Each year since 2002, the Library Of Congress has selected a handful of recordings to be archived in the National Recording Registry. The criteria are that the recordings "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States," that the recording is at least 10 years old, and that a copy of the recording still exists. That means anything from Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) to Brian Eno's "Microsoft Sound" is theoretically eligible. This year, Weezer are headed to Congress.
Weezer's 1994 self-titled debut — aka the Blue Album — is joining the National Recording Registry this year, along with Taylor Swift's 1989, Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," the Byrds' "Turn! Turn! Turn!," the Go-Go's Beauty And The Beat, the original Broadway cast recording of Chicago, and a whole lot more. See the full list, in chronological order by release date, below.
Weezer, for their part, celebrated the Blue Album's 30th anniversary in 2024 by going on tour and releasing a box set enclosed in a sweater (unraveling optional).
Library Of Congress National Recording Registry 2026:
• Spike Jones And His City Slickers - "Cocktails For Two"
• Pérez Prado And His Orchestra - "Mambo No. 5"
• Ruth Brown - "Teardrops From My Eyes"
• Kaye Ballard - "Fly Me To The Moon"
• Paul Anka - "Put Your Head On My Shoulder"
• Oliver Nelson - The Blues And The Abstract Truth
• Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country And Western Music
• The Byrds - "Turn! Turn! Turn!"
• The Winstons - "Amen, Brother"
• José Feliciano - "Feliz Navidad"
• Van Patrick And Charles King, announcers - Fight Of The Century: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier (Radio broadcast)
• Gladys Knight & The Pips - "Midnight Train to Georgia"
• Chicago (Original Broadway cast recording)
• Charlie Daniels Band - "The Devil Went Down To Georgia"
• The Go-Go's - Beauty And The Beat
• Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble - Texas Flood
• Chaka Khan - "I Feel For You"
• Jamie Principle (original)/Franke Knuckles (vocal version) - "Your Love"
• Reba McEntire - Rumor Has It
• Rosanne Cash - The Wheel
• Bobby Prince - Doom Soundtrack
• Vince Gill - "Go Rest High On That Mountain"
• Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
• Beyoncé - "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"
• Taylor Swift - 1989
