Barack Obama pays tribute to Glen Hansard with summer 2026 playlist

Barack Obama has paid tribute to Glen Hansard while sharing his annual summer playlist for 2026. The former US President posted a rundown of “some of the songs I’ve been listening to this summer” on social media yesterday (Thursday July 30). “It starts with a song [wife] Michelle and I love by Glen Hansard, a great musician who passed tragically this week,” he continued, referring to ‘Song Of Good Hope’ from the late Irish musician’s 2012 debut solo album, ‘Rhythm And Repose’. Obama added: “Our hearts go out to his family.” The nod comes after Hansard – known as the frontman of The Frames and one half of the duo The Swell Season – tragically died in a motorcycle crash on Wednesday (July 29). He was 56 years old. The incident occurred in the village of Lucan, west of his home city of Dublin. BBC News previously reported that police were appealing for witnesses who saw the collision to come forward. Obama’s tribute follows a huge outpouring from the music world and beyond. U2, Warren Ellis, Rachel Zegler and Bruce Springsteen are among those to have paid their respects to Hansard. Obama’s summer 2026 playlist also features The Strokes‘ ‘Going Shopping’, Noah Kahan‘s ‘Doors’, Mumford ...