Music From Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, Plus Dozens of Other ‘Audio Treasures,’ Added to National Recording Registry

The 25 newest additions to the national playlist at the Library of Congress have been deemed “worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage”

Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent

May 15, 2026 5:32 p.m.

Share

Copy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrint

Add as preferred source

Taylor Swift’s album 1989, Beyoncé’s hit “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and about two dozen other “audio treasures” have been added to the national playlist, according to the Library of Congress.

The 25 newest additions to the National Recording Registry have been deemed “worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage,” according to the Library of Congress, which unveiled the selections on May 14. Established in 2000, the National Recording Registry now includes 700 titles.

“Music and recorded sound are essential, wonderful parts of our daily lives and our national heritage,” says Robert R. Newlen, acting Librarian of Congress, in the statement.

The 2026 class of inductees was selected from more than 3,000 nominations from members of the public. Weezer, whose 1994 debut album Weezer (The Blue Album) was ultimately picked for inclusion, was among the most nominated selections this year, according to the Library of Congress. Sounds must be at least ten years old to be considered.

National Recording Registry 2026

Watch on

This year’s list spans seven decades of recorded sound, dating back to Spike Jones and His City Slickers’ 1944 single “Cocktails for Two.” The two newest selections on the list are Swift’s 1989 and Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” marking the first time both artists have been included in the National Recording Registry.

Most of the inclusions are albums or songs, but the list also features the March 8, 1971, radio broadcast of a fight between professional boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

The selection of Rosanne Cash’s 1993 album The Wheel album marks the first time a father and daughter have both been listed in the registry, with Johnny Cash’s 1968 album At Folsom Prison selected in 2003.

For just the third time in the registry’s history, video game music was chosen for inclusion. The original soundtrack from “Doom,” created by freelance composer Bobby Prince in the 1990s, now joins Daniel Rosenfeld’s “Minecraft” soundtrack, which was added last year, and Koji Kondo’s “Super Mario Bros.” soundtrack, added in 2023. As Ian Carlos Campbell writes for Engadget, the “Doom” soundtrack “draws clear inspiration from metal bands, but also touches on techno and ambient music throughout its track list, making for an eclectic soundscape for tearing through enemies.”

This year’s class also spans a variety of genres, from pop to jazz to funk. Country music features prominently on the list, including Reba McEntire’s 1990 album Rumor Has It and Vince Gill’s 1994 song, “Go Rest High on That Mountain.”

Vince Gill - Go Rest High On That Mountain (Official Music Video)

Watch on

Gill started working on the emotional ballad after country singer-songwriter Keith Whitley died in 1989, then finished it after his half-brother Bob Coen died in 1993. In an interview with the Library of Congress, Gill said the soulful tune was the most meaningful work of his career.

“I’ve been writing songs for over 50 years, and if you asked me straight up what’s the one song you’d want to be remembered for, I would pick this one, hands down,” he said. “Wouldn’t even be close.”

Even holiday music made this year’s list, with José Feliciano’s 1970 single “Feliz Navidad” selected for inclusion. Feliciano, who was born in Puerto Rico, wrote the bilingual tune in a Los Angeles studio at a time when he felt “very lonely,” he told NPR’s Mandalit del Barco in 2020.

“I missed my family, I missed Christmas carols with them,” he said. “I missed the whole Christmas scene.”

Another newly added work is Beauty and the Beat, the 1981 debut album from The Go-Go’s, which the Library of Congress describes as “one of the most successful all-female rock groups of all time.”

“Their success as an all-woman band, composing their own material and playing all their instruments, laid the groundwork for future women-led bands,” the library adds.

Another newly added work is Beauty and the Beat, the 1981 debut album from The Go-Go’s, which the Library of Congress describes as “one of the most successful all-female rock groups of all time.”

“Their success as an all-woman band, composing their own material and playing all their instruments, laid the groundwork for future women-led bands,” the library adds.

Sarah Kuta | Read More

Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.