Showing a keen sense of musical value, the National Recording Registry has announced plans to preserve Radiohead‘s 1997 game-changer OK Computer in the Library of Congress.
The NRPB (National Recording Preservation Board) annually choose 25 recordings that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and at least ten years old. With the absolute masterpiece of Radiohead’s pre-Kid A digital paranoia being added, the Registry gets a definite quality boost among its ranks.
Radiohead in the studio: Photos emerge
Other recordings given the honor this year include the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin,” Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the Doors’ self-titled 1967 debut, Joan Baez’s Joan Baez, Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate, a 1953 jazz rendition of “My Funny Valentine” by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring Chet Bakerand, and more. The press release explains further:
The selections for the 2014 registry bring the total number of recordings on the registry to 425, a small part of the Library’s vast recorded-sound collection of nearly 3 million items.
Also making the annual list were Sly and the Family Stone’s Stand! (from 1969), 20 songs compiled in 1995’s Sesame Street: All-Time Platinum Favorites, and other spoken-word recordings including Steve Martin’s second comedy album A Wild and Crazy Guy.
If by some crazy horrible circumstance you’re unfamiliar with OK Computer, have a full listen below and thank us later.