The National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress has selected 25 audio works to be preserved for their “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” value. These works, which must be at least 10 years old, will be stored for future generations.
Among the inductees this year are pop hits by Celine Dion and Mary J. Blige, the song “Happy Trails” by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and Tracy Chapman’s debut album. The original cast album of the Broadway musical Hamilton and the iconic 1995 Microsoft Windows chimes by Brian Eno are also included.
Over 2,600 works were nominated by the public, with Chicago Transit Authority, the 1969 album by the rock band Chicago, leading the nominations. Other notable works in the top 10 include Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Blige’s My Life, both of which were widely nominated.
Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, praised the selection, calling the registry “our evolving nation’s playlist.” She emphasized that the list captures the sound of America, spanning music, field recordings, sports history, and even technology.
The oldest addition to this year’s list is a 1913 recording of “Aloha ‘Oe” by the Hawaiian Quintette, while the newest is the original cast album of Hamilton, which debuted in 2015.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of Hamilton, described the registry as “an artistic version of a nation’s conversation with itself.” The inclusion of Hamilton comes amid controversy, as Miranda and the producers canceled a planned tour next year at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in protest of President Trump’s influence over the institution. The president responded by criticizing the musical.
One of the more unexpected selections for the registry was the 1995 Windows reboot chime created by Brian Eno, a renowned ambient music artist. Eno, known for his work with U2, David Bowie, and Coldplay, was hired by Microsoft to design a sound to accompany the launch of Windows 95. The chime, which Eno created from 84 different versions, marked a turning point in personal computing, making it more accessible to home users.
Here is the full list of the 25 newly added audio works to the National Recording Registry, listed in chronological order:
“Aloha ‘Oe” by Hawaiian Quintette (1913)
“Sweet Georgia Brown” by Brother Bones & His Shadows (1949)
“Happy Trails” by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (1952)
Radio Broadcast of Game 7 of the 1960 World Series with Chuck Thompson (1960)
Harry Urata Field Recordings (1960-1980)
“Hello Dummy!” by Don Rickles (1968)
“Chicago Transit Authority” by Chicago (1969)
“Bitches Brew” by Miles Davis (1970)
“Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” by Charley Pride (1971)
“I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy (1972)
“El Rey” by Vicente Fernandez (1973)
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John (1973)
“Before the Next Teardrop Falls” by Freddy Fender (1975)
“I’ve Got the Music in Me” by Thelma Houston & Pressure Cooker (1975)
“The Kӧln Concert” by Keith Jarrett (1975)
“Fly Like an Eagle” by Steve Miller Band (1976)
Nimrod Workman Collection (1973-1994)
“Tracy Chapman” by Tracy Chapman (1988)
“My Life” by Mary J. Blige (1994)
Microsoft Windows Reboot Chime by Brian Eno (1995)
“My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion (1997)
“Our American Journey” by Chanticleer (2002)
“Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse (2006)
“Minecraft: Volume Alpha” by Daniel Rosenfeld (2011)
“Hamilton” – Original Broadway Cast Album (2015)
These additions bring the total number of works in the National Recording Registry to 675.
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