📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

Bill Gates Would Take These 8 Songs to a Desert Island The Microsoft co-founder considered that question on Sunday in a rare interview with Kirsty Young, host of BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.

By Claire Zillman

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on Fortune Magazine

REUTERS | Gus Ruelas

With an estimated net worth of $77 billion, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates can certainly afford all the music he pleases, but what few songs would he want if he was stuck on a desert island?

Gates considered that question on Sunday in a rare interview with Kirsty Young, host of BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.

Guests on Young's show are allowed a Bible, the complete works of Shakespeare, a book of their choice and a luxury for their hypothetical island stay. And when choosing what songs he'd take along, Gates provided some insight into past experiences and some of the people who influenced him the most.

1. "Under Pressure" by David Bowie and Queen

Gates said this tune reminded him of the disco days of his 20s and 30s.

2. "Blue Skies" by Willie Nelson

Gates said he and his wife Melinda both love Nelson, and the country crooner serenaded the couple on the night before their wedding.

3. "Sing" by Ed Sheeran

Gates' three children "refresh" his taste in music, he told Young. This song is a favorite of his 13-year-old daughter Phoebe.

4. "Are You Experienced" by Jimi Hendrix

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen would taunt Gates with the title of this song when Gates hadn't "gotten drunk or other various things," Gates said on Sunday.

5. "One" by U2

Gates, who's also the co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has partnered with U2 lead singer Bono on global health issues. Gates on Sunday called Bono "absolutely amazing."

6. "Two of Us" by The Beatles

This is a favorite of Gates because Apple co-founder Steve Jobs once told him it was "kind of like this journey we'd been on where we'd been competing and working together."

7. "How Can Love Survive" from The Sound of Music

Warren Buffett inspired Gates' love for this song, which is featured in the Broadway version of The Sound of Music but not in the movie of the musical. Buffett and his first wife sang it when Warren and Gates met for the first time.

8. "My Shot," from Hamilton

This song from the new musical about Alexander Hamilton "[is] about a young person saying, "Hey, I'm going to take a risk. I'm going to get out there and try and do something new and different.'" Gates said.

Gates chose The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker as his book of choice. In it, the Harvard psychology professors argues that people have become more humane over time.

Claire Zillman is a writer at Fortune.com

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Franchise

Franchising Is Not For Everyone. Explore These Lucrative Alternatives to Expand Your Business.

Not every business can be franchised, nor should it. While franchising can be the right growth vehicle for someone with an established brand and proven concept that's ripe for growth, there are other options available for business owners.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Passengers Are Now Entitled to a Full Cash Refund for Canceled Flights, 'Significant' Delays

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced new rules for commercial passengers on Wednesday.

Leadership

Why Companies Should Prioritize Emotional Intelligence Training Alongside AI Implementation

Emotional intelligence is just as important as artificial intelligence, and we need it now more than ever.

Business News

Elon Musk Tells Investors Cheaper Tesla Electric Cars Should Arrive Ahead of Schedule

On an earnings call, Musk told shareholders that Tesla could start producing new, affordable electric cars earlier than expected.