use, funeral industry professionals can build large libraries and use them for a lifetime of business.

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