The eclectic playlist, featuring everything from legends like The Beatles and David Bowie to newer stars like Kahan and Tyla, featured “some of the songs I’ve been listening to this summer,” Obama wrote in his Instagram post sharing the playlist. The caption also paid tribute to Irish singer Glen Hansard, who died on Wednesday in a motorcycle crash in Dublin. Hansard’s tune “Song of Good Hope” appears at the top of the playlist.
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“It starts with a song Michelle and I love by Glen Hansard, a great musician who passed tragically this week,” Obama wrote in his Instagram post. “Our hearts go out to his family.”
In addition to his favorite songs, Obama shared his summer reading list this week, with Maine native and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout making the roundup for her 2026 novel “The Things We Never Say.”
“It’s that time of year again: here are some of the books I’ve enjoyed this summer,” Obama wrote in his Instagram post on Wednesday sharing his reading list. “If you’ve read any good ones, let me know!”
See the full reading list and playlist below.
Barack Obama’s 2026 summer reading list
“Kin,” Tayari Jones
“The Things We Never Say,” Elizabeth Strout
“A World Appears,” Michael Pollan
“Whistler,” Ann Patchett
“This Land is Your Land,” Beverly Gage
“Vigil,” George Saunders
“One Sun Only,” Camille Bordas
“Seek Immediate Shelter,” Vincent Yu
“Data Empire,” Roopika Risam
“Transcription,” Ben Lerner
“Cool Machine,” Colson Whitehead
Barack Obama’s 2026 summer playlist
“Song of Good Hope,” Glen Hansard
“the one,” Gabriel Jacoby
“girl, get up.,” Doechii and SZA
“West Memphis,” Yebba
“Doors,” Noah Kahan
“Can’t Hide Love,” Earth, Wind & Fire
“Going Shopping,” The Strokes
“idea 1,” Kelela
“Make Me Wanna,” October London
“I Feel Good,” Fred Hammond
“One Eyed Jack,” Charley Crockett
“lnglés en Miami,“ Rawayana and Manuel Turizo
“White Flag,” Vince Staples
“Rubber Band Man,” Mumford & Sons ft. Hozier
“Motion Party,” BossMan Dlow
“La Father (Remix),” Vale Pintos, Brytiago, Casper Mágico, and Héctor “El Father”
“Fiesta,” Gvrden Boy
“Self Aware,” Temper City
“She Did It Again,” Tyla ft. Zara Larsson
“Friends Again,” Baby Rose ft. Leon Thomas
“Anyone Who Had a Heart,” Luther Vandross
“Ain’t Nobody,” Chaka Khan
“Emmanuele,” Abel Selaocoe
“Message in a Bottle,” The Police
“Modern Love,” David Bowie
“The Book,” Sheryl Crow
“Award Tour,” A Tribe Called Quest ft. Trugoy the Dove
“Revolution,” The Beatles
“Hit the Ground,” Lizz Wright
“Charlie Brown,” Coldplay
“Don’t Worry Baby,” Los Lobos
“Let’s Get It On,” Marvin Gaye
“I Ka Barra,” Habib Koité and Bamada
“(I Know) I’m Losing You,” The Temptations
“Do the Do,” Howlin’ Wolf
“Road to Zion,” Damien Marley ft. Nas
“Where Is My Husband?,” Raye
“In the Dark,” Nina Simone
“Heart of Gold,” Neil Young
“Ran to Atlanta,” Drake ft. Future and Molly Santana
“Folsom Prison Blues,” Johnny Cash
“Hold On, I’m Comin’,” Sam & Dave
“Candela,” Buena Vista Social Club
“Yada Yada,” Anderson .Paak
“You Go to My Head,” Ledisi ft. Paul Jackson Jr.
“Strode Rode,” Sonny Rollins
Matt Juul can be reached at [email protected].
