Just as you’d finally finished exploring his summer recommendations, former President Barack Obama has officially revealed his long-awaited top culture picks of 2025.
The former president has shared his favorite books, music and movies regularly since he was in the White House. He also releases his March Madness college basketball bracket each year.
Obama, known to be an avid reader, includes books such as Jill Lepore’s “We The People,” which is about the U.S. Constitution, and fiction including Angela Fluornoy’s “The Wilderness” and “What We Can Know,” by Ian McEwan on his list of 2025 favorites. He ends the list with “The Look,” the style book released this fall by his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama — noting that it’s an obviously biased choice (he has similarly cited her other books on prior lists).
Obama’s favorite movies of the year include the cultural darling “Sinners,” “Jay Kelly” and a documentary about the writer George Orwell, “Orwell: 2+2=5.”
And as for what he’s listening to while doing one of his famous early morning workouts, well, it could be pretty much anything. This year, he says his favorites included songs by the inescapable Olivia Dean and Chappell Roan, his friend Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga and Gunna. Notably, his list of top songs includes entries for both of the feuding rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
Find the rest of his picks at the Obama Foundation web site.
What do you think of Obama’s list? If you don’t find his choices appealing, he says he’s taking suggestions.
