Music
23 Dec 24

Barack Obama adds Fontaines D.C., Hozier and Jordan Adetunji to his Favourite Songs of 2024

Barack Obama. Credit: Pari Dukovic

His annual playlist included a few Irish artists alongside heavyweights such as Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish and others.

A time-worn tradition, Barack Obama has unveiled his Favourite Songs of the Year playlist, which showcases the tunes and artists he bumped from January to December.

This year, he added a few Irish artists to the mix, including Fontaines D.C., Hozier and Jordan Adetunji.

The former U.S. President shouted out Fontaines D.C.'s summer hit 'Favourite', as well as Hozier's chart-topper - and Hot Press' Single of the Year - 'Too Sweet' and Belfast rapper Jordan Adetunji's viral breakout track 'Kehlani'.

Elsewhere, Kendrick Lamar’s 'Squabble Up' was the first song named on Obama’s list, which has selections including Billie Eilish’s 'Lunch', Asaka & Travis Scott’s 'Active', Leon Bridges’ 'Peaceful Place', Jack White’s 'That’s How I’m Feeling' and Karol G’s 'Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido', among many others.

Several tracks got a coveted spot on both Obama’s summer playlist (shared in August) and his favorite music of 2024 list.

Yayo’s 'Rema', Tyla, Gunna & Skillibeng’s 'Jump', Shaboozey’s 'A Bar Song (Tipsy)', Bonny Light Horseman’s 'Old Dutch', Beyoncé’s 'Texas Hold ‘Em', Artemas’ 'I Like the Way You Kiss Me', Tommy Richman’s 'Million Dollar Baby', and Myles Smith’s 'Stargazing' are all found on Obama’s summer list and his year-end list.

Obama narrowed down his favorite movies of 2024 to a concise list of 10, which included All We Imagine as Light, Conclave, The Piano Lesson, The Promised Land, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Dune: Part Two, Anora, Dìdi, Sugarcane and A Complete Unknown.

His book list also has just 10 picks (and a reminder to support independent book shops and libraries). Obama’s favorite books of 2024 included Sally Rooney's Intermezzo, as well as Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, Alexei Navalny’s Patriot, Samantha Harvey’s Orbital, Aysegul Savas’ The Anthropologists, Arlie Russell Hochschild’s Stolen Pride, Martin MacInnes’ In Ascension, Daniel Susskind’s Growth, Dinaw Mengetsu’s Someone Like Us and Adam Moss’ The Work of Art.