Sweet Dreams, Margaritaville, Madonna, Mario, Mariachi, Carl Sagan, Queen Latifa among 25 selected for National Recording Registry
The latest selections named to the registry span from 1908 to 2012, ranging from the first recordings of Mariachi music and early sounds of the Blues to radio journalism leading up to World War II, and iconic sounds from pop, country, rock, R&B, jazz, rap, and classical music.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden
The national library is proud to help ensure these recordings are preserved for generations to come, and we welcome the public’s input on what songs, speeches, podcasts or recorded sounds we should preserve next. We received more than 1,100 public nominations this year for recordings to add to the registry.
National Recording Registry 2023 Selections in Chronological Order
- “The Very First Mariachi Recordings” — Cuarteto Coculense (1908-1909)
- “St. Louis Blues” — Handy’s Memphis Blues Band (1922)
- “Sugar Foot Stomp” — Fletcher Henderson (1926)
- Dorothy Thompson: Commentary and Analysis of the European Situation for NBC Radio (Aug. 23-Sept. 6, 1939)
- “Don’t Let Nobody Turn You Around” — The Fairfield Four (1947)
- “Sherry” — The Four Seasons (1962)
- “What the World Needs Now is Love” — Jackie DeShannon (1965)
- “Wang Dang Doodle” — Koko Taylor (1966)
- “Ode to Billie Joe” — Bobbie Gentry (1967)
- “Déjà Vu” — Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (1970)
- “Imagine” — John Lennon (1971)
- “Stairway to Heaven” — Led Zeppelin (1971)
- “Take Me Home, Country Roads” — John Denver (1971)
- “Margaritaville” — Jimmy Buffett (1977)
- “Flashdance…What a Feeling” — Irene Cara (1983)
- “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” — Eurythmics (1983)
- “Synchronicity” — The Police (1983)
- “Like a Virgin” — Madonna (1984)
- “Black Codes (From the Underground)” — Wynton Marsalis (1985)
- Super Mario Bros. theme — Koji Kondo, composer (1985)
- “All Hail the Queen” — Queen Latifah (1989)
- “All I Want for Christmas is You” — Mariah Carey (1994)
- “Pale Blue Dot” — Carl Sagan (1994)
- “Gasolina” — Daddy Yankee (2004)
- “Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra” — Northwest Chamber Orchestra, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, composer (2012)
Listen:
The Very First Mariachi Recordings (1907-1909)
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St Louis Blues (1922)
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Sugar Foot Stomp (1926)
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Commentary and Analysis of European Situation for NBC Radio (1939)
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Dont Let Nobody Turn You Around (1947)
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Sherry (1962)
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What the World Needs Now is Love (1965)
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Wang Dang Doodle (1966)
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Ode to Billie Joe (1967)
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Deja Vu (1970)
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Imagine (1971)
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Stairway to Heaven (1971)
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Take Me Home Country Roads (1971)
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Margaritaville (1977)
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Flashdance What a Feeling (1983)
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Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (1983)
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Synchronicity (1983)
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Like a Virgin (1984)
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Black Codes From the Underground (1985)
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Super Mario Theme (1985)
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All Hail the Queen (1989)
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All I Want for Christmas is You (1994)
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Pale Blue Dot (1994)
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Gasolina (2004)
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Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra (2012)
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Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian of Congress, with advice from the National Recording Preservation Board, selects 25 titles each year that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and are at least 10 years old.