Key Takeaways
- Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” Chaka Khan’s “I Feel for You,” and Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music are part of the 2026 National Recording Registry class.
- The Library of Congress selected 25 recordings this year from more than 3,000 nominations spanning genres and decades.
- The 1993 Doom soundtrack became only the third video game recording ever inducted into the registry.
Beyoncé, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and plenty more are now part of the Library of Congress' “national playlist.” On Thursday (May 14) morning, the National Recording Registry announced its 2026 inductees, which includes 25 songs and albums spanning various genres and decades.
Out of more than 3,000 nominations, Queen Bey’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” Chaka Khan’s 1984 hit “I Feel for You,” and Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music were selected. Other notable additions include Taylor Swift’s 2014 album 1989, the Christmas classic “Feliz Navidad,” Ruth Brown’s “Teardrops from My Eyes,” and The Winstons’ “Amen, Brother.”
"The sweep and diversity of the National Recording Registry class of 2026 beautifully captures the scope of the American experience as we celebrate our nation's 250th anniversary," Robbin Ahrold, chair of the National Recording Preservation Board, said in a statement via the organization’s website. "From icons of R&B to a holiday favorite en Español, from a legendary sports broadcast to this generation's superstars, it is a thrilling reflection of America at its best."
See the announcement post below, then keep scrolling for more details on the full 2026 inductee class.
Who else joined the Library of Congress' national registry?
Other classics joining the registry include Gladys Knight and the Pips’ “Midnight Train to Georgia" and The Go-Go’s debut album, Beauty and the Beat. Interestingly, 1993’s Doom soundtrack marked only the third time in history that video game music has been added to the Library of Congress.
Although it’s technically the first time records from Beyoncé or Swift have been selected by the National Recording Registry, both women are obviously no strangers to making history (or making hits!). In 2024, the “Crazy in Love” singer became the female artist with the most RIAA-certified titles, with a massive 103 total under her belt at the time. Just last year, Forbes named the two superstars among the highest-paid musicians.