Barack Obama has released his customary summer playlist for 2026, and this year it carries a poignant opening: a tribute to Glen Hansard, the Irish singer-songwriter who died on Wednesday in a motorcycle crash in Dublin at the age of 56.
In a post accompanying the playlist, Obama wrote that the selection begins with “a song Michelle and I love by Glen Hansard, a great musician who passed tragically this week.” The track is ‘Song Of Good Hope’, taken from Hansard’s 2012 debut solo album, Rhythm And Repose. Obama added: “Our hearts go out to his family.”
Hansard was best known as the frontman of The Frames, one half of the duo The Swell Season, and the co-writer and performer of ‘Falling Slowly’, the Oscar-winning song from the 2007 film Once. His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the Irish music scene and beyond, with many recalling his raw, emotionally charged performances and his role in bringing Irish indie folk to a global audience.
A mix of new and timeless
As with previous years, Obama’s playlist spans genres and generations. Among the contemporary picks are recent tracks by The Strokes (‘Going Shopping’), Vince Staples (‘White Flag’), Doechii and SZA (‘girl, get up’), and Kelela’s ‘idea 1’, from her new album New Avatar — which has been highlighted as one of the best albums of 2026 so far.
The classics section includes Nina Simone’s ‘In The Dark’, The Beatles’ ‘Revolution’, Neil Young’s ‘Heart of Gold’, Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’, David Bowie’s ‘Modern Love’, Buena Vista Social Club’s ‘Candela’, and A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Award Tour’.
The playlist arrives shortly after Obama shared his summer reading list, continuing a tradition that began during his presidency and has since become a cultural fixture. His recommendations often spark a surge in sales and streaming for the artists and authors featured.
One recurring question is whether Obama personally curates these lists. In 2023, he addressed the speculation directly during an appearance on Hasan Minhaj’s show. “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.”
Hansard’s death has also reignited conversations about road safety in Ireland, where motorcycle fatalities have been a persistent concern. The security situation on the island remains a separate but ongoing issue, though the two events are unrelated.
For those looking to explore Hansard’s work, his discography with The Frames, The Swell Season, and as a solo artist offers a rich entry point. His legacy is also tied to the broader Irish music renaissance that has seen artists like Hozier and Fontaines D.C. gain international acclaim.
Obama’s playlist, as always, serves as a snapshot of his musical tastes — and this year, it doubles as a heartfelt farewell to a musician whose voice resonated far beyond Ireland.
