Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Taylor Swift and Beyoncé Join National Recording Registry as Library of Congress Adds 25 Recordings

The 2026 class reflects broad public nominations, with rare recognition of recent releases.

Overview

  • The Library of Congress, which announced the 25 additions Thursday, said the picks preserve recordings of cultural, historical, or aesthetic importance.
  • Taylor Swift’s 1989 and Beyoncé’s Single Ladies earned first-time placements for both artists, a notable move for 21st-century works.
  • Acting Librarian Robert R. Newlen framed the choices as protecting the nation’s “playlist” for future generations.
  • The roster spans seven decades, from 1944’s Cocktails for Two to 2014’s 1989, with unconventional entries like the 1993 Doom game soundtrack and the 1971 Ali–Frazier radio broadcast.
  • More than 3,000 public nominations shaped the slate, Rosanne Cash’s The Wheel created the first father–daughter pairing with Johnny Cash, and the registry now totals 700 preserved titles.