Making Sense of the Obama Spotify Playlist


Full disclosure time: I voted for the man, I will be voting for the man, I did my bit for the man in various swing states, I shook his hand after I saw Bruce Springsteen open for him in Cleveland, and consider that one of the high points of my life. I am biased...


Today saw the release of President Obama’s Campaign 2012 Playlist on Spotify and the subsequent Internet hullabaloo as everybody pondered "what it all meant.”  Well, this is on the Internet, I can do hullabaloo, so here is what I think it all means:
  • The Obama campaign is hot to trot to get the pop culture vote. Having a setlist of songs to play at campaign events is one thing, but to put that setlist on the Facebook, Spotify, Google+ and stir the pot... that says that they are really targeting people who like and care about stuff.
  • In addition to shoring up his Baby Boomer support with the ELO and REO Speedwagon, the President’s campaign is definitely looking to lock in it’s indie credentials and the hipster vote. The Arcade Fire and Florence & the Machine is one thing, but the vintage 90’s Wilco? That’s a dead giveaway.


  • Some commentators are hilariously stupid. Case in point: the writers and pundits suggesting that President Obama picked all of these himself even though it's called "The Obama 2012 Campaign Playlist," or making hay out of the absence of rap music and the inclusion of country and thus indulging in some casual racism. Whoops. 
  • The Obama 2012 Campaign has a fine sense of humor because I am pretty sure the inclusion of U2’s “Even Better Than The Real Thing” is a very clever shot at Mitt Romney.
  • It shows that the President is popular with a lot of varied artists more than willing to let his campaign use their music, unlike his opponents who usually end up on the receiving end of restraining orders forbidding them from using this and that music at events.
  • It's 2012, and not even Spotify and music blogs are safe....

Cliff Parks

2 comments

  1. i think its awesome thnat larry mullins needs a guy to walk him out to his drums and place headphones on him. clearly he could not do that himself. ROCK STARS CANT DO THAT.

  2. Hey, leave Larry alone. Dude's got a bad back.

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