From JD Vance’s dinnertime Bieber to Sam Altman’s Shazaming of extremely widespread hit songs, a website claiming to have revealed the Spotify listening habits of members of the Trump administration, tech leaders, and journalists is making the rounds.
“We’ve been scraping their accounts since summer time 2024. Playlists, stay listening feed, every little thing. We all know what songs they performed, when, and what number of occasions,” the Panama Playlists website reads, alleging, “With a little bit sleuthing, I might say with near-certainty: Yep, that is them.”
Are all the accounts actual? At this level, it’s laborious 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 below his title match his actual Spotify listening history. 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 tune 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 quick requests for remark.
Vance’s potential cooking playlist, which had been reported on before this drop, has Justin Bieber’s “One Time” and the Backstreet Boys’ “I Need It That Method” in rotation. The Panama Playlists additionally declare US lawyer basic 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’ “Occasion within the USA”, and White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt seems to get pleasure from some Cyndi Lauper with “Ladies Simply Need to Have Enjoyable.” (I imply, a few of them additionally need reproductive rights, too).
Even homosexual Republicans couldn’t resist the gravitational pull of Brat summer, it appears, with nominee for US undersecretary of state for financial progress, power, and the surroundings Jacob Helberg listening to Charli XCX’s “Apple” over 50 occasions previously yr. If the lists are correct, Helberg might quickly change into the member of the Trump administration most on the gay-pop prepare. Chappell Roan’s “Femininomenon” and Addison Rae’s “Food plan Pepsi” clock in as his subsequent high two most-listened songs, in accordance 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 stated “fuck Trump” last year.
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 observe playlists from one in all Altman’s longtime pals, comprises 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 principally simply the lyrics “get ur freak on” repeated time and again, making it significantly ironic to Shazam. Further songs that Altman seems to have Shazamed embrace: “Pumped Up Kicks,” by Foster the Individuals, “Legal responsibility,” by Lorde, “The A Crew,” by Ed Sheeran, “Fly,” by Nicki Minaj, and “Make You Really feel My Love,” by Adele.
