The Library of Congress announced on Wednesday that 25 carefully-selected audio recordings will be added for preservation in its National Recording Registry. On an annual basis, The Library of Congress selects various titles and recordings ranging from hit pop songs to political speeches for permanent preservation due to their cultural, historic, and aesthetic importance to America’s soundscape.
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Some of the notable songs featured in the batch of recordings selected to be added into the Registry this year include Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”, Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September”, Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam”, Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man”, and Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly”, in addition to entire albums from Cyndi Lauper’s (She’s So Unusual) and Jay-Z (The Blueprint).
Also included in the mix will be the classic radio western theme “Gunsmoke”, Ritchie Valens’ 1958 Mexican-American crossover hit “La Bamba”, Victor Military Band’s 1914 rendition of “Memphis Blues”, the theme to well-known educational program Schoolhouse Rock!, and Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)”.
One of the historical highlights of the selected group of recordings includes Robert F. Kennedy’s well-known speech announcing the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.
“The National Recording Registry honors the music that enriches our souls, the voices that tell our stories and the sounds that mirror our lives,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement of this year’s selections. “The influence of recorded sound over its nearly 160-year history has been profound and technology has increased its reach and significance exponentially. The Library of Congress and its many collaborators are working to preserve these sounds and moments in time, which reflect our past, present and future.”
“I’m really honored that ‘She’s So Unusual’ is being recognized as being one of the nation’s audio treasures worthy of lifetime preservation,” Lauper also mentioned in a statement about the inclusion of her 1983 solo debut. “I was really determined to make a cohesive collection of songs and really determined to make sure all types of women were represented in the ‘Girls…’ video.”
“Super Fly”… “September” … “Sweet Caroline” … “Soul Man” … and those are just the ones that start with “S”! Check out the 25 new audio treasures added today to our #NationalRecordingRegistry: https://t.co/ILRFEZXdmf pic.twitter.com/wg3DpuOmlQ
— Library of Congress (@librarycongress) March 20, 2019
Fans can click here to learn more about the National Recording Registry. The full listing of new recordings can be referenced below.
[H/T Associated Press]