Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” and Swift’s “1989” Enter US History

Why this is here: The National Recording Registry now preserves a total of 700 titles, building from a collection of almost four million sound documents.

The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. added José Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” and Taylor Swift’s “1989” to its National Recording Registry. This year’s class of 25 recordings spans 70 years of music and sound. Selections must be at least ten years old and culturally, historically, or aesthetically important according to acting Librarian Robert Newlen.

The registry also includes Cuban musician Pérez Prado’s “Mambo No. 5” from 1950 and Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” from 2008. Feliciano expressed feeling blessed by the recognition of his song, which he wrote remembering his native Puerto Rico.

The library broadened its scope to include sound from video games—the soundtrack to Doom from 1993—and radio broadcasts, like the 1971 Ali vs. Frazier boxing match.

With these additions, the registry now holds 700 titles within a larger collection of nearly four million sound documents. The library continues to build this archive of American sound.