Dr. Dre’s The Chronic album is set to be archived in the US Library of Congress, joining other works worthy of preservation based on the merit of cultural, historical, and aesthetic importance.
This honour is not to be taken as lightly as the novelty of this entire concept suggests. Being the largest library in the world housing over 168 million items, the US Library of Congress is dedicated to ensuring certain milestones of civilisation are recorded for future generations.
Apparently, the decision makers behind the National Recording Registry are of the same opinion as us everyday folk – deeming the iconic gangster rap album that is The Chronic as such a cultural, historical, and aesthetic milestone. Dre’s debut studio release will join the ranks of The Blueprint by Jay-Z, Raising Hell by Run-DMC, Purple Rain by Prince, Rumours by Fleetwood Mac, and many more.
And to double down on the whole finger-on-the-pulse aspect of the National Recording Registry intended to “… [reflect] moments in history captured through the voices and sounds of the time…”, The Chronic album will join a curated induction cohort for 2020 currently known as the ultimate “Stay At Home Playlist“. Whether or not this selection really holds up for the specific purposes of staying at home we’ll leave entirely up to you.
Check out the full 2020 induction cohort AKA what is supposedly the ultimate “Stay At Home Playlist” below.
- “Whispering” (single) – Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra (1920)
- “Protesta per Sacco e Vanzetti” – Compagnia Columbia; “Sacco e Vanzetti” – Raoul Romito (1927)
- “La Chicharronera” (single) – Narciso Martinez and Santiago Almeida (1936)
- “Arch Oboler’s Plays” episode “The Bathysphere.” (Nov. 18, 1939)
- “Me and My Chauffeur Blues” (single) – Memphis Minnie (1941)
- The 1951 National League tiebreaker: New York Giants vs. Brooklyn Dodgers — Russ Hodges, announcer (Oct. 3, 1951)
- Puccini’s Tosca (album) – Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Angelo Mercuriali, Tito Gobbi, Melchiorre Luise, Dario Caselli, Victor de Sabata (1953)
- “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh” (single) – Allan Sherman (1963)
- WGBH broadcast of the Boston Symphony on the day of the John F. Kennedy assassination, Boston Symphony Orchestra (1963)
- Fiddler on the Roof (album) – original Broadway cast (1964)
- “Make the World Go Away” (single) – Eddy Arnold (1965)
- Hiromi Lorraine Sakata Collection of Afghan Traditional Music (1966-67; 1971-73)
- “Wichita Lineman” (single) – Glen Campbell (1968)
- Dusty in Memphis (album) – Dusty Springfield (1969)
- Mister Rogers Sings 21 Favorite Songs From Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (album) – Fred Rogers (1973)
- Cheap Trick at Budokan (album) – Cheap Trick (1978)
- Holst: Suite No. 1 in E-Flat, Suite No. 2 in F / Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks / Bach: Fantasia in G (Special Edition Audiophile Pressing album) – Frederick Fennell and the Cleveland Symphonic Winds (1978)
- “Y.M.C.A.” (single) – Village People (1978)
- A Feather on the Breath of God (album) – Gothic Voices; Christopher Page, conductor; Hildegard von Bingen, composer (1982)
- Private Dancer (album) – Tina Turner (1984)
- Ven Conmigo (album) – Selena (1990)
- The Chronic (album) – Dr. Dre (1992)
- “I Will Always Love You” (single) – Whitney Houston (1992)
- Concert in the Garden (album) – Maria Schneider Orchestra (2004)
- Percussion Concerto (album) – Colin Currie (2008)
For some other suggestions re: lockdown activities, feel free to work your way through this list of 101 things as prescribed by BH.
