10 Songs to Play This Easter By Eric Alper
Easter is one of the most sonically rich moments on the Christian calendar, and whether you grew up in a church pew or simply find yourself drawn to music that carries real weight, these ten songs deliver. From centuries-old hymns to modern worship anthems, each one tells a piece of the same story: death, grief, and then something that changes everything.
“Christ Is Risen” by Phil Wickham
Wickham wrote this one to feel like a declaration, and it does. A modern anthem built for large rooms and open hearts, it captures the shock and joy of Easter morning in a way that lands even if you are hearing it for the first time.
“In Christ Alone” by Newsboys / Keith and Kristyn Getty
Few songs written in the last 25 years have embedded themselves into worship culture the way this one has. Getty and Stuart Townend packed an entire theology into four verses, and every version, from the Newsboys to countless church choirs, carries the same gravity.
“The Old Rugged Cross” – Traditional
Written by George Bennard in 1912, this hymn has outlasted almost everything in popular music. Its focus on the crucifixion rather than the celebration gives it a solemnity that still stops people in their tracks more than a century later.
“Death Was Arrested” by North Point Worship
This one leans into the drama of what Easter actually means. North Point Worship wrote it with a cinematic sweep that makes the central idea, that death itself lost, feel as staggering as it should.
“Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” by Chris Tomlin
John Newton wrote Amazing Grace in 1772. Chris Tomlin added a chorus in 2006 and introduced it to an entirely new generation. The original was already one of the most recorded songs in history. Tomlin’s version reminded everyone why.
“What a Beautiful Name” by Hillsong Worship
This won Song of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards in 2017 and it earned it. Brooke Ligertwood wrote it as a meditation on the power and humility wrapped up in who Jesus is, and the bridge alone has moved entire arenas to silence.
“Jesus Paid It All” – Traditional / Worship versions
Elvina Hall wrote the original lyrics in 1865, reportedly on the back of a hymnal during a sermon. Modern worship artists including Kristian Stanfill have brought it to new audiences, but the core message, grace that costs the recipient nothing, has never needed updating.
“In God’s Country” by U2
From The Joshua Tree, this one carries a longing that fits the Easter weekend mood without ever naming it directly. Bono wrote it as a meditation on faith, land, and redemption, and the way The Edge’s guitar opens the track feels like something being lifted. It has never been a worship song, but on the right morning, it sounds like one.
“Forever” by Kari Jobe
Recorded live, which matters here because this song breathes differently in a room full of people. Jobe builds it slowly and then opens it up, and by the time the declaration comes that the grave is overcome, you feel the momentum of it.
“Were You There” – Traditional Spiritual
The oldest song on this list and in some ways the most arresting. It does not celebrate or declare. It simply asks a question and lets the weight of it settle. Every Easter playlist needs at least one moment of stillness, and this is it.
