# Obama's spotify playlist **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419 "2012-02-10T15:34:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/1 "2012-02-10T15:34:38Z")
[Obama has released his campaign playlist.](http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/music/obamas-campaign-playlist#image-rotator-1) and I’m quite shocked by it even though I guess I shouldn’t be. I mean, the guy is only 2 years older than I am so it stands to reason he’d like the same kind of stuff I do. Except for the country. I don’t like country. I’m wondering though if the President personally picked these songs, his campaign handlers picked them and he approved them or if he had any input in this list at all. I’d like to think this is a glimpse into the President’s musical tastes. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/2 "2012-02-10T16:04:31Z")
According to Spotify, the songs were chosen by both his staff and by him. I assume he OKed the final list. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/3 "2012-02-10T16:09:44Z")
TWO Darius Rucker songs?? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/4 "2012-02-10T16:10:13Z")
No gangsta rap, Soviet national anthems, or Kenyan litungu music? Somebody’s sanitized this thing… ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/5 "2012-02-10T16:11:40Z")
I sure hope he got the artist’s O.K. to play these songs during his campaign. Unlike some other politicians we know. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/6 "2012-02-10T16:22:54Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I sure hope he got the artist’s O.K. to play these songs during his campaign. Unlike some other politicians we know. It’s supposed to be a list of songs he likes, not a list of stuff they’ll be using at campaign events. So I don’t think any kind of clearance is required. Most of this stuff isn’t really my taste, but this one put a smile on my face: > [@](#): > > The Weight - Aretha Franklin cover of song by The Band Amazing song, and a great cover that has Aretha backed by Duane Allman and the Muscle Shoals session band of the late '60s. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/7 "2012-02-10T16:26:09Z")
Does the song _Mr. Blue Sky_ conjure images for anyone else of Obama cackling maniacally while slowly lowering his finger on the nuke button? Seems like one of those semi-incongruous songs for such a situation. Just me? > [@Biggirl](#): > > I sure hope he got the artist’s O.K. to play these songs during his campaign. Unlike some other politicians we know. I think that also requires interpreting ironic lyrics in a literal fashion, like when a very left wing artist’s songs are used by a Republican. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/8 "2012-02-10T16:28:26Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s supposed to be a list of songs he likes, not a list of stuff they’ll be using at campaign events. So I don’t think any kind of clearance is required. Most of this stuff isn’t really my taste, but this one put a smile on my face: > Amazing song, and a great cover that has Aretha backed by Duane Allman and the Muscle Shoals session band of the late '60s. No, it’s Obama’s campaign playlist. At least that’s what the article I linked to says it is. Picked by Obama and his staff as per Spotify. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/9 "2012-02-10T17:05:02Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > No, it’s Obama’s campaign playlist. Yes, whatever that is. It doesn’t say they’ll be playing it at any events, which is where past candidates have gotten into trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/10 "2012-02-10T17:14:08Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Yes, whatever that is. It doesn’t say they’ll be playing it at any events, which is where past candidates have gotten into trouble. Whatever that is? It’s a list of songs for the campaign. I’m not getting your resistance to it. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/11 "2012-02-10T17:17:25Z")
Does “campaign play list” mean “songs to play at campaign events” or “songs to listen to while we’re campaigning”? It’s not clear to me. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/12 "2012-02-10T17:20:59Z")
Kinda like the Beer Summit, he asked himself ‘how will liking this thing make me look’. An election is coming up, he remembers well the fallout from liking arugula. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/13 "2012-02-10T17:21:04Z")
Seems like an okay idea to me - to release a list of songs he’d like to use at various campaign events and make sure the various copyright holders are okay with it. No point having to deal with the nuisance of having some singer or songwriter airing his objections. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/14 "2012-02-10T17:22:50Z")
[The Obama campaign released its official playlist on Spotify this week, twenty-eight songs that now have the distinction of being at least temporarily authorized by the nation’s chief executive. Though Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” which President Obama recently paid tribute by singing a few seconds at the Apollo Theater, is on the list, these aren’t his personal favorites, necessarily, but the songs that he and his staff feel best represent their campaign. They’ll be played at rallies and before speeches and possibly used in commercials.](http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/02/obama-spotify-playlist.html) Jeez! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/15 "2012-02-10T17:23:30Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Whatever that is? It’s a list of songs for the campaign. I’m not getting your resistance to it. I’m not trying to get into an argument. I am saying I don’t know if it’s just a list of stuff he is supposed to be listening to (probably not), a list of stuff that is supposed to sort of set the mood for the re-election campaign, or a list of songs they’ll play at campaign events. I don’t think they need any kind of clearance from the artist unless they’re actually playing the song at events. That’s where candidates from Reagan to Gingrich and Romney have gotten into trouble. You don’t need clearance to say ‘here’s some stuff we like.’ > [@](#): > > They’ll be played at rallies and before speeches and possibly used in commercials. That, unlike the more vague article in the OP, settles it. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/16 "2012-02-10T17:25:34Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’m not trying to get into an argument. I am saying I don’t know if it’s just a list of stuff he is supposed to be listening to (probably not), a list of stuff that is supposed to sort of set the mood for the re-election campaign, or a list of songs they’ll play at campaign events. I don’t think they need any kind of clearance from the artist unless they’re actually playing the song at events. That’s where candidates from Reagan to Gingrich and Romney have gotten into trouble. You don’t need clearance to say ‘here’s some stuff we like.’ You so _are_ trying to start an argument. But I win! Yay! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/17 "2012-02-10T17:34:23Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > You so _are_ trying to start an argument. ::Bites tongue in a vain effort not to point out the irony.:: But yes, you’re right that he plans to use these songs at official events. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/18 "2012-02-10T17:37:38Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > ::Bites tongue in a vain effort not to point out the irony.:: > > But yes, you’re right that he plans to use these songs at official events. There’s no irony! You take that back! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/19 "2012-02-10T18:40:21Z")
This is a good start, but now I want to see Obama’s Amazon wish list, his Netflix ratings, and his porn stash. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419/20 "2012-02-10T18:59:33Z")
His porn 'stache? I think that would have to be [a roundtree.](http://www.peeperstv.com/pictures/933694/shaftrichardroundtree.jpg) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-spotify-playlist/612419.md?page=2)