Latest Entries To Library Of Congress Sound Archive

Every year the Librarian of Congress selects sound recordings to include in the National Recording Registry, which s a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000 and the recordings are selected by members of the public and a panel of music, sound and preservation experts, and the library's National Recording Preservation Board. The panel also aids the librarian in selecting what recordings to add to the archive.

Among the 2008 additions to the registry are:

"Boogie Chillen," John Lee Hooker (1948)

"West Side Story," original cast recording (1957)

"Tom Dooley," The Kingston Trio (1958)

"Rumble," Link Wray (1958)

"At Last!," Etta James (1961)

"2000 Years with Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks," Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks (1961)

"The Who Sings My Generation," The Who (1966)

"He Stopped Loving Her Today," George Jones (1980)

It's pretty cool that the Library of Congress has a program to preserve what they and the public deem to be significant recordings, and it's even better that they have such a diverse taste. It will be interesting to see what's chosen in subsequent years.