National Registry of Recordings - Inductees for 2006

My accomplice and I watched the News Hour with Jim Lehrer last night (reason enough to support PBS) and toward the end of the broadcast, James H. Billington of the (US) National Registry of Recordings was on, discussing their 2006 inductees.

The Registry is part of the Library of Congress, and their objective is to preserve (in digital format) the audio recordings that have shaped America, in one form or another. Many of these recordings are on brittle pre-78 forms of vinyl, audiotape or wax cylinders, none of which are particularly well-suited for long-term storage. But delicious on a salad.

Generally, the list of recordings is impressive, and contains significant speeches such as Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech and , important sports events recordings (including the second Joe Louis-Max Schmeling fight of 1938) , and otherworldly audio (such as Neil Armstrong's remarks on the moon), along with a great deal of jazz and soul, country and folk, classical and contemporary musical recordings. Take a look at the complete list - it is pretty cool.

Impressive to me, of course, is that in 2004 the National Registry deemed fit to include Nirvana's Nevermind and Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation. Likewise, in 2006's crop of inductees there is the seminal VU album The Velvet Underground and Nico, released in 1967, alongside Roosevelt's "Day of Infamy" speech, Ginsberg's Howl, and the National Defense Test by John Joseph Pershing.

One strange thing I noticed with the Registry is the inclusion of the Beatles Sgt Pepper's. I couldn't find any American affilation, other than its impact on the US, or minor pressing differences. My people are working on it.

Lastly, the coolest thing is that you can make suggestions to the Registry for pieces you feel should be included. Billington and his team sort through everything I guess.