Even though he’s no longer the President, Barack Obama is still working at one of his longtime side hustles: creating surprisingly eclectic playlists for the people of the world to enjoy. Today, as the year draws to a close, Barry O has shared a list of his year-end lists of his favorite books, movies, and songs of 2018.

As Obama notes in his social media post,

As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists. It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books, movies, and music that I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to highlight talented authors, artists, and storytellers – some who are household names and others who you may not have heard of before. Here’s my best of 2018 list – I hope you enjoy reading, watching, and listening. 

You can check out a list of Obama’s favorite songs of 2018 below, which includes the likes of Leon Bridges, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Brandi Carlile, Cardi B, J. Cole, Prince, Chance The Rapper, Courtney Barnett, Hozier, Mavis Staples, Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and more.

“Apes••t” by The Carters
“Bad Bad News” by Leon Bridges
“Could’ve Been” by H.E.R. (feat. Bryson Tiller)
“Disco Yes” by Tom Misch (feat. Poppy Ajudha)
“Ekombe” by Jupiter & Okwess
“Every Time I Hear That Song” by Brandi Carlile
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” by Ashley McBryde
“Historia De Un Amor” by Tonina (feat. Javier Limón and Tali Rubinstein)
“I Like It” by Cardi B (feat. Bad Bunny and J Balvin)
“Kevin’s Heart” by J. Cole
“King For A Day” by Anderson East
“Love Lies” by Khalid & Normani
“Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monáe
“Mary Don’t You Weep” (Piano & A Microphone 1983 Version) by Prince
“My Own Thing” by Chance the Rapper (feat. Joey Purp)
“Need a Little Time” by Courtney Barnett
“Nina Cried Power” by Hozier (feat. Mavis Staples)
“Nterini” by Fatoumata Diawara
“One Trick Ponies” by Kurt Vile
“Turnin’ Me Up” by BJ the Chicago Kid
“Wait by the River” by Lord Huron
“Wow Freestyle” by Jay Rock (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
And in honor of one of the great jazz singers of all time, who died this year, a classic album: The Great American Songbook by Nancy Wilson 

Barack Obama's Favorite Songs of 2018

As you may recall, as Obama was about to vacate the nation’s highest office in early 2017, Spotify put out a job listing for a “President of Playlists” position that seemed perfect for the former POTUS. While he didn’t take the job, we still feel that he would’ve been a great fit for the role. Well, he may have been the only fit for the role. You can see the desired qualifications for that “President of Playlists” gig at Spotify below:

  • Have at least eight years experience running a highly-regarded nation.
  • Familiar with the Spotify platform, with experience in programming playlists at a federal level. Anything from an eclectic summer playlist, to a celebratory, “I just found my birth certificate” playlist.
  • Have good relationships with a wide range of artists and musicians. Ever had Kendrick Lamar play at your birthday bash? We’d love to hear about it!
  • Can speak passionately about playlists at press events. Let us be clear, you should be nothing short of one of the greatest speakers of all time.
  • A keen attention to detail and consistency. Able to work closely with other departments, so playlists can hold up to public scrutiny.
  • Someone with good team spirit, excellent work ethic, a friendly and warm attitude, and a Nobel Peace Prize.
President of Playlists Job Requirements