Singer Whitney Houston performs during the 2004 World Music Awards at the Thomas and Mack Center on September 15, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo / Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Singer Whitney Houston performs during the 2004 World Music Awards at the Thomas and Mack Center on September 15, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo / Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
The most popular songs to listen to while dying include My Way by Frank Sinatra, Hey Jude by the Beatles, and Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Want to Have Fun.
UK hospice charity Marie Curie polled relatives who had lost loved ones to create a playlist of the top songs they chose to listen to in their final moments, reports the Daily Mail.
More than 1000 British adults responded to the poll, citing hits like Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You, (Simply) The Best by Tina Turner and Robbie Williams’ Angels.
Frank Sinatra's My Way tops the list of songs people want to listen to during their final moments.
A spokesperson for the charity said music played a “vital role in end-of-life care for many” and could help distract the dying person from physical pain.
Eighty-four per cent of respondents said music helped their relatives relax during their last moments, while 61% said playing certain songs helped lessen anxiety and distress.
Dr Tracey McConnell, a music therapy expert and honorary research fellow at Queen’s University Belfast, said that terminal illness and fear of death could leave people feeling isolated.
“Music can help people express their feelings and make them feel better, whatever their health or emotional situation.”
The playlist was released alongside a report on how people preferred to spend their final days, with 83% of the 10,500 adults surveyed saying that length of life was less important than quality of life when it came to terminal illness.
Jan Palmer, a Marie Curie nurse based in Wales, said, “It’s certainly no surprise that quality of life is central - with being free of pain, being able to maintain dignity and self-respect, and being surrounded by loved ones topping the list.
“What is deeply concerning is how often these basic needs aren’t met. Everyone deserves the best possible palliative and end-of-life care, no matter who they are and where they live.”
Hey Jude by The Beatles comes in 9th place on the list.
The top 10 songs people listen to in their final moments
