Madonna, Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, and Daddy Yankee Added to National Recording Registry

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden has named records by Madonna (Like a Virgin), Mariah Carey All I Want For Christmas Is You), Queen Latifah (All Hail the Queen), and Daddy Yankee (Gasolina) among 25 recordings to be preserved in the National Recording Registry. The registry contains audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance. The Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center is charged with ensuring the recordings are preserved and available for future generations. Check out the full list below.

Daddy Yankees explosive reggaetn Gasolina” was the flashpoint for the genres mainstream moment, a sign that Puerto Rico could no longer contain the infectiousif unfairly maligneddance music. Careys Christmas anthem was a modest hit upon release, but has become a season institution, hitting No. 1 on pop charts the last four Christmases. Queen Latifah is the first female rapper to join the registry with her debut album, released when she was just 19 years old. And Madonnas 1983 classic sophomore LPcrafted with the help of Nile Rodgersis responsible for much of her most enduring iconography, and nearly half of its 9 tracks cracked the top 10 on the singles chart.

The newly inducted songs also include The First Ever Mariachi Recordings, John Lennon and Yoko Onos plea for peace Imagine, Eurythmics goth pop anthem Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), and the first video game sounds to join the registry, Koji Kondos Super Mario Bros. theme. With the current additions, the registry currently contains 625 recordings.

National Recording Registry, 2023 Selections:

The Very First Mariachi Recordings Cuarteto Coculense (1908-1909)
St. Louis Blues Handys Memphis Blues Band (1922)
Sugar Foot Stomp Fletcher Henderson (1926)
Dorothy Thompson: Commentary and Analysis of the European Situation for NBC Radio (Aug. 23-Sept. 6, 1939)
Dont Let Nobody Turn You Around The Fairfield Four (1947)
Sherry The Four Seasons (1962)
What the World Needs Now is Love Jackie DeShannon (1965)
Wang Dang Doodle Koko Taylor (1966)
Ode to Billie Joe Bobbie Gentry (1967)
Dj Vu Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (1970)
Imagine John Lennon (1971)
Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin (1971)
Take Me Home, Country Roads John Denver (1971)
Margaritaville Jimmy Buffett (1977)
FlashdanceWhat a Feeling Irene Cara (1983)
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) Eurythmics (1983)
Synchronicity The Police (1983)
Like a Virgin Madonna (1984)
Black Codes (From the Underground) Wynton Marsalis (1985)
Super Mario Bros. theme Koji Kondo, composer (1985)
All Hail the Queen Queen Latifah (1989)
All I Want for Christmas is You Mariah Carey (1994)
Pale Blue Dot Carl Sagan (1994)
Gasolina Daddy Yankee (2004)
Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra Northwest Chamber Orchestra, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, composer (2012)