Books, Movies, Music: Barack Obama Unveils List Of His Top Favourites From 2025—Check Full List

Barack Obama has released his eagerly-awaited annual list of favourite books continuing what the former US President said has become a "tradition".

Obama's 2025 book list features nine diverse paperbacks, blending historical nonfiction like Jill Lepore's We the People with fiction such as Kiran Desai's The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, plus what he termed a "biased" inclusion of Michelle Obama's The Look, continuing his tradition of promoting underrepresented authors since 2015.

His movie recommendations is a mix of indie and arthouse films, including Sinners on identity struggles and Orwell: 2+2=5 on authoritarianism, reflecting themes of resilience and social critique amid global tensions.

The music selections mix genres like Kendrick Lamar & SZA's R&B, Chappell Roan's pop The Giver, and Drake's Nokia, generating over 10 million views and humorous replies imagining Obama dancing to tracks.

"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 favourite books, movies, and music. I hope you find something new to enjoy—and please send any recommendations for me to check out!" Obama, 64, wrote in an Instagram post on Friday.

Obama's eclectic list of books includes:

1. Paper Girl by Beth Macy

2. Flashlight by Susan Choi

3. We the People by Jill Lepore

4. The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy

5. There Is No Place for Us by Brian Goldstone

6. North Sun by Ethan Rutherford

7. 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin

8. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

9. Dead and Alive by Zadie Smith

10. What We Can Know by Ian McEwan

11. The Look by Michelle Obama

Here's a reminder of the books he recommended over the summer:

1. Mark Twain by Ron Chernow

2. The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien

3. King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby

4. Rosarita by Anita Desai

5. Audition by Katie Kitamura

6. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

7. Abundance by Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson

8. A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst

9. Who Is Government? by Michael Lewis

10. The Sirens' Call by Chris Hayes

Obama's favourite movies of 2025 are:

1. One Battle After Another

2. Sinners

3. It Was Just an Accident

4. Hamnet

5. Sentimental Value

6. No Other Choice

7. The Secret Agent

8. Train Dreams

9. Jay Kelly

10. Good Fortune

11. Orwell: 2+2=5

Obama's favourite music list of 2025 includes:

1. Nice to Each Other by Olivia Dean

2. Luther by Kendrick Lamar & SZA

3. Tatata by Burna Boy ft. Travis Scott

4. Jump by BLACKPINK

5. Faithless by Bruce Springsteen

6. Pasayadan by Ganavya

7. 99 by Olamidé ft. Daecolm, Seyi Vibez, Asake, & Young Jonn

8. Pending by Lil Naay & Myke Towers

9. Sexo, Violencia y Llantas by Rosalía

10. Metal by The Beths

11. Abracadabra by Lady Gaga

12. Just Say Dat by Gunna

13. The Giver by Chappell Roan

14. Aurora by Mora & De La Rose

15. Silver Lining by Laufey

16. No More Old Men by Chance the Rapper & Jamila Woods

17. Bury Me by Jason Isbell

18. I Wish I Could Go Travelling Again by Stacey Kent

19. Please Don’t Cry by Kacy Hill

20. Stay by Roe

21. Never Felt Better by Everything is Recorded ft. Sampha & Florence Welch

22. In the Name of Love by Victoria Noelle

23. Ancient Light by I’m With Her

24. Vitamina by Jombriel, DFZM & Jøtta

25. Float by Jay Som ft. Jim Adkins

26. Ordinary by Alex Warren

27. Sycamore Tree by Khamari

28. Nokia by Drake

29. En Privado by Xavi & Manuel Turizo

30. Not in Surrender by Obongjayar

Obama began publishing lists of book recommendations in 2015, while he was still in office. He served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017.