Politics
Barack Obama Leaves Fans Gutted After Ditching His Famous Summer Playlist
Barack Obama has shocked fans by scrapping his much-loved summer playlist this year, a tradition he’s kept alive since his days in the White House. The former president has been sharing his favorite tracks every summer since 2015, posting them on social media and sparking debates about his eclectic music taste. But this year, he admitted he just didn’t have the time.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Obama wrote: “I didn’t have time to put a summer playlist together this year, but send me songs that I should listen to for my year-end playlist.” Music lovers may be disappointed, but he did make it up slightly by sharing his 2025 Summer Reads list.
The break in tradition comes as Obama has been pulled back into the political spotlight in recent months, much to the frustration of those who thought he’d settled into a quieter post-presidency life.
In July, he made headlines with a rare public statement slamming Donald Trump after the former president claimed Obama was involved in a conspiracy to undermine the 2016 election.
Obama didn’t hold back, saying the “constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House” was normally beneath comment but these latest allegations were “outrageous enough to merit one.” He dismissed Trump’s words as “bizarre,” “ridiculous,” and nothing more than “a weak attempt at distraction.”
The 44th president has also been wading into current battles, recently throwing his support behind Gavin Newsom’s efforts to challenge gerrymandering in Texas. In a post on X last week, Obama said: “Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House and gerrymandering in the middle of a decade to try and maintain the House despite their unpopular policies.”
Between political fights and stepping back into the public eye, it seems there’s been little room for curating songs. The absence of his summer playlist is bound to disappoint the fans who look forward to it each year. His lists have become famous for their mix of genres, generations and moods.
Last year’s line-up included Shaboozey’s A Bar Song (Tipsy), Charli XCX’s 365, Billie Eilish’s Chihiro, and GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion’s Wanna Be. True to form, he balanced contemporary pop and hip hop with classics like 2Pac and Bob Dylan.
Some have long speculated whether he really chooses all the songs himself, but Obama has always insisted the playlists are his own work. In 2022, he joked with Hasan Minhaj about the doubts, saying: “The fact that my lists are, you know, pretty incredible, people seem to think, ‘Well he must have had some 20-year-old intern who was figuring out this latest cut.’ No man, it’s on my iPad right now.”
This year, fans will have to wait until December for his year-end list, and given the number of people already sending in recommendations, it may end up being his most diverse collection yet.
