White House

President Obama Joins Spotify, White House Promises 'Issue-Specific' Playlists

The politics of everything.

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(White House)
White House

The White House blog thinks your summer "just got a little groovier" because you can listen to not one but two playlists put together by President Obama on Spotify, one for the day and one for night. 

Is the move part of the cultivation of the presidential cult of personality? Or another co-option of popular culture for political ends? Why not both? Via the White House blog: 

When asked to pick a few of his favorite songs for the summer, the President got serious. He grabbed a pen and paper and drafted up not one, but two separate summer playlists: One for the daytime, and one for the evening… 

Give them both a listen and a subscribe — we think you're going to love it. 

And make sure you follow the White House on Spotify — because we've got a lot more to come, from issue-specific playlists to songs selected by other people in the White House. 

Issue-specific playlists! I could just die. What would your issue-specific playlists look like? Share your ideas in the comments.

If you're not signed up for Spotify or don't want to click through to the White House here are the songs on the "day" playlist:

  1. Ain't Too Proud to Beg – The Temptations
  2. Live It Up – Isley Brothers
  3. Memories Live – Talib Kweli & Hi Tek
  4. Tombstone Blues – Bob Dylan
  5. So Much Trouble in the World – Bob Marley
  6. Paradise – Coldplay
  7. Tengo Un Trato (Remix) – Mala Rodriguez
  8. Wang Dang Doodle – Howlin Wolf
  9. Another Star – Stevie Wonder
  10. Hot Fun in the Summertime – Sly & the Family Stone
  11. Boozophilia – Low Cut Connie
  12. Wherever Is Your Heart  – Brandi Carlile
  13. Good Day – Nappy Roots
  14. Green Light – John Legend
  15. Gimme Shelter – Rolling Stones
  16. Rock Steady – Aretha Franklin
  17. Down Down the Deep River – Okkervil River
  18. Pusher Love Girl – Justin Timberlake
  19. Shake It Out – Florence + The Machine
  20. La Salsa La Traigo Yo – Sonora Carruseles

And the night:

  1. My Favorite Things – John Coltrane
  2. Superpower (feat. Frank Ocean) – Beyoncé
  3. Moondance – Van Morrison
  4. Is Your Love Big Enough? – Lianne La Havas
  5. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart – Al Green
  6. Red & White & Blue & Gold – Aoife O'Donovan
  7. Nothing Even Matters – Lauryn Hill
  8. The Best Is Yet to Come – Frank Sinatra
  9. You Don't Know Me – Ray Charles
  10. I Found My Everything – Mary J Blige
  11. Help Me – Joni Mitchell
  12. I've Got Dreams to Remember – Otis Redding
  13. Suzanne – Leonard Cohen
  14. Feeling Good – Nina Simone
  15. Stubborn Love – The Lumineers
  16. Until – Cassandra Wilson
  17. UMI Says – Mos Def
  18. The Very Thought of You – Billie Holiday
  19. Flamenco Sketches – Miles Davis
  20. Woo – Erykah Badu