WASHINGTON – One of the most broadcast songs of the 20th century, Ben E. King's "Stand by Me," has been selected for preservation at the Library of Congress, along with recordings from Joan Baez, The Righteous Brothers and Radiohead.
Twenty-five sound recordings that span from 1890 to 1999 are being added Wednesday to the library's National Recording Registry. Each year the library chooses recordings that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."
Some of the unforgettable tunes being archived include "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" from 1944, Baez's first solo album and Steve Martin's "A Wild and Crazy Guy" comedy album.
The best existing versions of each recording will be housed at the library's audio-visual conservation center in a bunker in Culpeper, Virginia. They join the library's vast sound collection of nearly 3 million items.
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