Birthday Slideshow Songs for a 60th, 70th or 80th

The best song for a milestone birthday slideshow is the one from the years they were young. A song from when they were twenty puts the whole room into the early photos in a way nothing else does, and then a warm recent song brings it back to today for the grandchildren.

So this list is organized by decade, by the years the birthday person was young, with a set of warm classics that work at any age and a few for the last photo. One rule sits above all of it: if there is a song they sing in the car, or the first dance from their wedding, that is the song. Nothing here beats it.

How to choose

• One or two songs for a slideshow of three to five minutes; three if it runs longer. Let the songs set the length rather than squeezing photos to fit.
• Era first, then now. Something from their twenties for the early decades, something warm and recent for the last one.
• Read the lyrics through. A beautiful chorus can hide a verse about leaving.
• Instrumental if in doubt. A piano version of a song they love carries the feeling without pulling the room to the words.

If you are still gathering the photos, our guide on collecting old photos from everyone for a birthday slideshow covers where they are and how to get them in one place.

For an 80th (they were young in the late 1950s and 1960s)

• Stand by Me (Ben E. King)
• Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers)
• What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
• My Girl (The Temptations)
• Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley)
• In My Life (The Beatles)
• Moon River (Andy Williams)
• The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra)
• Here Comes the Sun (The Beatles)
• Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond)
• Wonderful World (Sam Cooke)
• Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)

For a 70th (they were young in the late 1960s and 1970s)

• You've Got a Friend (James Taylor)
• Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
• Forever Young (Bob Dylan)
• Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon and Garfunkel)
• Lean on Me (Bill Withers)
• Time in a Bottle (Jim Croce)
• Fire and Rain (James Taylor)
• Sunshine on My Shoulders (John Denver)
• Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)
• American Pie (Don McLean)
• Your Song (Elton John)
• The Long and Winding Road (The Beatles)

For a 60th (they were young in the late 1970s and 1980s)

• Don't Stop Believin' (Journey)
• In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)
• Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper)
• Forever Young (Alphaville)
• Walking on Sunshine (Katrina and the Waves)
• With or Without You (U2)
• Sweet Child o' Mine (Guns N' Roses)
• Faithfully (Journey)
• Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison)
• Days Like This (Van Morrison)
• Fast Car (Tracy Chapman)
• Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears)

Warm, for any age

The ones that work whatever decade they grew up in, and that a room of three generations all know.

• The Best Is Yet to Come (Frank Sinatra)
• Young at Heart (Frank Sinatra)
• My Way (Frank Sinatra)
• I Hope You Dance (Lee Ann Womack)
• Humble and Kind (Tim McGraw)
• Photograph (Ed Sheeran)
• Good Life (OneRepublic)
• Beautiful Day (U2)
• Celebration (Kool and the Gang)
• Happy (Pharrell Williams)

For the last photo

The ending is the one people remember, so choose the last minute on purpose. These are the songs families use for the final photos, the ones that look most like the person today.

• What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
• In My Life (The Beatles)
• The Best Is Yet to Come (Frank Sinatra)
• La Vie en Rose (Louis Armstrong)

Bringing the song in

On Embrance you choose your own audio at the music step and it uploads with the photographs, as an MP3, M4A or WAV. Add one song and it plays under the whole slideshow; add two or three and they play in the order you added them, with a moment of quiet between each. Levels are evened out, so a soft 1960s recording and a loud modern one arrive at the same volume. If you would rather not source anything, there is a small built-in set of gentle instrumental tracks.

One practical note. Playing a popular song at the party is fine. Posting the finished video online afterward is where Facebook, Instagram and YouTube may mute a copyrighted track, so if the online copy matters, an instrumental version or one of the built-in tracks avoids that.

Common questions

What is a good song for a 70th birthday slideshow?

Start with a song from the years they were young: for someone turning 70, that is the late 1960s and 1970s, so "You've Got a Friend", "Landslide", "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" all land. For any age, "What a Wonderful World", "The Best Is Yet to Come" and "Young at Heart" are safe and warm.

How many songs does a birthday slideshow need?

One or two songs for a slideshow of three to five minutes, three if it runs longer. Let the songs set the length rather than cutting them short. A common pairing is one from their era for the early decades and one warm modern song for the recent years.

Should the birthday slideshow music be from their era or from now?

Both, in that order. A song from the decade they were twenty puts the room in the early photos; a warm recent song brings it back to today for the grandchildren. If they have a song they always sing, that one goes in regardless of era.

Can I use a popular song in the slideshow?

For playing at the party, yes, use the song you want. On Embrance you add your own MP3 or M4A and it plays under the photos. The one place to be careful is posting the finished video online afterward, where Facebook, Instagram and YouTube may mute a popular track.