Taylor Swift’s ‘1989,’ Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’ and Records From Ray Charles, the Go-Go’s, Byrds, Weezer and Reba Inducted Into National Recording Registry

The National Recording Registry, the list of historic audio treasures compiled and added to annually by the Library of Congress, is now 25 entries richer with the addition of 25 albums, singles or broadcasts that run the gamut from Taylor Swift‘s “1989” and Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” back to Paul Anka, Ray Charles and Ruth Brown.

The Recording Registry spans the entire history of recorded sound, but only rarely does the Library of Congress see fit to induct recordings made as recently as the 21st century, so the Swift and Beyoncé entries are in rare company, being the only inductees released since 2000. The oldest entry on this year’s list is Spike Jones and His City Slickers’ novelty record “Cocktails for Two,” from 1944.

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Going back chronologically, the ’90s are represented with five entries: Reba McEntire’s “Rumor Has It,” Rosanne Cash’s “The Wheel” and Weezer’s “Weezer (The Blue Album)” (all albums); Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” a single; and Bobby Prince’s soundtrack for the videogame “Doom.”

The ’80s get four entries: the albums “Beauty and the Beat” by the Go-Go’s and “Texas Flood by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble; and the singles “I Feel For You” by Chaka Khan and “Your Love” by Jamie Principle and Frankie Knuckles.

The 1970s are represented by five inductees:  the singles “Feliz Navidad,” by José Feliciano, “Midnight Train to Georgia,” by Gladys Knight and the Pips, and “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” by the Charlie Daniels Band, plus the original Broadway cast album for “Chicago” from 1975 and a 1971 broadcast of “The Fight of the Century: Ali vs. Frazier.”

The four 1960s entries include the jazz album “The Blues and the Abstract Truth” by Oliver Nelson and the country/R&B/pop crossover classic “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music” by Ray Charles, plus the singles “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)” by the Byrds and “Amen, Brother” by the Winstons.

The ’50s get four picks (all singles): “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” by Paul Anka, “Mambo No. 5” by Pérez Prado and His Orchestra, “Teardrops from My Eyes” by Ruth Brown and “Fly Me to the Moon” — which was originally released under the title “In Other Words” by Kaye Ballard.

“The sweep and diversity of the National Recording Registry class of 2026 beautifully captures the scope of the American experience as we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Robbin Ahrold, chair of the National Recording Preservation Board, in a statement. “From icons of R&B to a holiday favorite en Español, from a legendary sports broadcast to this generation’s superstars, it is a thrilling reflection of America at its best.”

With these 25 entries, the National Recording Registry now consists of 700 recordings, all earmarked for preservation, when necessary, as well as celebration.

Several of the artists whose recordings are being inducted were interviewed on video by the Library of Congress.

““I feel extremely honored to be part of the American artists that are a part of the Library of Congress,” said Belinda Carlisle. “It’ll be great 100 years from now when someone is doing their research and they see the Go-Go’s in there. I would love that 100 years from now looking back and seeing how the personality of the band that was so important and the music was so important at that time.”

“I don’t know that there is a better feeling than knowing that women are raising their daughters and playing them the Go-Go’s,” added Jane Wiedlin. “As far as the Go-Go’s’ legacy, the biggest accomplishment is that we broke the glass ceiling. I get in a lot of arguments over this, but there is literally no other all-female band that went No. 1 on the charts, play their own instruments and write their own songs. None. That becomes more and more important as time goes on. The idea that it continues on through generations is just astounding.”

Said Chaka Khan, “‘I Feel for You’ was a moment where everything converged — Prince’s genius, Stevie (Wonder)’s harmonica, Grandmaster Melle Mel’s rap and whatever God put in me that day,. For the Library of Congress to say this recording belongs in the permanent collection of American sound heritage, that means it wasn’t just a hit, it was history. And I am so very grateful to have been part of it.”

Of “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” Vince Gill said, “I’ve been writing songs for over 50 years, and if you asked me straight up what’s the one song you’d want to be remembered for, I would pick this one, hands down. Wouldn’t even be close. In my era of success, it was probably the least charting record I’ve ever had, but what this song has gone on to do for other people is what makes it special to me. It was written, me, grieving the loss of my big brother. Truth is, I had never planned on recording it. A fellow I worked with, Tony Brown, heard the song and said, ‘You have to record it.’ I said, ‘It’s a little too personal.’ And he said, ‘No, the world should hear this song.’”

Jose Feliciano said of his Christmas classic, “All my life I’ve just wanted to share my music, making others happy, and so I feel blessed that for over 60 years, I’ve been able to do exactly that, around the world. But then unexpectedly it was ‘Feliz Navidad,’ my little carol, that came along to capture their hearts, year after year. The honor of being added into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry is beyond anything I could’ve dreamt of, and so, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you and everyone who listens to my music. I sincerely love you all.”

Recordings Selected for the National Recording Registry in 2026 (chronological order):
· “Cocktails for Two” – Spike Jones and His City Slickers (1944) (single)
· “Mambo No. 5” – Pérez Prado and His Orchestra (1950) (single)
· “Teardrops from My Eyes” – Ruth Brown (1950) (single)
· “Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)” – Kaye Ballard (1954) (single)
· “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” – Paul Anka (1959) (single)
· “The Blues and the Abstract Truth” – Oliver Nelson (1961) (album)
· “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music” – Ray Charles (1962) (album)
· “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)” – The Byrds (1965) (single)
· “Amen, Brother” – The Winstons (1969) (single)
· “Feliz Navidad” – José Feliciano (1970) (single)
· “The Fight of the Century: Ali vs. Frazier” (March 8, 1971) (broadcast)
· “Midnight Train to Georgia” – Gladys Knight and the Pips (1973) (single)
· “Chicago” Original Cast Album (1975) (album)
· “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” – The Charlie Daniels Band (1979) (single)
· “Beauty and the Beat” – The Go-Go’s (1981) (album)
· “Texas Flood” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (1983) (album)
· “I Feel For You” – Chaka Khan (1984) (single)
· “Your Love” – Jamie Principle (1986) / Jamie Principle/Frankie Knuckles (1987) (singles)
· “Rumor Has It” – Reba McEntire (1990) (album)
· “The Wheel” – Rosanne Cash (1993) (album)
· “Doom” Soundtrack – Bobby Prince, composer (1993)
· “Go Rest High On That Mountain” – Vince Gill (1994) (single)
· “Weezer (The Blue Album)” – Weezer (1994) (album)
· “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” – Beyoncé (2008) (single)
· “1989” – Taylor Swift (2014) (album)