- Culture
- 21 Jul 23
The playlist includes the likes of J Hus, SZA, Jorja Smith, The Rolling Stones, Ice Spice, Burna Boy, Leonard Cohen, 2Pac, boygenius, Marvin Gaye, Michael Kiwanuka, and more.
Taking to Twitter last night, former US President Barack Obama shared his annual Summer Playlist and Summer Reading List – featuring his top picks of old and new artists, and the books he's reading this summer.
"Like I do every year, here are some songs I’ve been listening to this summer — a mix of old and new," he wrote online. "Look forward to hearing what I’ve missed."
See his 2023 Summer Playlist below:
Like I do every year, here are some songs I’ve been listening to this summer — a mix of old and new. Look forward to hearing what I’ve missed. pic.twitter.com/H2Do2iaD1p
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 20, 2023
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Tennessee rapper nobigdyl. was surprised by his inclusion on the playlist.
"They playin nobigdyl. at the Obama residence?!" he remarked on Twitter.
"Give me my blue check back I'm on Obama's playlist @elonmusk..." he added.
The Bangles' Susanna Hoffs also shared her reaction to being featured.
"From you Mr. President, means the world!" she wrote.
Other artists were less enthusiastic about being on the playlist. Lucy Dacus, who previously spoke to Hot Press about her political beliefs and her support of Bernie Sanders, appears on the list as one-third of the supergroup boygenius, with the track 'Not Strong Enough'. She retweeted Obama's post with the following caption:
war criminal :( https://t.co/ikW3tMevxe
— Lucy Dacus (@lucydacus) July 20, 2023
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Alongside the Summer Playlist, Obama's Summer Reading List included books by Jonathan Eig, Ann Napolitano, Matthew Desmond, S.A. Cosby, Eleanor Catton, DK Nnuro, David Grann and Tiffany Clarke Harrison.
Here’s some books that I’m reading this summer. Check them out and let me know what I should be reading next. pic.twitter.com/zMBNwX2qUW
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 20, 2023