2018 NATIONAL RECORDING REGISTRY

"My Girl", the classic Motown love song by the Temptations, has surprisingly just been added to the National Recording Registry this year. This number one tune, written by Smokey Robinson and his Miracles band mate, Ronald White back in 1964, is just one of twenty-five important recordings that will be preserved by the Library of Congress. A few other surprise additions that I thought would have already occurred are the beloved soundtrack to the 1965 Best Picture Oscar winner, "The Sound of Music";  the recording of a song most associated with singer, Tony Bennett, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and "Rumours", one of the biggest selling albums of all-time by the rock band, Fleetwood Mac.

Since 2002, the Library of Congress have selected sound recordings that are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important that informs or reflect life in the United States. The selections will feature a wide range of music, commentaries, radio programs, comedy albums and speeches. To date, there are now 500 recordings placed in the National Recording Registry.

Here is the complete list of the twenty-five recordings being inducted in the 2018 National Recording Registry:

“Dream Melody Intermezzo: Naughty Marietta” (single) - Victor Herbert and his Orchestra (1911)

Standing Rock Preservation Recordings - George Herzog and Members of the Yanktoni Tribe (1928)

“Lamento Borincano” (single) - Canario y Su Grupo (1930)

“Sitting on Top of the World” (single) - Mississippi Sheiks (1930)



"The Complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas" (album) - Artur Schnabel (1932-1935)

“If I Didn’t Care” (single) - The Ink Spots (1939)



Proceedings of the United Nations Conference on International Organization - (4/25/45-6/26/45)

“Folk Songs of the Hills” (album) - Merle Travis (1946)

“How I Got Over” (single) - Clara Ward and the Ward Singers (1950)



“(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock” (single) - Bill Haley and His Comets (1954)



“Calypso” (album) - Harry Belafonte (1956)

“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” (single) - Tony Bennett (1962)



“King Biscuit Time” (radio) - Sonny Boy Williamson II and others (1965)

“My Girl” (single) - The Temptations (1964)

“The Sound of Music” (soundtrack) - Various Artists (1965)



“Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” (single) - Arlo Guthrie (1967)

“New Sounds in Electronic Music” (album) - Steve Reich, Richard Maxfield & Pauline Oliveros (1967)

“An Evening with Groucho” (album) - Groucho Marx (1972)

“Rumours” (album) - Fleetwood Mac (1977)

“The Gambler” (single) - Kenny Rogers (1978)



“Le Freak” (single) - Chic (1978)



“Footloose” (single) - Kenny Loggins (1984)

“Raising Hell” (album) - Run-DMC (1986)

“Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” (single) - Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine (1987)



“Yo-Yo Ma Premieres: Concertos for Violoncello and Orchestra” (album) - Various artists (1996)