Barack Obama Shares Diverse Summer Vacation Playlists
President Barack Obama briefly interrupted his summer vacation Friday to share what he’s been listening to while on break in Martha’s Vineyard. “Due to popular request, here are my vacation playlists,” the President tweeted, linking to a pair of 20-song Spotify playlists.
Obama divvied up “The President’s Playlist” into two categories: “Volume 1: Summer Day” – featuring artists like Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Justin Timberlake and Stevie Wonder – as well as “20 picks for a summer night.” The latter playlist boasts Beyoncé, Al Green and Leonard Cohen.
The playlists – the first posted on the White House’s recently launched official Spotify account – showcases Obama’s diverse taste in music, ranging from jazz (Miles Davis, John Coltrane), classic rock (Rolling Stones, Van Morrison), blues (Howlin Wolf) and funk (Sly & The Family Stone) to hip-hop (Talib Kweli & Hi Tek, Nappy Roots, Mos Def), soul (Aretha Franklin, Nine Simone), R&B (The Temptations, Mary J. Blige) and modern rock (Coldplay, Florence and the Machine).
Obama also spotlights a few contemporary artists you wouldn’t expect him to listen to: Folk acts the Lumineers and Brandi Carlile, singer/songwriter Aoife O’Donovan and indie rockers Low Cut Connie and Okkervil River. “Cool news abt POTUS playlist. I’m sandwiched btw Aretha and [Timberlake],” Okkervil River’s Will Sheff tweeted after receiving the unexpected presidential seal of approval. Low Cut Connie were similarly thrilled to land on Obama’s handpicked playlists.
Check out the track listing to Obama’s summer playlists below:
The President’s Playlist: Vol. 1 Summer Day
The Temptations – “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”
Isley Brothers – “Live It Up”
Talib Kweli and Hi Tek – “Memories Live”
Bob Dylan – “Tombstone Blues”
Bob Marley – “So Much Trouble in the World”
Coldplay – “Paradise”
Mala Rodriguez – “Tengo Un Trato (Remix)”
Howlin Wolf – “Wang Dang Doodle”
Stevie Wonder – “Another Star”
Sly & the Family Stone – “Hot Fun in the Summertime”
Low Cut Connie – “Boozophilia”
Brandi Carlile – “Wherever Is Your Heart”
Nappy Roots – “Good Day”
John Legend – “Green Light”
Rolling Stones – “Gimme Shelter”
Aretha Franklin – “Rock Steady”
Okkervil River – “Down Down the Deep River”
Justin Timberlake – “Pusher Love Girl”
Florence and The Machine – “Shake It Out”
Sonora Carruseles – “La Salsa La Traigo Yo”
The President’s Playlist: Vol. 2 Summer Night
John Coltrane – “My Favorite Things”
Beyoncé and Frank Ocean – “Superpower”
Van Morrison – “Moondance”
Lianne La Havas – “Is Your Love Big Enough?”
Al Green – “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart”
Aoife O’Donovan – “Red & White & Blue & Gold”
Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo – “Nothing Even Matters”
Frank Sinatra – “The Best Is Yet To Come”
Ray Charles – “You Don’t Know Me”
Mary J. Blige – “I Found My Everything”
Joni Mitchell – “Help Me”
Otis Redding – “I’ve Got Dreams To Remember”
Leonard Cohen – “Suzanne”
Nina Simone – “Feeling Good”
The Lumineers – “Stubborn Love”
Cassandra Wilson – “Until”
Mos Def – “UMI”
Billie Holiday – “The Very Thought Of You”
Miles Davis – “Flamenco Sketches”
Erykah Badu – “Woo”