LOS ANGELES – ABBA, Biggie, Blondie and Rudolph are entering America’s audio canon.
New members of the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry include ABBA’s 1976 album “Arrival,” The Notorious BIG’s 1994 album “Ready to Die,” Blondie’s 1978 album “Parallel Lines,” and the Gene Autry’s 1949 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced the 25 new titles in the Class of 2024 on Tuesday, saying in a statement that they are “worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical, or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage ”.
Puerto Rican singer Héctor Lavoe’s signature song, “El Cantante”, from 1978, written by Ruben Blades, will be included on the record, along with Mexican singer Juan Gabriel’s tribute to his mother, “Amor Eterno”. the song first released in 1984.
Other titles considered among “the sounds that define the nation’s history and culture” are Jefferson Airplane’s 1967 album “Surrealistic Pillow,” Green Day’s 1994 album “Dookie,” and “Wide Open Spaces.” ”, from 1998, by The Chicks, the most recorded among the new inductees.
Lily Tomlin’s 1971 sketch album “This Is a Recording” is the only comedy and the only non-musical recording on this year’s list.
Autry, the singing cowboy who was among America’s biggest stars of the mid-20th century, recorded the definitive version of “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Last year, a new holiday perennial, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” joined the roster, which now has 650 titles.
“Arrival” was the fourth disco album by Swedish supergroup ABBA and included their hits “Dancing Queen,” “Money, Money, Money” and “Fernando.”
Blondie and singer Debbie Harry had their commercial breakthrough with “Parallel Lines”, an album with a famous black and white striped cover that featured “Heart of Glass”. This year it was joined by another new wave classic from the same year, the Cars’ self-titled debut album.
The Notorious B.I.G.’s 1994 album “Ready to Die,” featuring “Juicy” and “Big Poppa,” the only album released during his lifetime, headlines hip-hop entries that also include “La-Di-Da -Di” – Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick’s 1985 single.
“Rocket ’88’” by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, the 1951 single that some argue was the first rock ‘n’ roll song, is also on the list.
Career-defining singles from several canonical artists are also making the record, including Johnny Mathis’ “Chances Are,” Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” Patti Page’s “The Tennessee Waltz” and “Ain’ There Is No Sunshine” by Bill Withers.
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This story has been corrected to say that the ABBA album included is “Arrival,” not “The Visitors.”
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