Luigi Mangione has become the name everyone is buzzing about, and not for reasons anyone expected. While his alleged role in the shocking murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is making waves, it’s his Spotify playlists that have turned this case into a full-blown internet spectacle.
On December 4, 2024, Thompson was fatally shot outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The alleged shooter? Mangione, a 26-year-old man who fled the scene on an electric bike. He was arrested two days later at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, caught with a “ghost gun” and a handwritten manifesto. If that wasn’t disturbing enough, what came next turned this already sensational story into an online firestorm.
Internet sleuths quickly dug up Mangione’s Spotify account, and what they found sent social media into a frenzy. Among his playlists was one titled “POV: Taking out a CEO,” packed with over 70 tracks that seemed eerily on theme. Songs like Taylor Swift’s “Dear John (Taylor’s Version)” and Lana Del Rey’s “Cruel World” were just the start. Other tracks included “my tears ricochet” and “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” by Swift, as well as “White Mustang” by Del Rey.
There are also tracks like I might say something stupid – Charli XCX, The 1975, Jon Hopkins & Do You Hear The People Sing? – Aaron Tveit, Eddie Redmayne, Students, Les Misérables. The dark, reflective tones of the playlist were enough to make many wonder if these songs were carefully chosen or just a disturbing coincidence.
The playlist gained over 10,000 downloads before Spotify took it down, sparking a heated debate about the platform’s responsibility to police content. Critics slammed Spotify for not acting sooner, while others argued that banning playlists like this stifles creative expression. In a statement, Spotify emphasized its commitment to removing any content that glorifies violence, but the incident has sparked bigger conversations about where the line should be drawn.
Mangione’s family has expressed shock and heartbreak over the allegations. Nino Mangione, a Republican state lawmaker and a relative, released a statement offering condolences to Thompson’s family and asking for prayers.
“We are devastated,”
he said, calling for compassion as the case unfolds.
Meanwhile, social media took the story and ran with it. Hashtags like #FreeLuigi trended for days, and bizarrely, look-alike contests popped up in New York City. It’s the kind of online reaction that blurs the line between serious news and viral entertainment, leaving many uncomfortable with how a tragedy is being treated like a meme.
This case has turned into a modern-day spectacle, raising questions about how music, crime, and social media intersect.
