US Library of Congress also adds Blondie's ‘Parallel Lines’ to the National Recording Registry.
The US Library of Congress has finalised its annual list of albums to be preserved for posterity, with Green Day and Blondie making the cut this year.
Green Day’s breakout smash ‘Dookie’ was selected as one of the “defining sounds of history and culture”.
The 1994 album was the band’s third, and their first for a major label, and its success heralded the 90s pop-punk boom, with it going on to sell around 20 million copies to date.
“Say whaaattttt?” the band commented on social media, adding: “What an honour.”
Alongside ‘Dookie’ the punk community is also represented in this year’s National Recording Registry intake by Blondie’s 1978 landmark ‘Parallel Lines’.
Also Blondie’s third long-player, ‘Parallel Lines’ saw the New York band’s style coalesce into a robust punk-influenced power-pop that spawned international pop hits like the disco-inflected ‘Heart of Glass’ and the 60s pop stylings of ‘Sunday Girl’.
The Library of Congress selects recordings if they are deemed “audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time”, a high watermark that’s based on their “cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in [America’s] recorded sound heritage”.
In addition to Green Day and Blondie the ‘class of 2024’ also includes ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’, Perry Como’s ‘Catch a Falling Star’/‘Magic Moments’, Gene Autry’s ‘Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer’, and Bobby McFerrin’s ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said: “The Library of Congress is proud to preserve the sounds of American history and our diverse culture through the National Recording Registry. We have selected audio treasures worthy of preservation.”
Previous albums added to the Registry include Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’, Sonic Youth’s ‘Daydream Nation’, Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’, Talking Heads’ ‘Remain in Light’, The Police’s ‘Synchronicity’, Patti Smith’s ‘Horses’ and the Ramones’ first album.
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Soul Asylum, London Tufnell Park Dome, 9th June 2026
It’s crazy to think that, back in the day, Soul Asylum played Brixton Academy off the back of their 1992 breakthrough album ‘Grave Dancers Union’
Live review: Buzzcocks still rocking the boat and making waves!
Marking their 50th anniversary with a Punk cruise on the Dixie Queen, Buzzcocks sailed down the River Thames in London on 5/6/2026, making this one
Live Review: UK punk pioneer Michelle Brigandage’s first concert in the Netherlands in 43 years
On 28 May 2026, London punk legends Brigandage, joined by Dutch punk veterans Rubber Gun, put on a great show in Arnhem, The Netherlands!
<div
Live review: Die Toten Hosen Start Their Summer of Concerts in Prague & Milan
New songs, surprise setlist changes, rare classics and unforgettable moments marked the opening shows of Die Toten Hosen’s 2026 tour in Prague and Milan! Florian
Album review: La Famiglia – ‘Alphabet Mafia’
Punk and hardcore, at their best, have always been outsiders’ music; by and for people who never quite fit in with the rest. Melbourne-based hardcore
Peace Of Mind/Overpower, London Blue Monk, 5th June 2026
Tonight’s bill features four great metallic hardcore bands, so it’s a shame that the turnout could be better. That said, such is the passion on
An occasional writer on punk rock.
Click on Dom’s photo for more of his articles
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
