Since the year 2000, the National Recording Preservation Board has chosen 25 recordings annually to be added to the archives of the Library of Congress. The full listing of the 2015 additions was revealed today, with recordings dating back as far as 1911. A number of instantly recognizable works of music are included on the list.
Albums like Master of Puppets by Metallica, A Love Supreme by John Coltrane, and Abraxas by Santana will be added, as well as a number of important individual songs. The original versions of “Statesboro Blues” and “Mama Tried,” by Blind Willie McTell and Merle Haggard, respectively, are to be featured in the Library’s archives. The two songs would later become staples of the Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead repertoires, respectively.
Singles “Mack the Knife,” “I Will Survive,” “Piano Man,” and “Where Did Our Love Go?” all made the list, adding some depth to the archives. There are also a handful of non-musical recordings, including radio coverage of Wilt Chamberlain’s record setting 100-point basketball game and the “Marshall Plan” speech delivered by George C. Marshall.
The full list can be seen below, and more information is available via the Library of Congress’s website.
2015 National Recording Registry (Listing in Chronological Order)
“Let Me Call You Sweetheart”—Columbia Quartette (The Peerless Quartet) (1911)
“Wild Cat Blues”—Clarence Williams’ Blue Five (1923)
“Statesboro Blues”—Blind Willie McTell (1928)
“Bonaparte’s Retreat”—W.H. Stepp (1937)
Mahler Symphony No. 9—Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Bruno Walter, conductor. (1938)
“Carousel of American Music”—George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, Johnny Mercer, Arthur Freed, Shelton Brooks, Hoagy Carmichael, others (September 24, 1940)
“Vic and Sade”—Episode: “Decoration Day.” (June 4, 1937) Radio
The “Marshall Plan” Speech—George C. Marshall (June 5, 1947)
“Destination Freedom”—Episodes: “A Garage in Gainesville” and “Execution Awaited” (September 25, October 2, 1949)
Original soundtrack from “A Streetcar Named Desire”—Alex North, composer. (1951)
“Cry Me a River”—Julie London (1955)
“Mack the Knife” (singles)—Louis Armstrong (1956); Bobby Darin (1959).
Fourth-quarter radio coverage of Wilt Chamberlin’s 100-point game (Philadelphia Warriors vs. New York Knicks)—Bill Campbell, announcer (March 2, 1962)
“A Love Supreme”—John Coltrane (1964)
“It’s My Way”—Buffy Sainte-Marie (1964) (album)
“Where Did Our Love Go” (single)—The Supremes (1964)
“People Get Ready” (single)—The Impressions (1965)
“Mama Tried” (single)—Merle Haggard (1968)
“Abraxas”—Santana (1970)
“Class Clown”—George Carlin (1972)
“Robert and Clara Schumann Complete Piano Trios”—The Beaux Arts Trio (1972)
“Piano Man” (single)—Billy Joel (1973)
“Bogalusa Boogie”—Clifton Chenier (1976)
“I Will Survive”—Gloria Gaynor (1978)
“Master of Puppets”—Metallica (1986)