Barack Obama has stayed busy since his presidential retirement, continuing to be a cultural maven. He consumes books, movies, and music at a voracious rate. And what's more, the former POTUS shares his lists every year, offering us a glimpse of what the man is up to now that he's not running the nation. Obama posted his 2023 summer playlist on social media on Thursday, July 20th. And, of course, the variety of musical genres was enough to make people skeptical if he truly listens to all of the songs on his list. (Barack Obama has defended the fact that he does indeed listen to it all.)
While Obama's 2022 playlist included fan favorites like Beyonce, SZA, and Kendrick Lamar, this year's installment had a blend of mainstream and relatively unheard-of artists. Headlining the list was "Who Told You" by J Hus and featuring Drake. SZA got on the list again, this time with her single "Snooze." Tupac's iconic "California Love" with Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman makes a resurgence, showing Obama doesn't just listen to new hip-hop. Another rap song on his list is "Princess Diana (Remix)" by Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj. This was Ice Spice's first number-one song on Billboard's Hot Rap Songs chart.
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Barack Obama's Musical Taste
Barack Obama has everyone from Luke Combs to Leonard Cohen, Janet Jackson to Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones to Marvin Gaye. He has Jackson Browne, Otis Redding, and boygenius all on a single list. The 2023 summer playlist is very impressive in terms of overall musical scope. Peso Pluma makes his Barack Obama playlist debut with his "La Bebe (Remix)" with Yng Lvcas. The late Tina Turner also makes it on there with her Ike Turner collab track, "River Deep - Mountain High."
Not just a lover of music, Barack Obama is a voracious bookworm as well. He posted his list of book recommendations on social media, complete with the MLK Jr. memoir King: A Life by Jonathan Eig and All The Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby. Always a man of the people, Barack Obama will continue to share his cultural picks with us, which allows the American public to potentially branch out with their consumption.
Read more: Barack Obama’s Year-End Playlist: Does He Listen To It All?
