August 13, 2024

Congressman Castro Kicks Off Third Annual Call for Latino Music Nominations to the National Recording Registry

SAN ANTONIO — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a longtime champion for Latino representation in American arts and entertainment, announced that his office is now accepting suggestions from the public for Latino songs and albums to shape his 2024 nominations to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.

“From the earliest days of recorded sound, Latino musicians have made incredible contributions to the soundtrack of American life. My annual National Recording Registry nominations list is more than a playlist – it’s a love letter to the musical culture that has brought joy to millions of people over the generations,” said Congressman Castro. “Over the last two years, my office has received hundreds of suggestions for brilliant songs and albums from Latino musicians who topped the charts and transformed their genres. As we kick off this year’s nomination process, I hope music lovers of all ages will help me build a multigenerational nomination list that showcases the range and excellence of Latino music and sound.”

Both songs and albums can be submitted by visiting Castro.House.gov/music. To qualify for nomination, selections must be at least ten years old. Submissions must be submitted by Thursday, August 22 at 11:59 pm CT to be eligible for Congressman Castro’s official nomination.

The National Recording Registry was established by the U.S. Congress in 2000 with a mission to preserve sounds and recordings with cultural, historic, or aesthetic significance to life in the United States. Every year, the National Recording Preservation Board selects 25 additional recordings to preserve in the National Recording Registry.

As of 2024, the National Recording Registry includes 650 recordings. Less than five percent of current recordings can be attributed to Latino and Hispanic Americans, who make up nearly 20 percent of the population of the United States. For the last two years, Congressman Castro has submitted annual Registry nomination lists to increase the visibility of Latino recording artists who should be considered for inclusion.

Since Congressman Castro began submitting nomination lists in 2022, the National Recording Preservation Board has inducted four of his selections – Juan Gabriel’s “Amor Eterno” (1990), Héctor Lavoe’s “El Cantante” (1978), Irene Cara’s “Flashdance…What A Feeling” (1983), and Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” (2004), the latter of which made history as the first Reggaeton song to be preserved in the National Recording Registry.