Yesterday, the Library of Congress added Don McLean’s 1971 hit “American Pie” to their National Recording Registry of 2016. The song now rests alongside such classics as Judy Garland’s “Over The Rainbow,” N.W.A.’s seminal album, Straight Outta Compton and the Eagles’ 1976 Their Greatest Hits as aural treasures worthy of preservation as part of America’s patrimony.
“I have been proud to be an American artist who has represented his country around the world for almost 50 years,” states McLean. “I hope I did a good job because I was always aware of the country I came from. America has a vast musical heritage which is diverse and profound. With few exceptions American music is the whole of popular music. We have done it all. Written the greatest songs and produced the greatest artists. I am so proud to be a part of this creative effort.”
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden added a total of 25 titles to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress because of their importance to American society and the nation’s artistic history.
“This year’s exciting list gives us a full range of sound experiences,” said Hayden. “These sounds of the past enrich our understanding of the nation’s cultural history and our history in general.”
This year’s selection of recordings brings the total number of titles to 475 which is just a small part of the sound collection that includes almost 3 million items.
Below is a list of all the recordings added to the National Recording Registry for 2016 in chronological order.
1. The 1888 London cylinder recordings of Col. George Gouraud (1888)
2. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (singles), Manhattan Harmony Four (1923); Melba Moore and Friends (1990)
3. “Puttin’ on the Ritz” (single), Harry Richman (1929)
4. “Over the Rainbow” (single), Judy Garland (1939)
5. “I’ll Fly Away” (single), The Chuck Wagon Gang(1948)
6. “Hound Dog” (single), Big Mama Thornton (1953)
7. “Saxophone Colossus,” Sonny Rollins(1956)
8. The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds, announced by Vin Scully (September 8, 1957)
9. “Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs,” Marty Robbins(1959)
10. “The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery,” Wes Montgomery (1960)
11. “People” (single), Barbra Streisand (1964)
12. “In the Midnight Hour” (single), Wilson Pickett(1965)
13. “Amazing Grace” (single), Judy Collins (1970)
14. “American Pie” (single), Don McLean (1971)
15. “All Things Considered,” first broadcast (May 3, 1971)
16. “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,” David Bowie (1972)
17. “The Wiz,” original cast album (1975)
18. “Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975),” Eagles (1976)
19. “Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha,” Gunter Schuller, arr. (1976)
20. “Wanted: Live in Concert,” Richard Pryor (1978)
21. “We Are Family” (single), Sister Sledge (1979)
22. “Remain in Light,” Talking Heads (1980)
23. “Straight Outta Compton,” N.W.A. (1988)
24. “Rachmaninoff’s Vespers (All-Night Vigil),” Robert Shaw Festival Singers (1990)
25. “Signatures,” Renée Fleming (1997)
