From JD Vance’s dinnertime Bieber to Sam Altman’s Shazaming of extremely common hit songs, a web site claiming to have revealed the Spotify listening habits of members of the Trump administrationtech leaders, and journalists is making the rounds.
“We’ve been scraping their accounts since summer time 2024. Playlists, stay listening feed, all the things. We all know what songs they performed, when, and what number of instances,” the Panama Playlists website reads, alleging, “With slightly sleuthing, I may say with near-certainty: Yep, that is them.”
Are all the accounts actual? At this level, it’s arduous to inform. The accounts listed haven’t been independently verified by WIRED. Reporter Mike Isaac from The New York Instances tells WIRED that the songs listed on the web site beneath his identify match his actual Spotify listening historical past. 5 of the Spotify listeners from the web site confirmed to The Verge the accuracy of their posted knowledge. So, I’ve spent all morning obsessively listening to each music on the Panama Playlists, having fun with a voyeuristic look into the listening habits of highly effective folks.
Representatives of the general public figures whose playlists had been featured didn’t reply to instant requests for remark.
Vance’s potential cooking playlist, which which had been reported on earlier than this drop, has Justin Bieber’s “One Time” and the Backstreet Boys’ “I Need It That Manner” in rotation. The Panama Playlists additionally declare US lawyer normal Pam Bondi jams out to Nelly’s “Scorching in Herre” and Foreigner’s “Chilly as Ice,” (the latter seems like a mad lib for the administration’s present immigration coverage), Florida governor Ron DeSantis allegedly streams Miley Cyrus’ “Social gathering within the USA”, and White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt seems to take pleasure in some Cyndi Lauper with “Ladies Simply Need to Have Enjoyable.” (I imply, a few of them additionally need reproductive rightstoo).
Even homosexual Republicans couldn’t resist the gravitational pull of Brat summer timeit appears, with nominee for US undersecretary of state for financial development, vitality, and the atmosphere Jacob Helberg listening to Charli XCX’s “Apple” over 50 instances previously yr. If the lists are correct, Helberg may quickly turn out to be the member of the Trump administration most on the gay-pop prepare. Chappell Roan’s “Femininomenon” and Addison Rae’s “Eating regimen Pepsi” clock in as his subsequent prime two most-listened songs, in keeping with the Panama Playlists. I’m wondering how Helberg’s potential boss would really feel about him being a Chappell-head, particularly contemplating the artist mentioned “fuck Trump” final yr.
The songs Silicon Valley tech leaders allegedly have on repeat are particularly unhinged. The general public Spotify account seemingly linked to Openai CEO Sam Altman, which seems to comply with playlists from one in every of Altman’s longtime buddies, accommodates a number of Shazam playlists of recognized tracks, from Dixon Dallas’ “Good Lookin’,” a homosexual parody of nation music, to Missy Elliott’s “Get Ur Freak On.” Elliott’s ubiquitous hit is especially simply the lyrics “get ur freak on” repeated time and again, making it notably ironic to Shazam. Further songs that Altman seems to have Shazamed embody: “Pumped Up Kicks,” by Foster the Individuals, “Legal responsibility,” by Lorde, “The A Workforce,” by Ed Sheeran, “Fly,” by Nicki Minaj, and “Make You Really feel My Love,” by Adele.
