Music
Barack Obama Listened To Beyonce, Eminem, And Jay-Z During His Presidency
Getty Image Obama shared a playlist in anticipation for the release of his presidential memoir ‘A Promised Land.’ …
Not only was Barack Obama the leader of the free world for eight years, but he’s also a talented playlist curator. Every so often, the country’s 44th commander-in-chief flexes his musical knowledge by dropping a playlist of his current favorite songs. Back in August, he shared his 2020 Summer Playlist which boasted tracks by Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, Mac Miller, and J. Cole. But now, hes taking a trip down memory lane by sharing a list of his favorite songs from his presidency.
Obama shared the list in anticipation of his upcoming presidential memoir A Promised Land. “Music has always played an important role in my life — and that was especially true during my presidency,” he wrote alongside the playlist. “In honor of my book hitting shelves tomorrow, I put together this playlist featuring some memorable songs from my administration.”
The list bears some recognizable names. Beyonce has two thrown in the mix — her cover of Etta James’ “At Last,” from the soundtrack to the 2008 film Cadillac Records, as well “Halo.” Other artists that were in Obama’s rotation include Eminem, Jay-Z, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, and more.
You can listen to Obama’s full playlist above.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Artist Spotlight
Lana Crow turns challenges into a celebration with “Laugh With You”
“Laugh With You,” the latest single from Lana Crow, is a sincere rallying cry to embrace life in all its messy, beautiful mess. In the song, indie pop and alt-pop combine to deliver an emotional blow that feels both personal and universal.
“Laugh With You” feels like an instant connection, and Crow is telling you stories of hard times with a cozy, knowing smile. This song is as much about struggle as it is about how strong you are. It serves as a reminder that these struggles are simply what give us the strength to keep going, even when life is tough.
Crow encourages people to welcome them, create happiness in the cracks, and laugh even as the world gets heavy. The result is a song that delicately nudges you to love and embrace yourself. It is an anthem for anyone experiencing tough times who refuses to give up hope. Lana Crow continues to demonstrate her songwriting skills, both musically pleasing and emotionally rich, with “Laugh With You.”
It’s a reminder that it’s how we respond to tough times, rather than how they affect us, that’s key. With this song, not only does Crow provide us with music, but she also lets us know that sometimes a laugh is what we need to remember that there is always something to smile about and that, even when it feels like life has waged war against you, laughter can still be found.
Artist Spotlight
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Her voice rises as if it is coming from deep within her, shaped by emotion rather than action. She intentionally channels the intangible, turning weakness into strength rather than a source of pain, and “Ocean” tells people to get involved in this inner world, not just watch it. This release is an integral part of her first EP, “One,” which will come out in March 2026 and is based on love, sensuality, and unity.
If “Ocean” is any indication, the EP will show sensuality not as something pretty, but as a kind of spiritual intelligence, a way to know yourself by connecting with others. The song’s textures and structure have an aquatic quality, moving between clarity and delirium, rhythm and freedom. Its emotional focus is on immersion instead of resolution.
The striking quality of “Ocean” is the blend of the mystical worlds. Boostani understands that strength often shows up as gentleness and that deep feelings are better expressed through frequencies than words. She wants people to see consciousness as immediacy, sensation as truth, and openness as an undeniable strength.
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