The Library of Congress has announced its new additions to the National Recording Registry, and among the 25 titles inducted this year are works by Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, and Tony-winning composer Charlie Smalls.
The registry comprises titles that are at least ten years old and are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Streisand’s debut single “People,” originally from the musical Funny Girl, is included in this year’s picks. “I believe ‘People’ touched our common desire to relate to others with love and caring, and I’ve always tried to express this in my renditions of this magical song,” said Streisand in a statement. “This is the prestigious treasure house in which American art is archived and acknowledged as part of the flow of our nation’s culture.”
Also added to the registry is Judy Garland’s 1939 single of “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz, the original 1975 Broadway cast recording of The Wiz, and Grammy-winning opera star Renée Fleming’s 1997 album, Signatures: Great Opera Scenes.
The complete list, which also includes Don McLean’s “American Pie,” Judy Collins’ “Amazing Grace,” and Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family,” can be found at loc.gov.
Additional musical theatre recordings that have been added in past years include the original cast albums of Kiss Me, Kate; Sweeney Todd; Cradle Will Rock; Oklahoma!; and Porgy and Bess.
