BLACKPINK, 'No Other Choice,' and more made it to Barack Obama's favorite music, movies in 2025
Looking for entertainment recommendations to replay before the year ends? Barack Obama has unveiled the movies, songs, and books he enjoyed in 2025.
In his annual list, the former president of the United States shared the top media he consumed.
"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!" he wrote on his social media posts.
Among his favorite tracks were Lady Gaga's smash hit Abracadabra, BLACKPINK's Jump, Olivia Dean’s Nice to Each Other, Laufey's Silver Lining, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Luther, as well as Chappell Roan’s The Giver.
Film enthusiasts, meanwhile, got a glimpse of Obama’s cinematic tastes. His picks included Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio; Park Chan-wook’s Oscar-shortlisted No Other Choice; Jay Kelly, led by George Clooney; and Good Fortune, featuring Keanu Reeves.
Also making the list were several Oscar-shortlisted films: Hamnet, which explores the Shakespeare family’s grief over the loss of their son and how it inspired Hamlet; the horror-action film Sinners, centered on twins seeking a fresh start after leaving their mob past—only to face supernatural terror; and the tragicomedy Sentimental Value, which follows two sisters attempting to reconnect with their estranged, filmmaker father.
For books, Obama looked back his favorites, including Madeleine Thien's The Book Of Records, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson's non-fiction Abundance, and Michael Lewis' Who is Government? which is a set of essays from notable writers sharing inspiring stories of unsung civil servants.
The former president also included King of Ashes by S.A Cosby, a thriller-suspense that tells the gritty story of Roman, who will do what it takes to protect his family, even if things turn brutal. It is also included in TIME's 100 must-read books of 2025.
Obama served as the 44th president of the United States. Three years after the end of his term, he published a memoir titled A Promised Land that details his presidency.