Library of Congress Adds Grateful Dead, Prince, and Donna Summer’s Music to the National Recording Registry

A variety of very diverse musical recordings were inducted into the National Recording Registry according to the Library of Congress. According to the Library of Congress in an official press release these recordings were selected because they were, “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Out of the 25 sound recordings chosen for preservation, the most notable to us were, Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love,” the 1984 soundtrack album of Prince and the Revolution, “Purple Rain,” the album “Forever Changes” by Love, and maybe most surprising to us was was the entire recording of Grateful Dead’s May 8th, 1977 performance at Cornell University’s Barton Hall. According to the Library of Congress, the tape is being preserved because it “has achieved almost mythic status among ‘Deadhead’ tape traders because of its excellent sound quality and early accessibility.”

Say what you want about Congress, at least they’re listening to good music! It’s also good to know that these recordings will be saved for generations to come.

Setlist From Grateful Dead’s May 8th, 1977 Show
Minglewood Blues, Loser, El Paso, They Love Each Other, Jack Straw, Deal, Lazy Lightning-> Supplication, Brown Eyed Women, Mama Tried, Row Jimmy, Dancin’ In The Streets Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain, Estimated Prophet, Saint Stephen-> Not Fade Away-> Saint Stephen-> Morning Dew, E: One More Saturday Night

Recording of Grateful Dead’s May 8th, 1977 Show: