Billy Joel, Supremes, Metallica, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ join National Recording Registry

The Library of Congress released its annual list of additions to the National Recording Registry. The list includes iconic pop songs from Billy Joel, The Supremes and Gloria Gaynor, as well as the soundtrack to the film A Streetcar Named Desire.

There are also plenty of unconventional additions. For example, the Library will preserve the broadcast of Wilt Chamberlain’s unforgettable 100-point game on March 2, 1962. The game, which was played in Hershey, Pennsylvania instead of Philadelphia, was not televised, so the recording of Bill Campbell’s radio call is the only audio document of the entire game. The only reason why the broadcast survives is because of Jim Trelease, a college student who recorded a rebroadcast of the game.

The oldest recording joining the registry is the Columbia Quartet’s 1911 recording of “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” One of the earliest jazz recordings, “Wild Cat Blues,” by Clarence Williams’ Blue Five, was also added.

Film fans will be excited to see that Alex North’s score of A Streetcar Named Desire was added to the list.

Some of the full albums added include John Coltrane’s iconic A Love Supreme, Buffy Sainte-Marie’s It’s My Way, Santana’s Abraxas and George Carlin’s Class Clown.

A group of legendary singles that we can’t go a week without hearing even today also joined the list. They are Joel’s “Piano Man,” “Where Did Our Love Go” by the Supremes, the Impressions’ “People Get Ready” and Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.” The most recent song added was Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” from 1986.

The Library’s National Recording Preservation Board picks 25 recordings each year to add to the list. Since 2000, 450 recordings have been added.

Here's the full list:

"Let Me Call You Sweetheart"—Columbia Quartette (The Peerless Quartet) (1911)
"Wild Cat Blues"—Clarence Williams' Blue Five (1923)
"Statesboro Blues"—Blind Willie McTell (1928)
"Bonaparte's Retreat"—W.H. Stepp (1937)
Mahler Symphony No. 9—Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Bruno Walter, conductor. (1938)
"Carousel of American Music"—George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, Johnny Mercer, Arthur Freed, Shelton Brooks, Hoagy Carmichael, others (September 24, 1940)
"Vic and Sade"—Episode: "Decoration Day." (June 4, 1937) Radio
The "Marshall Plan" Speech—George C. Marshall (June 5, 1947)
"Destination Freedom"—Episodes: "A Garage in Gainesville" and "Execution Awaited" (September 25, October 2, 1949)
Original soundtrack from "A Streetcar Named Desire"—Alex North, composer. (1951)
"Cry Me a River"—Julie London (1955)
"Mack the Knife" (singles)—Louis Armstrong (1956); Bobby Darin (1959).
Fourth-quarter radio coverage of Wilt Chamberlin's 100-point game (Philadelphia Warriors vs. New York Knicks)—Bill Campbell, announcer (March 2, 1962)
"A Love Supreme"—John Coltrane (1964)
"It's My Way"—Buffy Sainte-Marie (1964) (album)
"Where Did Our Love Go" (single)—The Supremes (1964)
"People Get Ready" (single)—The Impressions (1965)
"Mama Tried" (single)—Merle Haggard (1968)
"Abraxas"—Santana (1970)
"Class Clown"—George Carlin (1972)
"Robert and Clara Schumann Complete Piano Trios"—The Beaux Arts Trio (1972)
"Piano Man" (single)—Billy Joel (1973)
"Bogalusa Boogie"—Clifton Chenier (1976)
"I Will Survive"—Gloria Gaynor (1978)
"Master of Puppets"—Metallica (1986)