JD Vance Is A Stan For Queer Anthems (At Least According To His Spotify Playlist)

In early August 2025, an anonymous website calling itself “Panama Playlists” went live, claiming to expose the Spotify listening habits of several high-profile politicians and celebrities, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance . The site, styled after the infamous Panama Papers, asserts that it has used data-scraping techniques to uncover the real streaming accounts of these public figures. According to the anonymous operator, the project began in the summer of 2024, and the team claims to have accessed “playlists, live listening feed, everything. I know what songs they played, when, and how many times” .

The playlists allegedly linked to Vice President Vance feature a notable array of songs by artists and groups considered iconic within the LGBTQ+ community. Among the most discussed tracks are selections from One Direction, Whitney Houston, and Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”—a song widely regarded as a lesbian anthem . Other playlists reportedly include Backstreet Boys, Florence + The Machine, and Justin Bieber’s “One Time” . The presence of these tracks has fueled speculation and humor online, with many LGBTQ+ social media users noting the “queer-coded” nature of the selections .

The name of one playlist—“Gold on the Ceiling”—has also drawn attention, as it appears to reference the recently announced $200 million White House ballroom renovation, which is set to feature gold interior accessories .

For many in the LGBTQ+ community, the leak has prompted mixed reactions. Some see humor and irony in the gap between Vance’s reported musical tastes and the political stances he and the administration have taken, particularly given recent controversies involving social media posts about transgender people and debates over bodily autonomy . Others have expressed concern about the ethics of exposing personal data, even for public figures, and the potential for playlists to be misread or weaponized against individuals.

LGBTQ+ media outlets have highlighted how music by artists such as Whitney Houston, Florence + The Machine, and Tracy Chapman has long served as a source of empowerment and solidarity within queer communities . The appearance of these songs on a playlist attributed to a conservative figure invites conversations about the universality of music and the complexities of identity and allyship—especially in the context of ongoing policy debates affecting LGBTQ+ rights.

The “Panama Playlists” incident raises pressing questions about digital privacy, consent, and the boundaries between public and private life—even for those in the highest offices. While the site claims to have “scraped” only public data, experts note that Spotify’s default settings can make playlists visible to anyone, often without users’ full awareness .

The fact that other officials, including White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Attorney General Pam Bondi, also had playlists exposed—featuring songs by Beyoncé and Cyndi Lauper, among others—underscores how digital platforms can unexpectedly become arenas for social and political commentary.

While the actual impact of these revelations on policy or public opinion remains to be seen, the story has already made waves in pop culture and LGBTQ+ circles. Social media reactions have ranged from playful joking about “secret gay anthems” to more serious analysis of what it means when the private tastes of powerful figures enter the public sphere.