Hymns have been completely squeezed out of the top ten musical choices at funerals, with mourners instead opting for contemporary songs such as Ed Sheeran’s Supermarket Flowers, a new entry to the list.

Frank Sinatra’s My Way again topped the latest chart drawn up by the UK’s biggest chain of funeral directors, but for the first time since the biennial exercise began in 2002 not a single traditional hymn made it into the top ten.

Data from Co-op Funeralcare, whose funeral directors arrange up to 100,000 ceremonies a year, revealed a dramatic shift in choices of music at final farewells as mourners reject the traditionally sombre funeral in favour of more personalised send-offs.

Hymns such as The Lord’s My Shepherd and Abide With Me – previously strong contenders in the funeral chart – have been elbowed aside as Sheeran and Westlife are catapulted into the top.

Supermarket Flowers – Sheeran’s tribute to his late grandmother, written from the perspective of his mother – enters at No 6, while Westlife also jumps into the top 10 with You Raise Me up at No 8.

My Way has always held the No 1 slot apart from in 2014 when Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life from the Monty Python film Life of Brian was the most popular. Edward Elgar’s stirring Nimrod was the most popular classical choice overall, although it failed to make the top 10.

The organisation encourages people to be more open about their funeral wishes, making it clear to family and friends what they want for themselves when the time comes. Its latest research shows that around a quarter (24%) of UK adults (in a survey of 2,000) say they have already made clear which music they would like at their funeral, compared with just a fifth (19%) in 2016.

In addition, one in four wanted music played at their funeral to make people laugh. Popular rock songs chosen included Led Zeppelin’s Stairway To Heaven and Meat Loaf’s Bat Out Of Hell, while Angels by Robbie Williams is the most requested pop tune, said the Co-op.

Hymns are traditionally associated with religious funerals but that doesn’t stop people choosing them for increasingly popular humanist and secular funerals, the Co-op said.

“What people want more than anything at a funeral is a combination of the personal and the familiar,” said the Rev Dr Jeremy Brooks, a member of a Church of England focus group working on funerals. “Contemporary lyrics, classical music and songs that have been the soundtrack of our lives are all valuable in helping people remember and grieve. For a family to be able to choose particular songs for a funeral led by a church minister – whether the music is expressly religious or not – is an important part of any service.”

Separately, six out of 10 people in the UK say they have not spoken to their family or friends about their wishes when they die, new research from Macmillan Cancer Support reveals. The poll found 62% of people have avoided talking about the subject, while 36% have done no planning for their death.

Top ten

1. My Way – Frank Sinatra

2. Time to Say Goodbye – Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman

3. Over The Rainbow – Eva Cassidy

4. Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler

5. Angels – Robbie Williams

6. Supermarket Flowers - Ed Sheeran

7. Unforgettable – Nat King Cole

8. You Raise Me Up – Westlife

9. We’ll Meet Again – Vera Lynn

10. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Eric Idle