Former U.S. President Barack Obama (2009-2017) once again caught the attention of the music world by publishing his annual playlist of favorite songs of 2025, a tradition he has maintained since his time in the White House. In this edition, the former president included the Spanish singer Rosalía, consolidating once again the presence of Latin artists in a selection that tends to go viral globally.
Rosalía’s chosen song is “Sexo, Violencia y Llantas” (Sex, Violence and Tires), which is part of her most recent album, Lux. According to the information released, it is a conceptual piece that explores the duality between the earthly and the spiritual, a thematic line that runs through most of the album.
What is Obama playlist 2025?
As 2025 comes to a close, I’m continuing a tradition that I started during my time in the White House: sharing my annual lists of favorite books, movies, and music. I hope you find something new to enjoy-and please send any recommendations for me to check out! pic.twitter.com/T9LFt5fnKG
– Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 18, 2025
Former President Obama shared the list through his X (formerly Twitter) account, accompanying it with a message in which he recalled the origin of this custom.
“With the end of 2025, I am continuing a tradition I started during my time in the White House: sharing my annual lists of favorite books, movies, and music,” the former president wrote.
For years now, these lists have become an event awaited by both the cultural industry and the general public, as they often reflect a mix of personal taste, musical diversity and attention to global trends.
Rosalía and the international projection of Latin music
Rosalía’s inclusion in Obama’s list reinforces the artist ‘s international reach and the impact of Spanish-language music in spaces traditionally dominated by Anglo-Saxon productions.
For many fans, appearing in this selection represents not only symbolic recognition, but also validation of Latin music’s place in the global cultural landscape.
For the Hispanic community in the United States, these types of mentions also have a special value, as they make visible artistic proposals that connect with bilingual identities and diverse cultural experiences.
More Latino presence on the list
Rosalia was not the only artist of Hispanic origin included in the 2025 selection.
Obama also highlighted the song “En privado”, performed by Mexico’s Xavi along with Colombia’s Manuel Turizo, thus expanding the representation of Latin music in his list of 30 favorite songs of the year.
This diversity of proposals reflects the former president’s interest in sounds that cross borders and in collaborations that connect different musical scenes.
A mix of genres and generations
In addition to Latino artists, Obama’s roster includes established names and contemporary figures from different genres, such as Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Drake, Chappell Roan, Olivia Dean and Kacy Hill, among others.
The selection combines hip hop, pop, R&B and alternative proposals, which reinforces the idea that their list functions as a cultural thermometer rather than a traditional ranking.
Although Obama has made it clear on several occasions that these lists reflect his personal preferences, over the years they have become a cultural phenomenon.
Each publication generates conversation, drives reproductions on digital platforms and opens debates on the influence of public figures in artistic dissemination.
Rosalía’s inclusion in the list of favorite songs of 2025 confirms, once again, that Spanish-language music occupies a relevant space in the global cultural conversation and that its impact transcends languages, borders and political scenarios.
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