National Recording Registry adds "Nevermind" ... (also "Pet Sounds", "Live At The Apollo", "Giant Steps", "Lovesick Blues", "Star Wars" soundtrack, and others)

Registry recognizes Nirvana's unique role
Librarian of Congress names 'Nevermind' for recording honor

By CHARLES POPE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON -- With its sculptures, Italian Renaissance architecture and hushed tones, the Library of Congress would seem far removed from the world of grunge rock and Nirvana.

Think again.

The anti-establishment music made famous by the band has been officially recognized by the buttoned-down librarian of Congress as one of the nation's most "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" sound recordings.

Specifically, Librarian of Congress James Billington has included Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind on the National Recording Registry, a mechanism Congress created in 2000 to preserve the nation's unique and important recordings.

Since the law passed, the library has added 50 songs and recordings each year for the past three years. The public can submit nominees but the final list is assembled and finalized by the librarian of Congress with help from an advisory panel. The goal, according to the library, is to maintain a slice of the "the richness and variety of the nation's audio legacy."

That's why Nevermind> was added, though fans of Nirvana and its frontman, Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide at his Seattle home on April 15, 1994, probably would agree that official government recognition is the last thing the band would want or embrace.

Rock historians, however, say Nevermind deserves the recognition. It is the seminal recording that propelled Seattle onto the national music scene and burst Nirvana and its troubled leader Cobain into the limelight. Rolling Stone summarized Nevermind as "a dynamic mix of sizzling power chords, manic energy and sonic restraint. ... Nirvana erects sturdy melodic structures." And the single, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," remains a rock icon. Rolling Stone ranked it No. 9 on its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

In explaining its decision, the Library of Congress said, "This surprising chart-buster from a grunge band from Aberdeen, Wash., brought to the public's attention a new, heavily distorted sound that would catch on and prove an enduring influence in rock. Characterized by raw vocals, driving rhythms and surprising shifts in dynamics, the record resonated with America's youth and climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard charts, selling more than 10 million copies."

Nevermind was among the 50 recordings announced for this year, a a diverse list that includes:

* Swanee, Al Jolson (1920)

* NBC radio's coverage of Charles A. Lindbergh's arrival and reception in Washington, D.C. (1927)

In the Mood by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (1939)

Edward R. Murrow's broadcast from London (1940)

Lovesick Blues by Hank Williams (1949)

Giant Steps, John Coltrane (1959)

Live at the Apollo, James Brown (1965)

Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys (1966)

The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East (1971)

Star Wars (soundtrack), John Williams (1977)

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