Library of Congress Adds 50 Titles to National Recording Registry

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Posted April 8, 2005.

Library of Congress Adds 50 Titles to National Recording Registry

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington named 50 more titles to the library’s National Recording Registry April 5. Created by Congress through the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the registry is dedicated to preserving classic American recordings of music, speeches, and readings that are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. “Once again, we have the opportunity to celebrate the rich variety of music recorded in the United States and the importance of sound recording in our lives,” remarked Billington.

The National Recording Preservation Board, comprised of 20 leaders in the music and preservation fields, accepts nominations from the public and makes recommendations of their own. Recordings must be 10 years old to be considered for selection. LC will retain a digital copy of all recordings selected for the registry, which is modeled after the library’s National Film Registry.

Among this year’s selections are “Swanee” by Al Jolson (1920), NBC radio coverage of Charles Lindburgh’s arrival in Washington, D.C. (1927), “Body and Soul” by Coleman Hawkins (1939), Edward R. Morrow’s broadcast from London (1940), Live at the Apollo by James Brown (1965), Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys (1966), Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy (1989), and Nevermind by Nirvana (1991). The full list of new titles is available on the registry’s website.

At the press briefing for the registry selections, LC also announced that it had discovered a tape recording of jazz pianist Thelonious Monk’s quartet featuring saxophonist John Coltrane. The 55-minute performance at a 1957 Carnegie Hall benefit concert was recorded by the Voice of America for broadcast overseas. It will be preserved in high-resolution digital files that will be stored and backed up on the library’s servers.

Posted April 8, 2005.