Queen’s rousing “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Journey’s uplifting “Don’t Stop Believin’” and Alicia Keys’ decorated debut album each struck a chord with the Library of Congress, which included the classic works in its latest entries to the National Recording Registry.
This year’s 25 new additions to the registry — which preserves recordings that are deemed culturally significant — also included Ricky Martin’s megahit “Livin’ La Vida Loca”; the Staten Island rap group Wu-Tang Clan’s first album “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)”; and audio of sportscaster Milo Hamilton’s broadcast of Hank Aaron’s then-record 715th MLB home run.
“The National Recording Registry reflects the diverse music and voices that have shaped our nation’s history and culture through recorded sound,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said Wednesday.
“The national library is proud to help preserve these recordings, and we welcome the public’s input. We received about 1,000 public nominations this year for recordings to add to the registry.”
The registry launched in 2000, with 25 new entries added each year. Recordings eligible for preservation include individual songs, albums, podcasts and other forms of audio.
Nearly 90 years of audio is reflected in the 2022 lineup, with James P. Johnson’s 1921 recording of the song “Harlem Strut” being the oldest new addition to the registry, and Marc Maron’s 2010 “WTF” podcast episode with Robin Williams being the most recent.
Other additions include WNYC’s coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the Disneyland Boys Choir’s 1964 recording of “It’s a Small World.”
Keys, who was born in New York, exploded onto the music scene in 2001 with the release of her chart-topping first album “Songs in A Minor,” which won her five Grammys.
“I’m so honored and grateful that ‘Songs in A Minor,’ the entire album, gets to be recognized as such a powerful body of work that is just going to be timeless,” Keys said Wednesday.
Queens’ rock opera “Bohemian Rhapsody” was previously inducted in the Grammys Hall of Fame in 2004, while Journey’s upbeat anthem “Don’t Stop Believin’” received the honor last year.
“That song, over the years, has become something that has a life of its own,” Journey lead singer Steve Perry said. “It’s about the people who’ve embraced it and found the lyrics to be something they can relate to and hold onto and sing.”
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