It's fantastic to see C418, AKA Daniel Rosenfeld, take a place of honor alongside Elton John, Chicago and the Steve Miller Band, all in this year's National Recording Registry honors. His soundtrack to Minecraft is among the classics being inducted into the Library of Congress. The movie is a big hit, this week, but I doubt the soundtrack will stick with me quite so long as Rosenfeld's odd minimalist ambient one has.
The recording from Minecraft is only the second video game soundtrack to join the registry, following the theme from Super Mario Brothers, selected in 2023.
"This year's National Recording Registry list is an honor roll of superb American popular music from the wide-ranging repertoire of our great nation, from Hawaii to Nashville, from iconic jazz tracks to smash Broadway musicals, from Latin superstars to global pop sensations – a parade of indelible recordings spanning more than a century," said Robbin Ahrold, chair of the National Recording Preservation Board.
Here's the full list:
"Aloha 'Oe" – Hawaiian Quintette (1913) (single)
"Sweet Georgia Brown" – Brother Bones & His Shadows (1949) (single)
"Happy Trails" – Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (1952) (single)
Radio Broadcast of Game 7 of the 1960 World Series – Chuck Thompson (1960)
Harry Urata Field Recordings (1960-1980)
"Hello Dummy!"– Don Rickles (1968) (album)
"Chicago Transit Authority" – Chicago (1969) (album)
"Bitches Brew" – Miles Davis (1970) (album)
"Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'" – Charley Pride (1971) (single)
"I Am Woman" – Helen Reddy (1972) (single)
"El Rey" – Vicente Fernandez (1973) (single)
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" – Elton John (1973) (album)
"Before the Next Teardrop Falls" – Freddy Fender (1975) (single)
"I've Got the Music in Me" – Thelma Houston & Pressure Cooker (1975) (album)
"The Kӧln Concert" – Keith Jarrett (1975) (album)
"Fly Like an Eagle" – Steve Miller Band (1976) (album)
Nimrod Workman Collection (1973-1994)
"Tracy Chapman" – Tracy Chapman (1988) (album)
"My Life" – Mary J. Blige (1994) (album)
Microsoft Windows Reboot Chime – Brian Eno (1995)
"My Heart Will Go On" – Celine Dion (1997) (single)
"Our American Journey" – Chanticleer (2002) (album)
"Back to Black" – Amy Winehouse (2006) (album)
"Minecraft: Volume Alpha" – Daniel Rosenfeld (2011) (album)
"Hamilton" – Original Broadway Cast Album (2015) (album)
Previously:
• First-ever reggaeton track in Library of Congress audio history library: Daddy Yankee's 'Gasolina'
• Allee Willis — genius behind 'Friends' theme song, finally gets her incredible story told
• Super Mario Bros. theme added to Library of Congress
