Each year since 2002, 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 below.
Weezer, for their part, celebrated the Blue Album's 30th anniversary in 2024 by announcing a tour and 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
