Former US president Barack Obama has shared his playlist of his current favourite songs for summer 2024, featuring the likes of Charli XCX, Norah Jones, Bonny Light Horseman, and Nick Drake. Photo: RNZ / Quin Tauetau
Barack Obama has dropped his summer playlist which features a range of songs from 60s classics, to brand new bangers about doing cocaine and potentially problematic artists.
The seasonal selections - which feature the likes of Charli XCX and Shaboozey - are part of a years-long tradition in which the former US president shares lists of his favourite books, music and movies twice a year.
By his own proclamation, the playlist is an "eclectic mix" - it covers off a range of genres, including jazz, folk, rock, country, motown, and hip hop, and the artists are a range of ages and spread across gender and racial lines.
RNZ music expert Tony Stamp said what he noticed first about the list is that "it's diverse".
"I think he takes some pride in that. People always wonder if it's actually him picking the songs - he's a man who produces Netflix content, his daughters are music fans, he's clearly plugged in - but I did think looking at it that it does seem particularly focus-tested, in terms of, there's a big gap between the oldest song and the newest song, for example, but maybe he's just really into that."
Obama's summer playlist takes listeners on a musical journey from the early 60s right through to now.
"He's got the Supremes, the Rolling Stones in there, he's represented jazz with Charles Mingus and Pharoah Sanders, there are old folk musicians like Nick Drake, who's one of my all time favourites, then there's some classic conscious hip hop from Common and Blackstreet.
"I feel like he had to include Charli XCX '365', the most obvious song, and 'Texas Hold Em' by Beyonce, he's got his current bonafides in there. I was impressed with Cleo Sol ... and very intrigued to see a Sting song (If You Love Somebody Set Them Free) in there, because that feels like bit of a naff inclusion, but I guess he does have those dad vibes that he's gotta upkeep."
The playlist also features a couple of potentially problematic artists - Morgan Wallen being the most notable. The country musician, included for his song 'Whiskey Whiskey with Moneybagg Yo', has had a string of controversies over the years, from breaching Covid-19 precautions in 2020 to being caught on video using the N-word in 2021.
It's unclear whether his inclusion in the playlist was fully vetted, or whether it's a case of separating the art from the artist.
Stamp makes a point to the latter: "I mean he's got 365 in there ... Charli XCX talks about doing cocaine for a whole album, so there's that."
Obama's playlist might seem apolitical on the surface, but Stamp suggests there's more than meets the eye - especially when it comes to achieving an equitable balance of diverse and palatable voices.
"I will say as someone who makes playlists himself, I think about that shit when I do it, so there is that, but I'm presumably not as busy as Barack Obama.
"As I said, that [diversity] does jump out to me. If you're going to include country music alongside hip hop, that is kind of saying something politically. But Obama's a famous centrist, and he's kind of landing in the middle here as well. It's not bland, these are great songs, and I do think it's an interesting playlist, but it is almost like he's trying to please everyone.
"Obama's been pretty much absent from politics since he stepped down, he pops up once in a while to endorse someone or take a phone call with Kamala Harris, but this does seem to be his main way now of staying in touch with the general public, is his reading list and his listening list and the shows and movies he produces.
"It does feel like PR and it does feel like, I'm appealing to younger people with the Charli XCXs and the Tems, I'm appealing to the older people with the Rolling Stones and the Nick Drakes ... with pretty even gender lines and racial lines, it's all very well represented. It's that same thing, I would just say it's a reflection of his politics, which is just very centrist."
The range of Obama's selections have surprised fans in the past - people couldn't quite believe the 63-year-old was really listening to Megan Thee Stallion, Mitski or Maggie Rogers. But in a 2023 interview with Hasan Minhaj, he put the rumours to rest.
"People seem to think, 'Well, he must've had some 20-year-old intern who was figuring out this latest cut ... no, man! It's on my iPad right now!"