Barack Obama Lists His Favorite Books, Movies And Songs Of 2018

Source: White House / Flickr

With everyone releasing their Best Of lists for 2018, leave to to Barack Obama to throw his two cents in by listing his favorite movies, songs and books of the year. Among the names picked? Wife Michelle Obama‘s Becoming (but because obviously!), songs from H.E.R. and Bryson Tiller, Barry Jenkins‘ If Beale Street Could Talk, Ryan Coogler‘s Black Panther and more.

“As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists, Obama wrote in the caption of his list on Instagram. “It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books, movies, and music that I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to highlight talented authors, artists, and storytellers – some who are household names and others who you may not have heard of before.”

Check out the list of favorite songs, books and movies below.

Barack Obama’s Favorite Songs Of 2018

Source: Beyonce.com / Courtesy of Beyonce.com

“Apes**t,” by The Carters
“Bad Bad News,” by Leon Bridges
“Could’ve Been,” by H.E.R. (feat. Bryson Tiller)
“Disco Yes,” by Tom Misch (feat. Poppy Ajudha)
“Ekombe” by Jupiter & Okwess
“Every Time I Hear That Song,” by Brandi Carlile
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” by Ashley McBryde
“Historia De Un Amor,” by Tonina (feat. Javier Limón and Tali Rubinstein)
“I Like It,” by Cardi B (feat. Bad Bunny and J Balvin)
“Kevin’s Heart,” by J. Cole
“King For A Day,” by Anderson East
“Love Lies,” by Khalid & Normani
“Make Me Feel,” by Janelle Monáe
“Mary Don’t You Weep (Piano & A Microphone 1983 Version),” by Prince
“My Own Thing” by Chance the Rapper (feat. Joey Purp)
“Need a Little Time” by Courtney Barnett
“Nina Cried Power,” by Hozier (feat. Mavis Staples)
“Nterini,” by Fatoumata Diawara
“One Trick Ponies,” by Kurt Vile
“Turnin’ Me Up,” by BJ the Chicago Kid
“Wait by the River,” by Lord Huron
“Wow Freestyle,” by Jay Rock (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

Favorite Movies Of 2018

Source: Marvel Studios / Marvel Studios

Annihilation
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
Blindspotting
Burning
The Death of Stalin
Eighth Grade
If Beale Street Could Talk
Leave No Trace
Minding the Gap
The Rider
Roma
Shoplifters
Support the Girls
Won’t You Be My Neighbor

Favorite Books Of 2018

Source: Live Nation / Live Nation

Becoming by Michelle Obama
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Affects the Way We Think, Live, and Die by Keith Payne
Educated by Tara Westover
Factfulness by Hans Rosling
Futureface: A Family Mystery, an Epic Quest, and the Secret to Belonging by Alex Wagner
A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong’o
A House for Mr Biswas by V.S. Naipaul
How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History by Mitch Landrieu
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
The New Geography of Jobs by Enrico Moretti
The Return by Hisham Matar
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
Why Liberalism Failed by Patrick Deneen
The World As It Is by Ben Rhodes
American Prison by Shane Bauer
Arthur Ashe: A Life by Raymond Arsenault
Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday
Feel Free by Zadie Smith
Florida by Lauren Groff
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight
Immigrant, Montana by Amitava Kumar
The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark
There There by Tommy Orange
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan