Society today focuses on celebrity status to an incredible degree. The personal lives and choices of public figures often cause them to be ridiculed and mocked by the media. Recently, a website known as the Panama Playlists publicly displayed the music tastes of many politicians and wealthy members of society.
Named after the Panama Papers, a series of leaked documents that revealed hidden business transactions, the Panama Playlists claim to share Spotify accounts tied to politicians and journalists. Some notable names included in the Panama Playlists include U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Most people whose Spotify profiles leaked used their full names, and they did not hide many playlists well.
As for the content of the playlists, there are obvious distinctions between generations with their music taste. For example, younger members of the Trump administration are fans of artists such as One Direction, Charli XCX, and Kanye West. In contrast, older names such as Al Roker or Ron DeSantis prefer the likes of Johnny Cash and Elton John. It is common and ironic that Republican Party members stream artists who have spoken out against their own policies, such as Rage Against the Machine and Chappell Roan.
While the music that famous people enjoy may seem trivial, these leaked playlists help to show that even if someone has their face all over television screens, they are everyday people just like anyone else. If anything, the Panama Playlists humanize the rich and powerful by showing that even celebrities have aspects of their life that connect them with the everyman. However, these leaks also stir concern with Spotify’s user security. Two journalists who had their tastes published in the leaks released an article in The New York Times calling for stricter protection of user information on Spotify’s behalf, and calling out the creator of the Panama Playlists website for invasion of privacy. Furthermore, the legal and PR teams of many of the names listed publicly denounced the playlists.
