Research from wedding entertainment providers Function Central shows couples are taking risks choosing songs for their weddings with shockingly high divorce rates.
Function Central used existing data on the songs most likely to end in divorce to see whether couples were still risking adding these songs to playlists for their upcoming nuptials. This data was then cross-referenced against existing wedding playlists for engaged couples to see whether couples were still choosing these songs for their weddings. The results were certainly concerning for any superstitious couples worried about whether certain tracks were deemed bad luck for long lasting marriages.
The data found that ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran was the most popular song still in favour for weddings which has a high divorce rate, being adding to at least 132 weddings this year, with a 42% divorce rate. Other risky songs still in favour include ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love With You’ by Elvis Presley and ‘Everything’ by Michael Buble.
On the contrary, some wedding songs with a high success rate for happy marriages are being slept on by engaged couples. ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ by Elton John was voted the top track for a happy marriage, with a 77% success rate, yet no couples had this on their wedding playlists for this year.
‘Your Song’ by Elton John was one popular choice for weddings this year which has a positive 64% chance of a happy marriage.
Take a look at the top happy marriage and divorce songs below, alongside how many couples were planning to use these songs in their weddings for 2023.
How Popular are these Divorce-risk Wedding Songs?
| Rank | Artist | Song | Divorce Rate | Wedding Playlist Count 2023 |
| 1 | One Direction | Little Things | 75% | 0 |
| 2 | Jason Mraz | I’m Yours | 61% | 32 |
| 3 | Snow Patrol | Chasing Cars | 56% | 0 |
| 4 | Birdy | Skinny Love | 54% | 0 |
| 5 | Randy Newman | You’ve Got a Friend In Me | 52% | 0 |
| 6 | John Mayer | Free Fallin’ | 49% | 0 |
| 7 | Michael Buble | Everything | 49% | 72 |
| 8 | John Legend | Stay With You | 49% | 0 |
| 9 | Elvis Presley | Can’t Help Falling in Love | 49% | 69 |
| 10 | Ed Sheeran | Perfect | 42% | 137 |
How Popular are these Happy Marriage Songs?
| Rank | Artist | Song | Happy Marriage Rate | Wedding Playlist Count 2023 |
| 1 | Elton John | Can You Feel the Love Tonight | 77% | 0 |
| 2 | Stevie Wonder | Isn’t She Lovely | 75% | 0 |
| 3 | Frank Sinatra | The Way You Look Tonight | 74% | 46 |
| 4 | Lea Salonga & Brad Kane | A Whole New World | 71% | 0 |
| 5 | Etta James | At Last | 71% | 37 |
| 6 | Westlife | You Are So Beautiful (To Me) | 70% | 0 |
| 7 | Phil Collins | You’ll Be In My Heart | 70% | 0 |
| 8 | Aerosmith | I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing | 69% | 43 |
| 9 | Elton John | Your Song | 64% | 57 |
| 10 | Jack Johnson | Better Together | 64% | 46 |
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