Music News

The Doors, Joan Baez, Radiohead Added to National Recording Registry

The_Doors_1968
The Doors

25 albums have just been selected for inclusion into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. These include The Doors’ 1967 classic self-titled album, Radiohead’s 1997 opus OK Computer, and Joan Baez’ 1960 record, Joan Baez. The list is a fairly diverse one which includes Stave Martin’s 1978 LP A Wild and Crazy Guy along with Lemon Jefferson’s late-20s blues single “Black Snake Moan.” While nearly every decade has been well represented from the 1890’s onward, there were no additions from the 1980s that were considered worthy of inclusion this go around.

In regards to why The Doors was picked the Library of Congress said, “The Doors as a rock group was an unusual assemblage – a jazz keyboardist, a flamenco guitarist, a jazz drummer and a poet vocalist – that somehow coalesced into a band with a sound unlike that of its peers.” It is difficult to argue with that, as nearly 50 years later it is still difficult to find a record that sounds like it.

When explaining the rationale behind choosing OK Computer, they said: “On their third album, Radiohead create an information-age dystopia characterized by psychopaths, corrupt politicians, ill-behaved consumers, tyrannical robots, airline disasters, car crashes and failed safety protocols. For the album, the band had mostly stripped away such alt-rock signposts as personalized lyrics, sinus-clearing guitars and thunderous bass and drums. The ghosts of the Pixies and Nirvana have been decisively exorcised.” Somehow they have been able to put words to the abstract themes of that album in a concrete and stimulating manner. Check out the full list here.

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