Albums by Jefferson Airplane, ABBA, Blondie, The Cars, Green Day, and The Chicks are among 25 historic recordings that the Library of Congress has inducted into its National Recording Registry for 2024.
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Each year, the Library of Congress chooses 25 audio works to add to the registry based on their “cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.”
[RELATED: Songs by John Lennon, Madonna Among 2023 National Recording Registry Class]
Among this year’s inductees are Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow, ABBA’s Arrival, The Cars’ self-titled debut, Blondie’s Parallel Lines, Green Day’s Dookie, and The Chicks’ Wide Open Spaces.
About Surrealistic Pillow
Released in 1967, Surrealistic Pillow was the Jefferson Airplane breakthrough album. The record reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and featured the psychedelic band’s two biggest hits—“White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love.”
In a recent interview with the Library of Congress, Jefferson Airplane lead guitarist Jorma Kaukonen recalled his band’s attitude around the time of Surrealistic Pillow’s release.
“We thought that we invented sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll,” he said. “{W]e might have invented some rock ‘n’ roll, but I don’t think we had much to do with inventing the other two.”
About Arrival
Arrival was ABBA’s fourth album. The 1976 release featured the Swedish pop greats’ chart-topping smash “Dancing Queen,” as well as the Top-20 hits “Fernando” and “Knowing Me, Knowing You.”
About The Cars
The Cars established themselves as one of the premiere rock bands of the New Wave era with their debut album. It was packed with enduring tunes, including “Good Times Roll,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Just What I Needed,” “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight,” “Bye Bye Love,” and “Moving in Stereo.”
About Parallel Lines
Parallel Lines was Blondie’s third album, and it made the New York-based band stars. The 1978 record featured the chart-topping New Wave/disco hit “Heart of Glass,” as well as such other classic tunes as “Hanging on the Telephone,” “One Way or Another,” and “Sunday Girl.”
In an interview with the Library Congress, Blondie singer Debbie Harry recalled with amusement how the band’s record label initially reacted to Parallel Lines.
“When we handed in this album, the record company didn’t like it,” she explained. “They didn’t hear any hits.”
About Dookie
Released in 1994, Dookie was Green Day’s third album, and propelled the pop-punk band to stardom. The record featured four major alternative-rock hits—“Longview,” “Basket Case,” “Welcome to Paradise,” and “When I Come Around.”
In an interview with Library of Congress, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong explained that he and his bandmates had hoped to establish a career that would allow them “to be able to play music together for the rest of our lives.”
He added, “That’s quite a goal when you’re 20 or 21 years old. But … we’ve managed to do it, and it’s just been an amazing journey so far.”
About Wide Open Spaces
Wide Open Spaces was the fourth album released by The Dixie Chicks, as the country group was known then, and the first to feature longtime lead singer Natalie Maines. The 1998 album boasted three No. 1 hits on the country chart—”There’s Your Trouble,” the title track, and “You Were Mine.”
Other Albums Chosen for Induction in 2024
Among the other albums also honored this year by the Library of Congress are Lily Tomlin’s 1971 comedy record This is a Recording, J.D. Crowe & the New South’s 1975 self-titled album, the Kronos Quartet’s Pieces of Africa, and The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die.
Songs Inducted into the National Recording Registry
The new list of inductees also features a variety memorable songs. Among the tunes are “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Gene Autry, “Tennessee Waltz” by Patti Page, “Chances Are” by Johnny Mathis, “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers, and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin.
Here is a full list of the 2024 National Recording Registry inductees:
“Clarinet Marmalade” – Lt. James Reese Europe’s 369th U.S. Infantry Band (1919) (single)
“Kauhavan Polkka” – Viola Turpeinen and John Rosendahl (1928) (single)
Wisconsin Folksong Collection (1937-1946) (collection)
“Rose Room” – Benny Goodman Sextet with Charlie Christian (1939) (single)
“Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” – Gene Autry (1949) (single)
“Tennessee Waltz” – Patti Page (1950) (single)
“Rocket ‘88’” – Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (1951) (single)
“Catch a Falling Star”/“Magic Moments” – Perry Como (1957) (single)
“Chances Are” – Johnny Mathis (1957) (single)
The Sidewinder – Lee Morgan (1964) (album)
Surrealistic Pillow – Jefferson Airplane (1967) (album)
“Ain’t No Sunshine” – Bill Withers (1971) (single)
This is a Recording – Lily Tomlin (1971) (album)
J.D. Crowe & the New South – J.D. Crowe & the New South (1975) (album)
Arrival – ABBA (1976) (album)
“El Cantante” – Héctor Lavoe (1978) (single)
The Cars – The Cars (1978) (album)
Parallel Lines – Blondie (1978) (album)
“La-Di-Da-Di” – Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick (MC Ricky D) (1985) (single)
“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” – Bobby McFerrin (1988) (single)
“Amor Eterno” – Juan Gabriel (1990) (single)
Pieces of Africa – Kronos Quartet (1992) (album)
Dookie – Green Day (1994) (album)
Ready to Die – The Notorious B.I.G. (1994) (album)
Wide Open Spaces – The Chicks (1998) (album)
