Albums and songs from Taylor Swift,Beyoncé,Chaka Khan and The Go-Go’s are becoming a member of America’s audio canon.
The new inductees into the National Recording Registry on the Library of Congress embody Swift’s blockbuster 2014 pop album “1989,” Beyoncé’s era-defining 2008 anthem “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” Khan’s genre-blending hit “I Feel for You,” Vince Gill’s emotional ballad “Go Rest High on That Mountain” and The Go-Go’s groundbreaking debut album “Beauty and the Beat.”
They had been among the many 25 recordings coming into the archive within the class of 2026, performing Librarian of Congress Robert Newlen introduced Thursday. The picks had been chosen for his or her “cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.”
“Music and recorded sound are essential, wonderful parts of our daily lives and our national heritage,” Newlen mentioned in an announcement. “The National Recording Registry works to preserve our national playlist for generations to come.”
Other recordings coming into the registry embody Ray Charles’ groundbreaking nation crossover album “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music,” Reba McEntire’s “Rumor Has It,” Rosanne Cash’s “The Wheel” and Weezer’s self-titled debut often called “The Blue Album.”
Classic singles from Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Byrds, José Feliciano and Paul Anka additionally earned inclusion.
Among the extra unconventional picks are the soundtrack to the influential 1993 online game “Doom” and the radio broadcast of “The Fight of the Century,” the legendary 1971 heavyweight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
The oldest recording on this 12 months’s class is Spike Jones and His City Slickers’ 1944 single “Cocktails for Two.” The latest is Swift’s “1989.”
This 12 months additionally marks the primary recordings by Swift and Beyoncé chosen for the registry. The Library of Congress mentioned greater than 3,000 public nominations had been submitted for consideration this 12 months.
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