The Los Angeles Post
U.S. World Business Lifestyle
Today: April 07, 2025
Today: April 07, 2025

ABBA, Blondie, and the Notorious B.I.G. enter the National Recording Registry

Music Library of Congress
April 16, 2024

LOS ANGELES (AP) โ€” 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 โ€œVisitors,โ€ The Notorious B.I.G. 's 1994 album โ€œReady to Die," Blondie 's 1978 breakthrough โ€œParallel Linesโ€ and Gene Autry's 1949 version of โ€œRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.โ€

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced the 25 new titles in the class of 2024 on Tuesday, saying in a statement that they are โ€œworthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nationโ€™s recorded sound heritage.โ€

ABBA, Blondie, and the Notorious B.I.G. enter the National Recording Registry
Music Library of Congress

Puerto Rican singer Hรฉctor Lavoe's signature song, 1978's โ€œEl Cantante,โ€ written by Ruben Blades, will enter the registry, along with Mexican singer Juan Gabriel โ€™s 1990 tribute to his mother, โ€œAmor Eterno."

Other titles deemed to be among โ€œthe defining sounds of the nationโ€™s history and cultureโ€ are Jefferson Airplaneโ€™s 1967 album โ€œSurrealistic Pillow,โ€ Green Day โ€™s 1994 album โ€œDookieโ€ and the Chicks โ€™ 1998 โ€œWide Open Spaces,โ€ the most recording among the new inductees.

Lily Tomlinโ€™s 1971 album of sketches โ€œThis Is a Recordingโ€ 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 โ€œRudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Last year a newer holiday perennial, Mariah Careyโ€™s, โ€œAll I Want For Christmas Is You," joined the registry, which now has 650 titles.

ABBA, Blondie, and the Notorious B.I.G. enter the National Recording Registry
Music Library of Congress

โ€œThe Visitorsโ€ was the disco-tinged fourth album from the Swedish supergroup ABBA, and included their hits "Dancing Queenโ€ณ, โ€Money, Money, Moneyโ€ณ and โ€Fernando.โ€ณ

Blondie and singer Deborah Harry had their commercial breakthrough with โ€œParallel Lines,โ€ an album with a famous striped black-and-white cover that featured โ€œHeart of Glass.โ€ 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.โ€™s 1994 album โ€œReady to Dieโ€ featuring โ€œJuicyโ€ and โ€œBig Poppa," the only album released during his life, headlines hip-hop entries that also include โ€œLa-Di-Da-Diโ€ โ€” Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick's 1985 single.

โ€œRocket โ€˜88โ€™โ€ by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, the 1951 single that some argue was the first rock โ€˜nโ€™ roll song, is also on the list.

Career-defining singles from several canonical artists are also entering the registry, including โ€œChances Are,โ€ from Johnny Mathis, โ€œDon't Worry, Be Happyโ€ from Bobby McFerrin," โ€œThe Tennessee Waltzโ€ from Patti Page and โ€œAin't No Sunshineโ€ from Bill Withers.

Related Articles

ABBA get a prestigious Swedish knighthood for their pop career that started at Eurovision ABBA, Blondie, and the Notorious B.I.G. enter the National Recording Registry Happy ABBA-versary! Fans mark 50 years since 'Waterloo' took the world by storm Kiss sells catalog, brand name and IP. Gene Simmons assures fans it is a 'collaboration'
Share This

Popular

Arts|Political|US

Painter of โ€˜truly the worstโ€™ Trump portrait says presidentโ€™s comments threaten her art career

Painter of โ€˜truly the worstโ€™ Trump portrait says presidentโ€™s comments threaten her art career
Americas|Arts|Crime|Entertainment|Political

Meet the Mexican soldier trying to revamp a musical genre accused of glorifying cartels

Meet the Mexican soldier trying to revamp a musical genre accused of glorifying cartels
Arts|Celebrity|Entertainment

โ€˜White Lotusโ€™ Season 3: What happened in the killer finale

โ€˜White Lotusโ€™ Season 3: What happened in the killer finale
Arts|Business|Entertainment|Political

Hundreds rally to bring film and TV production back to Hollywood

Hundreds rally to bring film and TV production back to Hollywood

Entertainment

Celebrity|Entertainment

A tearful Aimee Lou Wood reacts to โ€˜incredibly uncynicalโ€™ ending to โ€˜White Lotusโ€™ Season 3

A tearful Aimee Lou Wood reacts to โ€˜incredibly uncynicalโ€™ ending to โ€˜White Lotusโ€™ Season 3
Americas|Arts|Crime|Entertainment|Political

Meet the Mexican soldier trying to revamp a musical genre accused of glorifying cartels

Meet the Mexican soldier trying to revamp a musical genre accused of glorifying cartels
Arts|Celebrity|Entertainment

โ€˜White Lotusโ€™ Season 3: What happened in the killer finale

โ€˜White Lotusโ€™ Season 3: What happened in the killer finale
Celebrity|Entertainment|US

What to stream: 'The Handmaidโ€™s Tale,' Viola Davis, Bon Iver, 'The Last of Us' and Jon Hamm

What to stream: 'The Handmaidโ€™s Tale,' Viola Davis, Bon Iver, 'The Last of Us' and Jon Hamm

Access this article for free.

Already have an account? Sign In