Mister Rogers, Whitney Houston, and more join National Recording Registry

The National Recording Registry — or, as Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden calls it, "the evolving playlist of the American soundscape" — inducted 25 new titles to be preserved for their "cultural, historical and aesthetic importance to the nation’s recorded sound heritage." Mister Rogers and Whitney Houston definitely fall within those provisions.

The list includes Fred Rogers' 1973 album, on which he sings 21 of his favorite songs from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Showing the array of eclectic selections, the registry also inducted Houston's "I Will Always Love You," Tina Turner's "Private Dancer," Dr. Dre album The Chronic, the Village People hit "Y.M.C.A.," and Selena (the original Selena, not Selena Gomez) album Ven Conmigo.

The registry, which now includes 550 works after these new inductees, "reflects moments in history captured through the voices and sounds of the time,” Hayden said in a statement. “We received over 800 nominations this year for culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant recordings to add to the registry. As genres and formats continue to expand, the Library of Congress is committed to working with our many partners to preserve the sounds that have touched our hearts and shaped our culture."

See the full list of 2020 inductees below.

1. “Whispering” (single), Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra (1920)
2. “Protesta per Sacco e Vanzetti,” Compagnia Columbia; “Sacco e Vanzetti,” Raoul Romito (1927)
3. “La Chicharronera” (single), Narciso Martinez and Santiago Almeida (1936)
4. “Arch Oboler’s Plays” episode “The Bathysphere.” (Nov. 18, 1939)
5. “Me and My Chauffeur Blues” (single), Memphis Minnie (1941)
6. The 1951 National League tiebreaker: New York Giants vs. Brooklyn Dodgers — Russ Hodges, announcer (Oct. 3, 1951)
7. Puccini’s Tosca (album), Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Angelo Mercuriali, Tito Gobbi, Melchiorre Luise, Dario Caselli, Victor de Sabata (1953)
8. “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh” (single), Allan Sherman (1963)
9. WGBH broadcast of the Boston Symphony on the day of the John F. Kennedy assassination, Boston Symphony Orchestra (1963)
10. Fiddler on the Roof (album), original Broadway cast (1964)
11. “Make the World Go Away” (single), Eddy Arnold (1965)
12. Hiromi Lorraine Sakata Collection of Afghan Traditional Music (1966-67; 1971-73)
13. “Wichita Lineman” (single), Glen Campbell (1968)
14. Dusty in Memphis (album), Dusty Springfield (1969)
15. Mister Rogers Sings 21 Favorite Songs From Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (album), Fred Rogers (1973)
16. Cheap Trick at Budokan (album), Cheap Trick (1978)
17. Holst: Suite No. 1 in E-Flat, "Suite No. 2 in F" / Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks / Bach: Fantasia in G (Special Edition Audiophile Pressing album), Frederick Fennell and the Cleveland Symphonic Winds (1978)
18. “Y.M.C.A.” (single), Village People (1978)
19. A Feather on the Breath of God (album), Gothic Voices; Christopher Page, conductor; Hildegard von Bingen, composer (1982)
20. Private Dancer (album), Tina Turner (1984)
21. Ven Conmigo (album), Selena (1990)
22. The Chronic (album), Dr. Dre (1992)
23. “I Will Always Love You” (single), Whitney Houston (1992)
24. Concert in the Garden (album), Maria Schneider Orchestra (2004)
25. Percussion Concerto (album), Colin Currie (2008)

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