The Library of Congress has announced this year’s picks for audio recordings that will be added to the National Recording Registry. The selections are made based on a recordings “cultural, artistic and historical importance to American society and the nation’s audio heritage” per the Library of Congress.
Photo from the first broadcast of “All Things Considered” (photo credit: NPR)
Among this year’s selected 25 recordings are a pair of famous radio broadcasts. One is the recording of National Public Radio’s first airing of “All Things Considered” in 1971. The other is a game broadcast between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants on Sept. 8, 1957, which was the last game to be played at the famous Polo Grounds and was announced by Vin Scully.
Other recordings that have been added to the registry this year include Judy Garland’s rendition of “Over the Rainbow,” rap group N.W.A’s “Straight Outta Compton” album, Don Mclean’s “American Pie,” the national anthem of black America, as well as recordings from the likes of Richard Pryor, David Bowie, Barbra Streisand, The Eagles and a 1990 performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Vespers.” A full list of the additions can be viewed here.
The National Recording Registry was established under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000. The selections each year are based on nominations of recordings that are at least 10 years old. To date, the total number of titles that make up the registry is 475.
