.President Obama's reelection team released it's playlist on Spotify Thursday, and the main theme is: inoffensive. We've gathered all the songs so you can listen for yourself. There's some soul, some neo-soul, but there's also a lot of really lame modern country, which seems to be a way of saying, "Forget about that 'clinging to guns and religion' quote, I'm totally comfortable with the whitest whitebread America. Forget the kind of guy you want to have a beer with, I'm the kind of guy you want to go to the food court with." There are two Darius Rucker songs, for chrissakes.
The Atlantic Wire's Rebecca Greenfield predicted Spotify would be the Obama campaign's next social media frontier, since it's a "little more mainstream than Soundcloud." This prediction from our dear colleague was half-right, however, "we think the Obama campaign could make some fun playlists that potential voters will jam out to throughout the day, possibly inserting some subliminal messages?" There are definitely some subliminal messages, but this playlist is not very much fun. Here are the songs:
No Doubt, "Different People." (You don't remember that track from Tragic Kingdom? That's because it's terrible.)
Earth, Wind & Fire, "Got to Get You into My Life." (lame cover of a Beatles song)
Booker T & the MGs, "Green Onions"
Wilco, "I Got You."
The Impressions, "Keep on Pushing." ("I've got to keep on pushing (mmm-hmm)/ I can't stop now" for health care reform, probably.)
Nicole Willis & the Soul Investigators, "Keep Reachin' Up." ("Keep reachin' up/ reachin' out for the real thing" a second term for Obama.) Pitchfork gave this album a 7.6.
Jennifer Hudson, "Love You I Do." This is from the Dreamgirls soundtrack. ("You’re strong and you’re smart/ You’ve taking my heart/ And I’ll give you the rest of me too / You’re the perfect man for me" -- don't forget to fill out the volunteer forms.)
AgesandAges, "No Nostalgia."
Ledisi, "Raise Up."
Sugarland, "Stand Up."
Darius Rucker, "This."
Arcade Fire, "We Used to Wait."
Florence and the Machine, "You've Got the Love."
James Taylor, "Your Smiling Face."
REO Speedwagon, "Roll with the Changes." (Change you can believe in, revisited: "So if you're tired of the/ Same old story/ Turn some pages/ I'll be here when you are ready/ To roll with the changes.")
Sugarland, "Everyday America." When people speak derisively about the Nashville sound, this is what they mean. Note this video literally takes place in a supermarket.
Darius Rucker, "Learn to Live."
Al Green. "Let's Stay Together." (They can't all be bad.)
Electric Light Orchestra, "Mr. Blue Sky."
Montgomery Gentry, "My Town."
Rick Martin, "The Best Thing About Me Is You."
Ray Lamontagne, "You Are the Best Thing."
Raphael Saadig, "Keep Marchin."
Noah and the Whale, "Tonight's the Kind of Night."
Bruce Springsteen, "We Take Care of Our Own." (This appears to be part of the grand tradition of political campaigns using Springsteen songs that aren't quite as feel-good as they might seem. "From the shotgun shack to the Superdome/ We yelled 'help' but the cavalry stayed home.")
Zac Brown Band, "Keep Me in Mind."
Aretha Franklin, "The Weight."
U2, "Even Better Than the Real Thing."
Dierks Bently, "Home."