Works from Perry Como to The Cars were added to the Library of Congress‘ National Recording Registry, which designates recordings worthy of preservation “based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.”
Among the 25 selected this year are ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” Blondie’s “Parallel Lines,” The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Ready to Die,” Green Day’s “Dookie” and The Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces.” Also on the list are Lily Tomlin’s comedy recordings, and much older titles like Gene Autry’s “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” Johnny Mathis’ “Chances Are” and Como’s “Catch a Falling Star” / “Magic Moments.” The Cars’ debut album is on the list as well as Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Some of the titles added date to 1919, with the entry of the all-Black 369th U.S. Infantry Band led by James Reese Europe.
Members of the public can submit nominations for the registry on the Library’s website. Almost 2,900 were submitted this year.
The latest entrants to the registry bring its total number of titles to 650.
This year’s list, with includes singles and albums:
- “Clarinet Marmalade,” Lt. James Reese Europe’s 369th U.S. Infantry Band (1919)
- “Kauhavan Polkka,” Viola Turpeinen and John Rosendahl (1928)
- Wisconsin Folksong Collection (1937-1946)
- “Rose Room,” Benny Goodman Sextet with Charlie Christian (1939)
- “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Gene Autry (1949)
- “Tennessee Waltz,” Patti Page (1950)
- “Rocket ‘88,’” Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (1951)
- “Catch a Falling Star” / ”Magic Moments,” Perry Como (1957)
- “Chances Are,” Johnny Mathis (1957)
- “The Sidewinder,” Lee Morgan (1964)
- “Surrealistic Pillow,” Jefferson Airplane (1967)
- “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Bill Withers (1971)
- “This is a Recording,” Lily Tomlin (1971)
- “J.D. Crowe & the New South,” J.D. Crowe & the New South (1975)
- “Arrival,” ABBA (1976)
- “El Cantante,” Héctor Lavoe (1978)
- “The Cars,” The Cars (1978)
- “Parallel Lines,” Blondie (1978)
- “La-Di-Da-Di,” Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick (MC Ricky D) (1985)
- “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” Bobby McFerrin (1988)
- “Amor Eterno,” Juan Gabriel (1990)
- “Pieces of Africa,” Kronos Quartet (1992)
- “Dookie,” Green Day (1994)
- “Ready to Die,” The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)
- “Wide Open Spaces,” The Chicks (1998)
