Barack Obama has paid tribute to Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard while sharing his annual summer playlist for 2026.
The former US President posted the selection of “some of the songs I’ve been listening to this summer”, adding: “It starts with a song Michelle and I love by Glen Hansard, a great musician who passed tragically this week.”
The song in question is ‘Song Of Good Hope’ from the late Irish musician’s 2012 debut solo album, ‘Rhythm And Repose’.
Obama added: “Our hearts go out to his family.”
Hansard – best known as the frontman of The Frames, half of the duo The Swell Season and the co-writer and performer of the Oscar-winning song ‘Falling Slowly’ from the film Once – tragically died in a motorcycle crash on Wednesday at the age of 56.
Like all of Obama’s playlists, the tracks span all genres of music, from rock and folk to R&B and hip-hop - with some contemporary picks and a smattering of classics.
Notable cuts in the former category include recent tracks by The Strokes ('Going Shopping'), Vince Staples ('White Flag'), Doechii & SZA ('girl, get up') and Kelela's single 'idea 1' off her new album 'New Avatar' - one of our top picks for the Best Albums of 2026 So Far.
In the latter category, we find pretty damn perfect songs by Nina Simone ('In The Dark'), The Beatles ('Revolution'), Neil Young ('Heart of Gold'), Marvin Gaye ('Let's Get It On'), David Bowie ('Modern Love'), Buena Vista Social Club ('Candela') and A Tribe Called Quest ('Award Tour').
The playlist arrives shortly after Obama shared his 2026 summer reading list, which also continues his longstanding tradition of recommending books and music to the public.
Check out his reading picks below:
Obama, who was in office between 2009 and 2017, has shared his cultural recommendations for years now.
A common question that has arisen over the years is whether he actually curates his playlists himself, with many questioning whether he has a team making his frequently brilliant picks.
Obama refuted these claims in 2023, telling comedian Hasan Minhaj: “I am so glad that I have this opportunity. People, they believe the books and the movies, but the playlists, they somehow think - and this is mostly coming from young people like you - somehow, y’all think you invented rock ‘n’ roll. You invented hip-hop. And so the fact that my lists are, you know, pretty incredible - people seem to think, well, he must’ve had some 20-year-old intern who was figuring out this latest cut. No, man! It’s on my iPad right now.”
When you've finished checking out the former POTUS' picks, head to Euronews Culture's rankings of the Best Albums of 2026 So Far and our picks for the Best Movies of 2026 So Far.
