Both President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle have been busy in 2015 — working on everything from prison reform to using social media to prepare kids for college. Still, it hasn’t business all the time for the First Couple. The Obamas recently shared highlights of 2015 with People, including some of the songs, movies, and TV shows, they enjoyed in their free time.
When it comes to music, songs by huge artists made it to the top of the POTUS and FLOTUS’ playlists. President Obama’s favorite song was How Much a Dollar Cost by Kendrick Lamar, which, to be honest, is just the kind of pick you’d expect from a president. The track tells a story that offers a positive message: putting aside greed to help the less fortunate. By comparison, the first lady’s choice of Uptown Funk was less profound, but equally fitting. The high-energy song is perfect for her efforts in motivating kids to get active.
As for movies, it was The Martian that President Obama thought was the brightest of the film field. The Matt Damon-starring drama centered on an astronaut accidentally abandoned on Mars and the mission to bring him home. Meanwhile, Michelle chose Inside Out, an animated movie about the personified emotions living inside a young girl.
ABC comedy Black-ish earned the distinction of being the First Lady’s favorite TV show. It’s a series that her husband is a fan of too, but he named Cinemax’s The Knick as his 2015 top pick. Neither selected Running Wild with Bear Grylls, in spite of the fact that the president himself guest starred on the reality series. Barack did, however, describe the experience as “a great time” and something he never thought he would do.
As the year winds down, we’ll be curious to see if the Obamas decide to take their picks a step further and release a playlist with more of their favorite songs of the year. The president shared a Spotify playlist this summer, so it definitely seems like a possibility.
