Shades of Mediocrity

From Victor Herbert to Nirvana (with a bit of everything in between)

The Library of Congress has announced the 2004 additions to the National Recording Registry. The Registry, created by the National Recording
Preservation Act of 2000, is tasked with preserving the recorded cultural heritage of the United States. It identifies the best existing versions of recordings on the registry and works to preserve and provide access to them. To qualify, recordings must be culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and at least 10 years old.

This year's additions to the Registry run the gamut from jazz and blues, to gospel, to pop, classical, and hip-hop. The Registry also includes historically significant recordings of speeches and broadcasts. Some of favorites from this year's group: Ma Rainey's "See See Rider" Blues, Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'" performed by the composer, and Tom Lehrer's "Songs by Tom Lehrer." The registry's chronological range increases by almost ten years due to the inclusion of Public Enemy's "Fear of a Black Planet" and Nirvana's "Nevermind." As usual, all of the choices are absolutely unimpeachable: the musical selections are generally regarded as both historical and artistic milestones, and the speech and broadcast selections document historically important events and/or personalities. Check out the full Registry and see for yourself.

Or maybe you'd rather nominate a recording you think has special artistic and historic value. Public nominations for 2005 additions are open until July 15, and there's even a convenient online form.