LOS ANGELES β ABBA, Biggie, Blondie and Rudolph are entering America's audio canon.
New inductees into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress include ABBA 's 1976 album βArrival,β The Notorious B.I.G. 's 1994 album βReady to Die," Blondie 's 1978 breakthrough βParallel Linesβ and Gene Autry's 1949 version of βRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.β
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Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced the 25 new titles in the class of 2024 on Tuesday, saying in a statement that they are βworthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nationβs recorded sound heritage.β
Puerto Rican singer HΓ©ctor Lavoe's signature song, 1978's βEl Cantante,β written by Ruben Blades, will enter the registry, along with Mexican singer Juan Gabriel βs tribute to his mother, βAmor Eterno." The library is enshrining a 1990 recording of the song first released in 1984.
Other titles deemed to be among βthe defining sounds of the nationβs history and cultureβ are Jefferson Airplaneβs 1967 album βSurrealistic Pillow,β Green Day βs 1994 album βDookieβ and The Chicks β 1998 βWide Open Spaces,β the most recording among the new inductees.
Lily Tomlinβs 1971 album of sketches βThis Is a Recordingβ 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 in the mid-20th century, recorded the definitive version of βRudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Last year a newer holiday perennial, Mariah Careyβs, βAll I Want For Christmas Is You," joined the registry, which now has 650 titles.
βArrivalβ was the disco-tinged fourth album from the Swedish supergroup ABBA, and included their hits βDancing Queen,β βMoney, Money, Moneyβ and βFernando.β
Blondie and singer Debbie Harry had their commercial breakthrough with βParallel Lines,β an album with a famous striped black-and-white cover that featured βHeart of Glass.β It's joined this year by another new wave classic from the same year, the self-titled debut album by the Cars.
The Notorious B.I.G.βs 1994 album βReady to Dieβ featuring βJuicyβ and βBig Poppa," the only album released during his life, headlines hip-hop entries that also include βLa-Di-Da-Diβ β Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick's 1985 single.
βRocket β88ββ by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, the 1951 single that some argue was the first rock βnβ roll song, is also on the list.
Career-defining singles from several canonical artists are also entering the registry, including βChances Are,β from Johnny Mathis, βDon't Worry, Be Happyβ from Bobby McFerrin," βThe Tennessee Waltzβ from Patti Page and βAin't No Sunshineβ from Bill Withers.
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This story has been corrected to report that the ABBA album included is βArrival,β not βThe Visitors.β