Library of Congress picks classics by John Lennon, Madonna and more for the National Recording Registry

The Library of Congress has chosen 25 new recordings to join the National Recording Registry, including classics by John Lennon, Madonna, Led Zeppelin, Mariah Carey and more.

Songs chosen for preservation based on their “cultural, historical or aesthetic importance” include Lennon’s “Imagine,” Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville,” Eurhythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” “Flashdance…What A Feeling” by Irene Cara, and “What The World Needs Now is Love,” recorded by Del Shannon and co-written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

Albums chosen this year include Madonna’s Like A Virgin, The Police’s Synchronicity and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s Déjà Vu.

“The National Recording Registry preserves our history through recorded sound and reflects our nation’s diverse culture,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden shares. “The national library is proud to help ensure these recordings are preserved for generations to come, and we welcome the public’s input on what songs, speeches, podcasts or recorded sounds we should preserve next.” She notes, “We received more than 1,100 public nominations this year for recordings to add to the registry.”

With the new additions, the National Recording Registry titles are now at 625, part of a recorded sound collection of about 4 million items.