Spotify Offers Barack Obama A Job – President Of Playlists
Spotify is offering outgoing President Barack Obama a job: “President of Playlists.” The completely new job opening with the music streaming giant Spotify is advertised as an open posting on their website, but the requirements are specific enough that only one person can fill it – Barack Obama, who will be professionally available after noon on January 20.
The Spotify, Obama Connection
President Barack Obama is no stranger to the music streaming service. Last summer, at the request of Spotify, Obama created his own playlist. An eclectic mix of songs and styles, the president’s playlist included songs like “Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin, “Tell It Like It Is” by Aaron Neville, and “Lover Man” by Billie Holiday.
Spotify came up again in connection with Barack Obama at a recent dinner held at the White House honoring United States diplomats. Among those in attendance were Mark and Natalia Brzezinski. Mark Brzezinski served the Obama administration as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden between 2011 and 2015. Natalia Brzezinski is the CEO of Symposium Stockholm, a technology, music, and fashion festival, and according to Digital Music News, Brzezinski had an interesting exchange with Obama regarding Spotify.
“Tonight President Obama invited all of the Ambassadors he personally chose to an intimate reception at the White House,” Brzezinski wrote via her Instagram account. “I finally got the chance to thank him for the life-changing appointment to Sweden. He said word for word: ‘I loved visiting you in Stockholm, it was my favorite trip. I plan to go back there really soon…’ He also declared– ‘I’m still waiting for my job at Spotify… Cuz’ I know y’all loved my playlist.’ I am still swooning.”
The offhand joke from President Obama apparently got the attention of Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, because he soon created the “President of Playlists” position and drew it to Obama’s attention via Twitter.
Hey @BarackObama, I heard you were interested in a role at Spotify. Have you seen this one? https://t.co/iragpCowpO
— Daniel Ek (@eldsjal) January 9, 2017
What Would The Spotify Job Entail?
As President of Playlists for Spotify, Obama would “provide world-class leadership to our playlist editors and supporting staff” and “analyze data and performance of playlists in a clear and transparent manner using all available intelligence,” according to the Spotify job listing. Thus far, it would seem that a number of people could be qualified for the position, but Spotify goes on to narrow down the available pool of candidates a bit further.
“Identify and substantiate new playlist ideas, e.g. from a playlist for shooting hoops with your friends, to the perfect warm up playlist for addressing the nation about health care legislation that bears your name.”
This item would seem to be quite a bit more specific, as well as “have at least eight years experience running a highly-regarded nation.”
Spotify is a Swedish company that launched in October 2008, just a month before Barack Obama won his first term as President of the United States in the November elections of that year. The company has grown into an internet powerhouse as a streaming service for music, video, and podcasts, and offers both free and premium memberships.
The Spotify job listing is an amusing and fond piece of work directed at outgoing President Barack Obama, who will end his second term in the White House January 20 at noon when he will be succeeded by President-elect Donald Trump. It pokes a bit of fun with a suggestion for an “I just found my birth certificate” playlist, a nod to a controversy fomented in no small part by his successor Mr. Trump, but also praises Mr. Obama as “nothing short of one of the greatest speakers of all time.”
Whatever Barack Obama does after January 20, it seems likely that we can expect at least one more Spotify playlist from him in the future.
[Featured Image by Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Images]
