We don't know what music and literature Donald Trump will sweeten the summer. But his predecessor Barack Obama regularly reveals which songs and books he uses to keep himself in a good mood during the warm season. So now again, since he publishes his current hit list.
It has become a cherished tradition that Barack Obama publishes the songs and books that will accompany him throughout the summer on social networks. The current playlist of the former US President has a total of 44 songs. Among them are new songs like "Music For A Sushi Restaurant" by ex-One Direction singer Harry Styles as well as classics from the brand "Blue In Green" by Miles Davis.
The genre mix presented by the 60-year-old is correspondingly wild. From jazz to hip-hop to pop hits, there are a wide variety of styles on the list, and a striking number of songs have reggaeton rhythms. For example, Beyoncé's new song "Break My Soul" sits alongside Joe Cocker's "Feelin' Alright" and Rosalía's "Saoko" alongside Prince's "Let's Go Crazy."
Other older songs include Al Green's "I Can't Get Next To You", Aretha Franklin's "Save Me" and Nina Simone's "Do I Move You". The currently successful songs include, for example, "Ojitos Lindos" by Bad Bunny, "Too Good" by Drake and Rihanna or "Die Hard" by Kendrick Lamar.
The musical ex-politician also has some rather unknown insider tips up his sleeve: the Nigerian newcomer Tems with her song "Vibe Out", "Finesse" by the Nigerian producer Pheelz or "Many Times" by the American Dijon.
Apparently Obama is also hoping to discover more artists himself through his annual playlist. He writes about the list: "I look forward to sharing my summer playlist every year because I get to know so many new artists through your replies - it's a prime example of how music can really bring us all together." Obama then asked his followers which songs they were listening to this summer.
But the former US President not only gives an insight into his musical preferences. He also reveals which books are on his bedside table. His favorite authors in the summer of 2022 include Ezra Klein, Jennifer Egan, John le Carré, Hanya Yanagihara and the German-US American political scientist Yascha Mounk.
