SAN ANTONIO — In an effort to highlight the nation’s culturally diverse audio legacy, Congressman Joaquin Castro has released his annual nominations list of 30 songs, sounds and albums by Latino voices that he hopes to be preserved in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.
The National Recording Registry was established by Congress in 2000, designed to preserve the sounds and recordings with cultural, historic or aesthetic significance. To be eligible for the registry, a recording must be at least 10 years old.
The registry, according to Castro’s office, currently includes 650 recordings – with less than 5% by Latinos.
Congressman Castro solicited public feedback, receiving hundreds of suggestions from across the country and the world in order to ensure the nomination list reflects a wide range of music, genres and generations.
Among the list of submitted recordings are some of the most recognizable tunes in the Latino community from Tejano (Selena’s 1994 album “Amor Prohibido” and Bobby Pulido’s 1995 debut album “Desvelado”), to Merengue (“Suavemente” by Elvis Crespo), Norteña (“La Chona” by Los Tucanes de Tijuana), Ranchera (Vicente Fernandez’s “Volver, Volver”) and more.
For the first time, Castro’s nomination list includes a radio recording to honor the first full-time Spanish language radio broadcast in the U.S. which aired on KCOR/KWEX in San Antonio.
“I remain committed to our mutual goal of ensuring that the National Recording Preservation Board’s selections reflect our diverse American culture,” Castro wrote in his nomination letter.
Since Castro began submitting his nomination lists in 2022, four of his nominated artists have been inducted by the National Recording Preservation Board. The inductees include: Juan Gabriel’s “Amor Eterno,” Hector Lavoe’s “El Cantante,” Irene Cara’s “Flashdance…What A Feeling,” and Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” – making history as the first Reggaeton song to be preserved in the National Recording Registry.
The 2025 class of inductees will be announced early next year.
See Congressman Castro’s full nominations list below:
1. First Full Time Spanish-Language Radio Station Broadcast in the United States based in San Antonio, TX (formerly KCOR-TV and later known as KWEX-TC) (1946) (Broadcast)
2. The Hamilton Mixtape – Lin-Manuel Miranda (2009) (Song)
3. Amor Prohibido – Selena (1994) (Album)
4. Before the Next Teardrop Falls – Freddy Fender (1974) (Song)
5. Diamonds and Rust – Joan Baez (1975) (Album)
6. Suavemente – Elvis Crespo (1999) (Song)
7. Caminos Chuecos – Sunny and The Sunglows (1963) (Song)
8. Volver, Volver – Vicente Fernández (1972) (Song)
9. Cien Años – Pedro Infante (1953) (Song)
10. Desvelado – Bobby Pulido (1995) (Album)
11. Don Luis El Tejano – Latin Breed (1991) (Song)
12. Las Nubes – Little Joe y La Familia (1972) (Song)
13. Feliz Navidad – José Feliciano (1970) (Song)
14. La Chona – Los Tucanes De Tijuana (1995) (Song)
15. Cosas del Amor – Vikki Carr (1998) (Song)
16. Maria Maria – Santana ft. The Product G&B (1999) (Song)
17. Tu Pum Pum – El General (1989) (Song)
18. Chilanga Banda – Café Tacvba (1996) (Song)
19. Mambo No. 5 – Perez Prado (1952) (Song)
20. Hips Don’t Lie – Shakira (2005) (Song)
21. Rinconcito En El Cielo – Ramón Ayala (2001) (Song)
22. Genie in a Bottle – Christina Aguilera (1999) (Song)
23. Regalo del Alma – Celia Cruz (2003) (Album)
24. Introducing Johnny Rodriguez – Johnny Rodriguez (1971) (Album)
25. Blue Bayou– Linda Ronstadt (1977) (Song)
26. Romance – Luis Miguel (1991) (Album)
27. Simplemente Amigos – Ana Gabriel (1988) (Song)
28. Conga – Gloria Estefan, Miami Sound Machine (1992) (Song)
29. The Last – Aventura (2009) (Album)
30. Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill (1991) (Album)
“To achieve the desired rich audio legacy for future generations, it is essential to continue to appropriately include and celebrate the contributions of Latino artists and broadcasters,” said Castro.
