Disco Anthem 'Saturday Night Fever' One Of 25 Songs Added To Library Of Congress National Recording Register

Disco Anthem 'Saturday Night Fever' One Of 25 Songs Added To Library Of Congress National Recording Register

As part of a diligent plan to preserve and document American musical culture, Saturday Night Fever - the song that not only soundtracked one of the most popular films of the 1970s starring John Travolta but also came to define the disco era – has been added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. Washington Post reports that 25 songs have now been added to the ever-growing library of audio recordings, recognized for their “cultural, artistic and historic importance” with a view to preserving them for future generations.

In addition to Saturday Night Fever, the Simon & Garfunkel classic ‘Sounds of Silence’ has also been committed to the library, as have Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon,’ and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s ‘South Pacific.’ It’s not all musical content though; a D-Day recording made by radio journalist George Hicks has also been added, in order to preserve that historic moment. The Librarian of Congress, James H Billington has selected 25 recordings, on an annual basis, since 2002, advised by the National Preservation Board.

In a statement, Billington said “Congress created the National Recording Registry to celebrate the richness and variety of our audio heritage and to underscore our responsibility for long-term preservation, to assure that legacy can be appreciated and studied for generations.” This year’s additions span in age from 1918 to 1980 and include The Ramones’ debut album and the landmark collaboration between the composer Philip Glass and the theater director Robert Wilson, for ‘Einstein on the Beach.’ 

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