Franz Schubert's Ave Maria is most played song at Catalan funerals in 2025

Austrian composer Franz Schubert very little knew in the early 19th century that his 'Ave Maria' composition will be the most played song at Catalan funerals in 2025.

At least based on data from the over 16,000 funerals held at any of the Áltima funerarl company sites. The firm has 43 funeral homes, 14 funeral crematorium complexes, and 19 cemeteries across Catalonia.

Over the week, Áltima released a list of the 100 most played songs, with Franz Schubert's 'Ave Maria' leading the chart, followed by Catalan composer Pau Casals 'El cant dels ocells,' and Nino Bravo 'Un beso y una flor.'

Among the 100 songs are Catalan, Spanish, and international hits, including FC Barcelona and Real Madrid's anthems and Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. 

Catalan singer-songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat is the most listened-to artist at funerals across Catalonia, as four of his songs are among the 100 most-played. 'Paraules d'amor,' 'Mediterráneo,' 'Aquellas pequeñas cosas,' and 'Cantares.'

The Beatles' 'Yesterday' and 'Let is be' are also some of the most requested songs to listen to when bidding a last farewell to loved ones. Others, however, prefer the rhythm of Elton John's 'Candle in the Wind' or ABBA's 'Dancing Queen.'

Áltima pointed out that, depending on the age of those who passed away, the music played is from a different era. Normally, at the funerals of those aged 75 or older, attendees tend to listen to classical, religious, or traditional music.

For those between the ages of 46 and 74, the pick tends to be more of a singer-songwriter selection or popular music from the 60s and 80s. For those younger than 45, the music is more modern and typically based on the person's taste.

Check the list of all the songs that were most played at Catalan funerals in 2025, according to Áltima.

1. Ave Maria, by Franz Schubert
2. El cant dels ocells, by Pau Casals
3. Un beso y una flor, by Nino Bravo
4. Paraules d’amor, by Joan Manuel Serrat
5. Virolai, by Josep Rodoreda
6. Mediterráneo, by Joan Manuel Serrat
7. Entre dos aguas, by Paco de Lucía
8. Salve rociera, by Manuel Pareja-Obregón
9. My way, by Frank Sinatra
10. Adagio en si menor, by Tomaso Albinoni
11. Toda una vida, by Antonio Machín
12. Concierto de Aranjuez, by Joaquín Rodrigo
13. Hallelujah, by Leonard Cohen
14. Canon, by Johann Pachelbel
15. Nessun dorma, by Giacomo Puccini
16. El emigrante, by Juanito Valderrama
17. Imagine, by John Lennon
18. Libre, by Nino Bravo
19. Madrecita María del Carmen, by Manolo Escobar
20. La vida es bella, by Nicoal Piovani
21. Dos gardenias, by Antonio Machín
22. Aquellas pequeñas cosas, by Joan Manuel Serrat
23. La vall del riu vermell, by Joan Soler i Amigó
24. Con te partirò / Time to say goodbye, by Andrea Bocelli
25. La mare, by Dyango
26. Für Elise, by Ludwig van Beethoven
27. Lacrimosa, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
28. Piano Sonata No. 14 (Moonlight sonata), by Ludwig van Beethoven
29. Granada, by Agustín Lara
30. Algo se muere en el alma, by Manuel Garrido
31. Que tinguem sort, by Lluís Llach
32. Como el agua, by Camarón de la Isla and Paco de Lucía
33. Camins, by Sopa de Cabra
34. Swan lake, by Piotr Ilitx Txaikovski
35. Tears in heaven, by Eric Clapton
36. Barça anthem, by Josep Maria Espinàs and Jaume Picas
37. Cantares, by Joan Manuel Serrat
38. The Four Seasons, by Antonio Vivaldi
39. Boig per tu, by Sau
40. Bolero, byb Maurice Ravel
41. Unchained melody, by The Righteous Brothers
42. Pescador de hombres, by Cesáreo Gabaráin Azurmendi
43. Angelitos negros, by Antonio Machín
44. Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen
45. El meu avi, by Josep Lluís Ortega Monasterio
46. Yesterday, by The Beatles
47. Let it be, by The Beatles
48. Always on my mind, by Elvis Presley
49. El reloj, by Roberto Cantoral
50. Auld Lang Syne, by Robert Burns
51. Dancing Queen, by Abba
52. Nocturnes, Op. 9, by Frédéric Chopin
53. Nothing else matters, by Metallica
54. Candle in the wind, by Elton John
55. La vida sigue igual, by Julio Iglesias
56. La leyenda del tiempo, by Camarón de la Isla
57. Suspiros de España, by Antonio Álvarez Alonso
58. Canto a la libertad, by José Antonio Labordeta
59. Ave Maria, by Charles Gounod
60. Negra sombra, by Luz Casal
61. What a wonderful world, by Louis Armstrong
62. Stairway to heaven, by Led Zeppelin
63. Hijo de la luna, by Mecano
64. Out of Africa love theme, by John Barry
65. Love of my life, by Queen
66. La Santa Espina, by Enric Morera and Àngel Guimerà
67. Over the rainbow, by Harold Arlen
68. Alborada gallega, by Pascual Veiga
69. La Palomica, by José Iranzo Bielsa
70. Lascia ch'io pianga, by Händel
71. Els segadors, by Francesc Alió i Brea - Catalan anthem
72. Ojos verdes, by Concha Piquer
73. Thaïs's Meditation, by Jules Massenet
74. E lucevan le stelle (Tosca), by Puccini
75. El rossinyol, by Joan Baez
76. Aria de la Suite No. 3 en Re Mayor, by J.S. Bach
77. My heart will go on, by Céline Dion
78. The river, by Bruce Springsteen
79. Y sin embargo te quiero, by Concha Piquer
80. Hey Jude, by The Beatles
81. Ave verum corpus, by W.A. Mozart
82. Meus amores, by José Baldomir
83. Pel teu amor (Rosó), by Josep Carreras
84. How deep is your love, by The Bee Gees
85. Va, pensiero (Nabucco), by Giuseppe Verdi
86. Tristeza de Amor, by Frédéric Chopin
87. Gracias a la vida, by Mercedes Sosa
88. The Nutcracker, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
89. Cantata 147, by J.S. Bach
90. Your song, by Elton John
91. Nos sobran los motivos, by Joaquín Sabina
92. Historia de un amor, by Carlos Eleta
93. Hacia ti, morada santa, by Kiko Argüello
94. Lara's theme (Dr. Zhivago), by Maurice Jarre
95. Panis Angelicus, by César Franck
96. El cant de la senyera, by Lluís Millet i Pagès
97. O mio babbino caro, by Puccini
98. El noi de la mare, by Josep Maria Espinàs
99. Himno del Real Madrid, by José Aguilar
100. La zarzamora, by Lola Flores