The Notorious B.I.G., Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick and more join the 2024 National Recording Registry

Artists were selected based on the historical and cultural impact of their music on society and in the industry.

Recordings from the Notorious B.I.G., Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Bobby McFerrin and other influential Black artists have been selected as inductees to the National Recording Registry.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced on Tuesday the selected 25 records that earned the esteemed recognition and preservation. The selections include several music genres ranging from jazz, rap, pop, dance, Latin, country, rock, classical and bluegrass.

“The Library of Congress is proud to preserve the sounds of American history and our diverse culture through the National Recording Registry,” Hayden said in a statement. “We have selected audio treasures worthy of preservation with our partners this year, including a wide range of music from the past 100 years, as well as comedy. We were thrilled to receive a record number of public nominations, and we welcome the public’s input on what we should preserve next.”

Biggie’s first album, “Ready to Die,” was included as one of several debut projects inducted into the registry. The Library of Congress recognized popular songs from the rapper’s album, such as “Juicy” and “Big Poppa,” for their cultural significance in hip-hop and record-breaking numbers on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick’s single, “La-Di-Da-Di,” was another landmark recording recognized for its place in music history as one of the most sampled recordings of all time. Additionally, Bobby McFerrin’s 1988 single “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” joins the registry for its critical acclaim and reach across past and current generations. 

The chosen titles span from 1919 to 1998. The Library of Congress selects 25 titles each year that are at least 10 years old and are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The added songs increased the National Recording Registry to 650 recordings.

Other Black artists selected were Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cat’s “Rocket ’88′” (1951), Johnny Mathis’ “Chances Are” (1957), Lt. James Reese Europe’s 369th U.S. Infantry Band “Clarinet Marmalade” (1919) and Lee Morgan “The Sidewinder” (1964). Click here for the complete list of inductees.

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