The 1982 best-seller album from singer Michael Jackson
titled “Thriller” has been making history over the past quarter of a decade and
is set to remain a part of American history forever: it has been added to the
National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.
The National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress
chooses each year recordings deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically
significant” to enrich and preserve the nation's aural archive.
This year’s 25 inductees include, other than the King of
Pop’s historical album (the best selling all time due to “Jackson’s keen pop
sensibilities, performances by a wide range of talented musicians and Quincy
Jones’ expert production”), the original-cast recording of “My Fair Lady” from
1956; and music by Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey, Roy Orbison,
Joni Mitchell and Herbie Hancock.
Also inducted is the first trans-Atlantic broadcast, on
March 14, 1925, described as a very rare instance of an extant example of a
complete radio broadcast of the 1920s. The entire 37-minute broadcast survives
on discs in the collections of the University
of Maryland’s Library of
American Broadcasting.
Harry S. Truman’s speech at the 1948 Democratic National
Convention and Ronald Reagan’s radio broadcasts from 1976-79, before he became
President, as well as New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia’s reading of comics to
children in 1945 were also added.
Librarian of Congress James Billington made the announcement
Wednesday, saying, “Audio preservation constitutes a critical challenge. Much
has already been lost, particularly in the field of radio.”
Other additions, detailed on the National Recording Registry
of the Library of Congress’ official website
are:
* Navajo Shootingway Ceremony Field Recordings, recorded by
David McAllester (1957-1958)
* “‘Freight Train,’ and Other North Carolina Folk Songs and Tunes,”
Elizabeth Cotten (1959)
* “The Sounds of Earth,” disc prepared for the Voyager
spacecraft (1977)
“Casta Diva,” from Bellini’s “Norma”; Rosa Ponselle,
accompanied by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Giulio
Setti. (recorded December 31, 1928, and January 30, 1929)
