TIME’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world was published today, and as usual the list includes a wide variety of people, from artists, to athletes, to activists, to politicians. This year, though, Spotify decided to get in on the action and ask 35 of the people named on the list to name a song that inspires them. They took the songs and created a playlist out of them, and although the music genres might be all over the place, the general mood is, at least in theory, the same.
Some of the answers were surprising, but perhaps the most enlightening choice was Golden State Warriors player Kevin Durant, who chose Drake’s single “God’s Plan.”
“The song itself is great but the video gave it a whole new life and meaning, and I think it reminds people that there are a lot of ways you can make a difference in other people's lives,” Durant said of his pick.
It’s hard to disagree with Durant’s argument here—not only did the song break records cling to the No. 1 spot on the charts for an impressive 11 weeks (only to be replaced by Drake himself with "Nice For What"), the video, in which Drake gives away $1 million dollars to people who need it, had people feeling some type of way. No matter how you feel about Drake, “God’s Plan” will definitely be one of the highlights of the music industry highlights when we look back on this year, if only because of its commercial success.
Some other stars on TIME’s list went for interesting picks, too. NFL player J.J. Watt chose Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” because its “simple message of taking advantage or your opportunity, seizing the moment and not letting it slip away” helped drive him to accomplish his dreams.
Trevor Noah, comedian and host of The Daily Show, chose Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy,” and song that is “about overcoming adversity in the hood and living a life you never dreamed.”
Ryan Coogler, director of Black Panther, selected Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car." “It is like a time machine, always taking me back to listening to it with my dad," Coogler said. "The lyrics speak to so much, but more than anything they speak to the cyclical quality of the human condition.”
Check out the full list of song picks or listen to the playlist over at Spotify.
