Former President Barack Obama has shared his playlist of his current favorite songs for summer 2024. Included is Charli XCX’s high-speed Brat song “365”—because not even Obama can resist Brat Summer—as well as Tommy Richman’s breakout single “Million Dollar Baby,” 2Pac’s “How Do U Want It,” and Nick Drake’s “One of These Things First.” Obama also picked songs by Billie Eilish, Shaboozey, Tems, Bonny Light Horseman, Beyoncé, Pharoah Sanders, Bad Bunny, Samara Joy, Charles Mingus, and more. See the full playlist below.
“With summer winding down, I wanted to share some songs that I’ve been listening to lately – and it wouldn’t be my playlist if it didn’t include an eclectic mix,” Obama wrote when sharing his selections. “I hope you find something new to listen to!”
This is part of Obama’s years-long tradition of sharing lists of his favorite books, music, and movies twice a year. His top songs of 2023 included tracks by Big Thief, Mitski, Beyoncé, and Megan Thee Stallion, while SZA, Rosalía, Maggie Rogers, and Kendrick Lamar got those honors the year prior.
In an interview with Hasan Minhaj last year, Obama reiterated that he really does pick these songs for his playlists himself. “People seem to think, ‘Well, he must’ve had some 20-year-old intern who was figuring out this latest cut,’” said Obama. “No, man! It’s on my iPad right now!”
Revisit the 2016 feature “The Presidential Suite: A Look Back at Obama’s Musical Milestones.”
Barack Obama’s Summer 2024 Playlist:
Shaboozey: “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Charli XCX: “365”
Billie Eilish: “Chihiro”
Tems: “Love Me Jeje”
Artemas: “I Like the Way You Kiss Me”
Tommy Richman: “Million Dollar Baby”
Hope Tala: “I Can’t Even Cry”
Blackstreet: “No Diggity” [ft. Dr. Dre and Queen Pen]
Enny: “Charge It”
Carminho: “O Quarto (Soundtrack Version)”
Calimossa: “What’s in the Tea?”
Hubert Sumlin & Keith Richards: “I Love the Life I Live, I Live the Life I Love”
PJ Morton: “Say So” [ft. Jojo]
Cleo Sol: “Why Don’t You”
The Miracles: “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”
H.E.R.: “Process”
2Pac: “How Do U Want It” [ft. K-Ci and Jojo]
Sting: “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free”
Lucinda Williams: “Unsuffer Me”
Jill Scott: “Golden”
The Rolling Stones: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
Saweetie: “My Best”
Charles Mingus: “Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting”
Norah Jones: “Come Away With Me”
Common: “The People”
Etta James: “Don’t Cry Baby”
Chris Jedi, Gaby Music, & Dei V: “Bad Boy” [ft. Anuel AA and Ozuna]
Rema: “Yayo”
Bonny Light Horseman: “Old Dutch”
Willow: “Symptom of Life”
Moneybagg Yo: “Whiskey Whiskey” [ft. Morgan Wallen]
Myles Smith: “Stargazing”
GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion: “Wanna Be”
Tyla, Gunna, & Skillibeng: “Jump”
Bad Bunny & Feid: “Perro Negro”
Paul Russell: “Lil Boo Thang”
Digable Planets: “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)”
Bob Marley & the Wailers: “Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)”
Nick Drake: “One of These Things First”
Bob Dylan: “Silvio”
Pharoah Sanders: “Love Is Everywhere”
The Supremes: “Where Did Our Love Go”
Beyoncé: “Texas Hold ‘Em”
Samara Joy: “Someone to Watch Over Me” [ft. Pasquale Grasso]