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Noah Kahan Pretends to Call Barack Obama to Revel in Finally Making Ex-Pres’ 2026 Summer Playlist ‘After 15 F–king Years!’
Noah Kahan joked on stage that he was calling Barack Obama after his song “Doors” appeared on the former president’s 2026 summer playlist. The moment highlighted a long-running joke by Kahan that Obama had ignored his music, while also drawing attention to the inclusion of a notably sombre song on a generally upbeat playlist.
During a concert at Globe Life Field on 30 July, Kahan pretended to check whether Barack and Michelle Obama were all right because “Doors” deals with self-sabotage and trust issues. The track is from Kahan’s Billboard 200-topping album The Great Divide and appears alongside artists including Doechii, SZA, Earth, Wind & Fire and The Strokes. Separately, Kahan recently criticised the Trump administration for using his song “American Cars” in a promotional video without his consent.
In short
- Noah Kahan celebrated a place on Obama’s summer playlist with an on-stage joke.
- He noted that “Doors” is far from a cheerful summer song.
- Kahan also objected to Trump administration use of his music.
Explained simply
Noah Kahan is an American singer-songwriter whose songs often draw on personal experiences and difficult emotions. His album The Great Divide reached the top of the US Billboard 200, and “Doors”, a song about self-sabotage and trust, is one of its tracks.
Barack Obama, who was US president from 2009 to 2017, shares an annual summer playlist of songs he has been listening to; his wife, Michelle Obama, is also a public figure and former first lady. Kahan has joked for years about wanting his music to appear on one of Obama’s playlists, making the selection a notable moment for his fans.
Artists’ songs can also become part of wider debates about how music is used in public life. Kahan has recently objected to the Trump administration using “American Cars” in a promotional video without his consent.