• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ed Sheeran asked Patriots owner Robert Kraft for $2 million aid donation after Macklemore was dropped from his tour for pro-Palestine comments

2

Meet Warren Buffett's son Howard, a former sheriff, war photographer, and now, Berkshire's new chairman

3

Anthropic billionaire cofounder Jack Clark studied literature, not code—and says liberal arts degrees will win in the AI age

1

Ed Sheeran asked Patriots owner Robert Kraft for $2 million aid donation after Macklemore was dropped from his tour for pro-Palestine comments

2

Meet Warren Buffett's son Howard, a former sheriff, war photographer, and now, Berkshire's new chairman

3

Anthropic billionaire cofounder Jack Clark studied literature, not code—and says liberal arts degrees will win in the AI age
LeadershipBarack Obama

Barack Obama Reveals His Favorite Songs, Books, and Movies of 2018 on Instagram

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 28, 2018, 11:08 AM ET
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Barack Obama might have been president of the United States, but when it comes to music, he considers himself a loyal subject of Queen Bey.

As he has since 2015, Obama has listed his favorite songs, books and movies of the year. And topping the music list this year was Apes**t by the Carters (aka Beyonce and husband Jay-Z).

“As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “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.”

Other songs that caught the president’s ear in 2018 include Khalid and Normani’s Love Lies, My Own Thing by Chance the Rapper, Mary Don’t You Weep (the piano and microphone 1983 version) by Prince, and jazz legend Nancy Wilson’s album The Great American Songbook.

Each of the lists is done in alphabetical order, so it’s possible he liked some song more than the Carters’ (though Beyonce has made several appearances on his lists through the years). For books, though, he made an exception, saying one was “obviously my favorite!” That book, of course, was Becoming by Michelle Obama.

Several other favorites seemed to have a political message. Included on the list was Hans Rosling’s Factfulness, How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, and In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History by Mitch Landrieu.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Br7ziuvgzCf/

The cinematic list is also an eclectic blend, ranging from Black Panther to the sci-fi/horror film Annihilation to the Mr. Rogers documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor?.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • 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
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Leadership


    Most Popular

    © 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.