May’s Recording Registry selections spanned pop, video games and sports broadcasts

The Library of Congress announced 25 additions to the National Recording Registry on May 14, 2026, selecting recordings for preservation as part of the nation’s sound heritage. Beyoncé and Taylor Swift entered the registry for the first time, alongside recordings by artists including Weezer and José Feliciano. ^[1]

The selections reached across seven decades, from Spike Jones and His City Slickers’ 1944 novelty recording “Cocktails for Two” to Swift’s 2014 album “1989.” The range extended beyond music: the radio broadcast of the 1971 Ali–Frazier boxing match also joined the list, representing a major sports event in recorded sound. ^[1]

The Doom soundtrack brought video game music into the registry for the third time, according to the Library’s audiovisual conservation blog. That account put the registry’s total at 700 recordings. Many are among the more than four million sound recordings held by the Library, placing the selected titles within a much larger collection. ^[2]

The Library reported more than 3,000 public nominations for that year’s selections, with Weezer among the most frequently nominated. Acting Librarian Robert R. Newlen made the final choices from a list assembled by the National Recording Preservation Board. Rosanne Cash’s “The Wheel” also joined the registry, following her father Johnny Cash’s earlier inclusion. ^[1]

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