• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Arts & Entertainment

Check out President Obama’s Spotify playlist for the summer

By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Benjamin Snyder
Benjamin Snyder
Managing Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 14, 2015, 11:13 AM ET
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff And President Obama Joint Press Conference
U.S. President Barack Obama smiles during a joint news conference with Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's president, not pictured, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, June 30, 2015. The U.S. and Brazil issued new commitments Tuesday to promote renewable energy and prevent deforestation, continuing momentum to address climate change leading into global talks later this year in Paris. Photographer: Pete Marovich/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by Pete Marovich — Bloomberg via Getty Images

If you’ve ever wondered what kind of music President Barack Obama croons to during the summer, well, you’re now in luck. The White House just released the President’s Spotify playlist, and it’s filled with over 180 minutes of music and 40 titles with one for the day and another for the night.

Need some Beyonce in your life? The POTUS has you covered. How about some Joni Mitchell, or Ray Charles? Check and check.

One playlist has been dubbed “The President’s Summer Playlist: Night,” so it doesn’t leave much to the imagination. There’s one for the day, too, and the collections of music even have their own Twitter hashtag: #POTUSPlaylist.

Due to popular request, here are my vacation playlists: http://t.co/uer5sIl4Vk http://t.co/zHEekHvQBr What's your favorite summer song?

— President Obama (@POTUS44) August 14, 2015

“President Obama hand-picked his favorite songs for a summer playlist,” the account explains. “Take a listen to his 20 picks for a summer night.”

White House correspondent Charlie Spiering noted the Spotify playlist on his Twitter:

White House releases Obama’s Summertime Spotify playlist -> https://t.co/z0BjONCyZn pic.twitter.com/bc3bkx8JQj

— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) August 14, 2015

Here’s a sampling of the other titles that made the cut for the nighttime playlist:

  • “My Favorite Things” by John Coltrane
  • “Moondance” by Van Morrison
  • “Nothing Even Matters” by Lauryn Hill D’Angelo
  • “Until” by Cassandra Wilson
  • “The Very Thought Of You” by Billie Holiday

And for the day, here are a few examples:

  • “Tombstone Blues” by Bob Dylan
  • “Paradise” by Coldplay
  • “Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin
  • “Pusher Love Girl” by Justin Timberlake
  • “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” by The Temptations

 

President Obama has a musical history in the spotlight, too. In June, he sang “Amazing Grace” while delivering a eulogy for the Rev. Clementa Pinckney.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include President Obama’s playlist for the day.

About the Author
By Benjamin SnyderManaging Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Benjamin Snyder is Fortune's managing editor, leading operations for the newsroom.

Prior to rejoining Fortune, he was a managing editor at Business Insider and has worked as an editor for Bloomberg, LinkedIn and CNBC, covering leadership stories, sports business, careers and business news. He started his career as a breaking news reporter at Fortune in 2014.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
'I just don't have a good feeling about this': Top economist Claudia Sahm says the economy quietly shifted and everyone's now looking at the wrong alarm
By Eleanor PringleJanuary 31, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
Ford CEO has 5,000 open mechanic jobs with up to 6-figure salaries from the shortage of manually skilled workers: 'We are in trouble in our country'
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 31, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Ryan Serhant starts work at 4:30 a.m.—he says most people don’t achieve their dreams because ‘what they really want is just to be lazy’
By Preston ForeJanuary 31, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Alexis Ohanian walked out of the LSAT 20 minutes in, went to a Waffle House, and decided he was 'gonna invent a career.' He founded Reddit
By Preston ForeJanuary 31, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Meet the first CEO of the IRS: A Jamie Dimon protege facing a $5 trillion test this tax season
By Shawn TullyJanuary 31, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Startups & Venture
Silicon Valley legend Kleiner Perkins was written off. Then an unlikely VC showed up
By Allie GarfinkleJanuary 31, 2026
23 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Several pictures of people receiving medical treatments including a facelift and oxygen therapy.
HealthSuper Bowl
Hims and Hers Super Bowl ad highlights ‘uncomfortable truth’ about elite healthcare for the rich and ‘broken’ system for the rest
By Jacqueline MunisFebruary 1, 2026
9 hours ago
Travel & LeisureLas Vegas
Old-school Las Vegas buffets with cheap eats are disappearing, replaced by ‘luxury’ options, trendy food halls, and celebrity chef restaurants
By Jessica Hill and The Associated PressJanuary 31, 2026
23 hours ago
o'hara
Arts & EntertainmentObituary
How Catherine O’Hara went from Gilda Radner’s understudy to cultural icon with her own language as Moira Rose
By Lindsey Bahr and The Associated PressJanuary 31, 2026
1 day ago
phil
LawHolidays
‘But seriously, this is not a serious thing’: Groundhog Day made Punxsutawney famous but locals have perspective
By Mark Scolforo and The Associated PressJanuary 31, 2026
1 day ago
Netflix
Big TechMarkets
Netflix may be turning into an ‘entertainment giant,’ but its stock looks like ‘dead money’ to investors
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 31, 2026
1 day ago
Gamestop
Big TechGameStop
Five years after the short squeeze, GameStop’s CEO is betting on a ‘genius or totally foolish’ $100 billion-plus acquisition
By Jake AngeloJanuary 30, 2026
2 days ago