Dr. Dre’s ‘The Chronic’ Album To Be Archived At The Library Of Congress

Andre “Dr. Dre” Young’s classic 1992 album The Chronic will be preserved at The Library Of Congress because of its “cultural, historical and aesthetic importance” to America’s recorded sound heritage. The Chronic is among the twenty-five recordings added to the National Recording Registry.

“The National Recording Registry is the evolving playlist of the American soundscape. It reflects moments in history captured through the voices and sounds of the time,” stated Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress.

Hayden continued, “We received over 800 nominations this year for culturally, historically or aesthetically significant recordings to add to the registry. As genres and formats continue to expand, the Library of Congress is committed to working with our many partners to preserve the sounds that have touched our hearts and shaped our culture.”

Under the advice from the Library’s National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), twenty-five selections were included in the latest induction class. Radio sportscasts, children’s recordings, classical, field, country, folk, jazz, pop, rap, disco, Latin, and Broadway recordings will also be archived at the Libary of Congress.

Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” single (1978), Tina Turner’s Private Dancer album (1984), Selena’s Ven Conmigo album (1990), and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” single (1992) were chosen for the 2019 National Recording Registry as well. Colin Currie’s Percussion Concerto album (2008) is the most recent recording.

Dr. Dre now has two projects in the National Recording Registry. Straight Outta Compton by the iconic rapper/producer’s former group N.W.A was added in 2016. Jay-Z’s The Blueprint, Run-DMC’s Raising Hell, De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising, Public Enemy’s Fear of a Black Planet, and Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill are the only other rap albums in the Library Of Congress’ Registry.