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Why is Barack Obama's 'A Promised Land' playlist being slammed? Eminem, Jay-Z, Beyonce, The Beatles featured

A user tweeted, 'Thank God Carole King is not on that list.  I love her very much and wouldn't bear to see her connected to you whatsoever'
PUBLISHED NOV 17, 2020
Former US President Barack Obama (Getty Images)
Former US President Barack Obama (Getty Images)

Former President Barack Obama is known for sharing his favorite songs online with his followers each year. A summer playlist by Obama, featuring the music he enjoyed the most the given year, has become a tradition amongst the followers of the former president. Continuing in the same vein, Obama revealed a playlist of songs that have inspired him during his time in the White House. The playlist, shared by Obama on his official Instagram and Twitter accounts, consists of artists like Eminem, Bruce Springsteen, and Jay-Z.

The new playlist by Obama promotes the release of his memoir 'A Promised Land' which hits shelves today, on November 17. These tracks, an uplifting mix of classic rock, jazz, and hip-hop, include songs like Beyoncé‘s 'Halo', and her cover of Etta James' 'At Last'. Bruce Springsteen's 'The Rising', Eminem's 'Lose Yourself', and ‘Michelle’ by The Beatles, a tribute to his wife, are featured on the playlist.

Sharing the playlist on Instagram, Obama wrote, "Music has always played an important role throughout my life—and that was especially true during my presidency. While reviewing my notes ahead of debates, I'd listen to Jay-Z's 'My 1st Song' or Frank Sinatra's 'Luck Be a Lady'. Throughout our time in the White House, Michelle and I invited artists like Stevie Wonder and Gloria Estefan to conduct afternoon workshops with young people before performing an evening show in the East Room. And there were all sorts of performances I’ll always remember—like Beyoncé performing 'At Last' for our first dance at our inauguration, Paul McCartney serenading Michelle in the East Room with, 'Michelle' and Bob Dylan flashing me a grin before vanishing after his performance of 'Times They Are a-Changin'. So in honor of my book coming out tomorrow, I thought I’d put together a playlist with some of those songs. Hope you enjoy it. #APromisedLand". You can also check out Obama's tweet below. 



 

Like every year, fans and internet users were quick react to the former president's playlist. One user commented, “earlier i said these songs were fine. i did not notice that phillip phillips' "home," one of the worst songs of the past decade, was on this list. i apologize,” while another said, “He also chose a Springsteen song other than ‘The Promised Land’ for his playlist called ‘A Promised Land’ which is just... sigh.”

Another user tweeted, “Thank God Carole King is not on that list.  I love her very much and wouldn't bear to see her connected to you whatsoever,” while another said, “My music list would have had Slayer, Korn, and DMX on it. Then again, my testosterone is actually functioning, and I don’t bow to anyone.”Finally, one user wrote, “How many focus groups did you run this by?”



 



 



 



 



 

The Full List

'The Weight' by Aretha Franklin

'The Thrill is Gone' by BB King

'Halo' by Beyoncé

'At Last' by Beyoncé

'The Times They Are a-Changin'' by Bob Dylan

'Only in America' by Brooks and Dunn

'The Rising' by Bruce Springsteen

'Lose Yourself' by Eminem

'Luck Be a Lady' by Frank Sinatra

'Always Tomorrow' by Gloria Estafan

'Rhiannon' by Fleetwood Mac

'My 1st Song' by Jay-Z

'My Favorite Things' by John Coltrane

'Miles Davis' by Freddie Freeloader

'Home' by Phillip Phillips

'Michelle' by The Beatles

'Cherish the Day' by Sade

'Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)' by Stevie Wonder

'Sir Duke' by Stevie Wonder

'Beautiful Day' by U2

All songs on the list are classics of American music and have a lot to do with the different facets of the country's story and dreams. It features a lot of old school favorites, like Franklin, Wonder, Dylan and The Beatles, while also showcasing modern classics like Eminem's Oscar-winning 'Lose Yourself' and Jay-Z and Beyoncé's chartbusters.

You can access the full playlist on Spotify here.

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