What did Gov. Little jam to this year? See Idaho leaders’ Spotify Wrapped
Spotify Wrapped, the annual end-of-year recap of one’s favorite music, can help us reflect on the past 12 months.
But for Boise City Council Member Colin Nash, it brought an unwelcome surprise: He was in the top 0.7 percent of listeners for Jason Mraz, the crooner who debuted in the early 2000s.
“I would like it noted on the record that Jason Mraz is not in fact my top artist, but that my wife’s top preference for easy listening has found its way into my artist list,” Nash wrote in a text message.
He later added that he had unfortunately agreed to clean the house with Mraz on in the background. “Also our wedding song ‘I Won’t Give Up’ makes him a sneaky contender.”
To have a bit of fun, the Idaho Statesman reached out to over 120 politicians for their Spotify Wrapped recaps (or Amazon Music or Apple Music recaps). Some political leaders, both local and statewide, were more willing to talk for this story than any other this media outlet has done.
This year, Spotify included each person’s “listening age,” which for Rep. Soñia Galaviz, D-Boise, was ... 72. The music streaming service described her as an “old soul” who listened to music from the late 1960s. That’s a few decades off from the 47-year-old’s real age.
On the other hand, Nampa Republican state Rep. Jaron Crane’s listening age was 27.
Though Idaho’s legislators face deep partisan divides, they also share much in common.
Boise Democrat Brooke Green and Caldwell Republican Camille Blaylock both counted the soundtrack from “KPop Demon Hunters,” Netflix’s smash hit, as part of their top songs and artists, thanks to their children. Sen. Ali Rabe, D-Boise, was in the same boat. She showcased Peppa Pig and The Wiggles as two of her top artists, and her top genre was lullaby.
Others are using music to unwind from the stress of Idaho politics. The top artist for Rep. Jon Weber, R-Rexburg, was Rola Young, according to his Spotify Wrapped. He described the music as “calm and relaxing after a long day at the Capitol.”
Speaking of, Gov. Brad Little’s top songs (from Amazon Prime Music) included “One Margarita” by Luke Bryan and “It Ain’t My Fault” by Brothers Osborne. Is the governor sometimes forced to wander the halls of the Capitol with “One margarita, two margarita, three margarita, shot” echoing in his head?
But not everyone was game to share — or even knew what we were asking. Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, wrote in a text message, “No idea what that means,” when it came to Spotify Wrapped. In an email, Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, wrote, “Sorry, no idea what you have written about.”
Many others prefer Pandora. Or in the cases of Boise City Council Member Jimmy Hallyburton and Boise state Sen. Melissa Wintrow, they prefer old-school vinyl or records.
For the Swifties out there, never fear. Taylor Swift made an appearance as Boise Mayor Lauren McLean’s top artist and one of the top artists for Boise City Council Member Luci Willits.
Some politicians seemed to be content alone with their thoughts. Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, wrote in a text that she was “not a music person.”
This story was originally published December 4, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
