The Library of Congress has chosen to preserve music from Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Weezer.
On Thursday, the National Recording Registry inducted 25 recordings, including Swift’s 1989 and Bey’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” the only 21st-century selections in the 2026 class.
Swift's fifth studio album, 1989, released in 2014, produced three No. 1 singles: “Shake It Off," “Blank Space," and “Bad Blood.” It went on to win album of the year and best pop vocal album at the Grammys.
Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" arrived in 2008 and was also a No. 1 hit, winning three Grammy Awards in 2010, including song of the year.
According to a press release from the Library of Congress, the 25 additions bring the Registry's total to 700 titles drawn from the Library of Congress's recorded sound collection of almost 4 million items.
The 2026 class spans a wide range of artists, including Chaka Khan, The Go-Go’s, Ray Charles, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Reba McEntire, among others.
Khan commented on her inclusion in the Registry, explaining that her version of “I Feel for You” represented “a moment where everything converged,” per Pitchfork.
“Prince’s genius, Stevie’s harmonica, Grandmaster Melle Mel’s rap, and whatever God put in me that day,” she said. “For the Library of Congress to say this recording belongs in the permanent collection of American sound heritage, that means it wasn’t just a hit, it was history. And I am so very grateful to have been part of it.”
