Former United States President Barack Obama has included songs by Nigerian artistes Olamide and Burna Boy in his list of favourite music for 2025, underscoring the continued international rise of Afrobeats.

Obama released his annual end-of-year list of favourite books, films and songs on Thursday, continuing a tradition he began while serving in the White House. The playlist, shared on his social media platforms, features 30 tracks spanning multiple genres and artists from different parts of the world.

Among the selected songs are “TaTaTa” by Grammy Award-winning Nigerian singer Burna Boy featuring American rapper Travis Scott, and “99” by rapper Olamide, which includes contributions from Daecolm, Seyi Vibez, Asake and Young Jonn.

In a brief message accompanying the release, Obama said he hoped the list would help listeners discover new music and invited followers to share recommendations.

The former president’s 2025 playlist also includes songs by internationally recognised artists such as Kendrick Lamar and SZA, Lady Gaga, Olivia Dean, BLACKPINK, Drake, Chappell Roan and Bruce Springsteen.

“TaTaTa” was released in May 2025 through Atlantic Records and appears on Burna Boy’s eighth studio album, No Sign of Weakness, which was released in July. Olamide’s “99” was released in June 2025 as part of his self-titled eleventh studio album, Olamidé.

Nigerian musicians have appeared on Obama’s music lists in previous years, with artistes such as Rema and Asake making the 2024 edition, reflecting the growing global recognition of Nigerian music.

Source: The Sun Nigeria