The Twist and D-Day Broadcast among Latest Entries to the National Recording Registry

In the eleventh year of the National Recording Registry, Librarian of Congress James Billington has selected 25 sound recordings as the official entries for 2012, stating: "Congress created the National Recording Registry to celebrate the richness and variety of our audio heritage and to underscore our responsibility for long-term preservation, to assure that legacy can be appreciated and studied for generations. Our challenge, however, continues to be finding collaborative and innovative ways to protect and make available this unmatched legacy to the public."

In reverse chronological order, the selections for 2012 are as follows:

1. "The Audience with Betty Carter," Betty Carter (1980)
2. "Einstein on the Beach," Philip Glass and Robert Wilson (1979)
3. "Saturday Night Fever," The Bee Gees, et al. (1977)
4. "Ramones," The Ramones (1976)
5. "Wild Tchoupitoulas," The Wild Tchoupitoulas (1976)
6. "Music Time in Africa," Leo Sarkisian, host (July 29, 1973)
7. "The Dark Side of the Moon," Pink Floyd (1973)
8. "Cheap Thrills," Big Brother and the Holding Company (1968)
9. "Sounds of Silence," Simon and Garfunkel (1966)
10. "Hoodoo Man Blues," Junior Wells (1965)
11. "Old Time Music at Clarence Ashley’s," Clarence Ashley, Doc Watson, et al. (1960-1962)
12. "The Twist," Chubby Checker (1960)
13. "Crossing Chilly Jordan," The Blackwood Brothers (1960)
14. "The Shape of Jazz to Come," Ornette Coleman (1959)
15. "A Program of Song," Leontyne Price (1959)
16. President's Message Relayed from Atlas Satellite, Dwight D. Eisenhower (Dec. 19, 1958)
17. Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Van Cliburn (April 11, 1958)
18. "Descargas: Cuban Jam Session in Miniature," Cachao Y Su Ritmo Caliente (1957)
19. "South Pacific," Original Cast Album (1949)
20. "Just Because," Frank Yankovic & His Yanks (1947)
21. D-Day Radio Broadcast, George Hicks (June 5-6, 1944)
22. "You Are My Sunshine," Jimmie Davis (1940)
23. "Begin the Beguine," Artie Shaw (1938)
24. "Bacon, Beans and Limousines," Will Rogers (Oct. 18, 1931)
25. "After You’ve Gone," Marion Harris (1918)      

The full National Recording Registry currently numbers 375 recordings, and can be viewed here. The Registry solicits nominations for inclusion on the registry; further information on the criteria and procedures for making nominations is available at the Registry website.