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The Barack Obama year-end list extravaganza continued (ended?) on Monday, as the former president tweeted his favourite songs of the year. In the previous two days, hed posted his favourite books and movies, and were probably not getting a standalone TV list, since he already added a few shows to his movie list that he said he considered as powerful as movies. By now the annual tradition is expected, and in the replies to Obamas tweets any number of expressions of longing for the return of his cool-guy tastes to the White House can be found. Last week the New York Times published an op-ed titled In Praise of Barack Obama, Music Critic.

This year Obama seemed to signal his attunement to the diffuse state of popular music, where genre-agnosticism is often a virtue, by noting that his picks ranged from hip-hop to country to The Boss. He included American breakouts Lizzo and DaBaby, Nigerian artists Burna Boy and Rema, and Rosala and J Balvins 'Con Altura', although he omitted Balvins credit on the song. He said he was listening to this years folk rock darling Big Thief, and Indian artist Prateek Kuhad made it to his list with his popular heartbreak ditty, 'cold/mess'. He was well aware of 'Old Town Road', a song at the centre of all sorts of playlists, streaming records, and conversations this year but not quite as ubiquitous in the flurry of year-end lists. And he even waited until Kaytranada released a new album on December 13 to solidify his choices.

As ever, theres the sourcing question. What Spotify playlists, and which music advisers are involved here? Obamas book list raised some eyebrows, with its inclusion of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power by Shoshana Zuboff, which, as the reporter and researcher Avi Ascher-Schapiro pointed out on Twitter, argues that the revolving door of personnel who migrated between Google & the Obama admin...helped fortify the surveillance capitalism business model.

Or is it more of a family matter? Back in Obamas second term, it didnt escape notice that his daughter Malia wore a Pro Era T-shirt.

Whatever the case, there are some relatively under-the-radar picks and opportunities for discovery here. Angelica Garcia put on a quiet, wonderful show in New York a few months ago in a 250-capacity room. On Monday she tweeted, I am tearing up right now. My grandma has kept your picture on her piano for 5 years. Thank you for listening @BarackObama.

Prateek Kuhad wrote on Instagram, "This just happened and I dont think Ill sleep tonight. Totally flipping out. I have no idea how cold/mess even reached him but thank you @barackobama, thank you universe I didnt think 2019 couldve gotten better, but damn was I wrong. What an honour."

Heres his full list:

A version of this article originally appeared on Vanityfair.com

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Barack Obama Likes All Kinds of Music Too - VOGUE India