What do Janet Jackson, Nas and Kermit the Frog have in common?
All have been inducted into national recording registry
Janet Jackson’s socially conscious album “Rhythm Nation 1814,” Louis Armstrong’s jazzy “When the Saints Go Marching In” and Nas’ debut release, “Illmatic,” are among 25 recordings being inducted to the National Recording Registry
he Library of Congress announced Wednesday that Labelle’s song “Lady Marmalade” and Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration” are some of the titles tapped for preservation this year. The national library chose a few more memorable titles including Kermit the Frog’s “The Rainbow Connection.”
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said they received about 900 public nominations this year for recordings to add to the registry.
“The National Recording Registry will preserve our history through these vibrant recordings of music and voices that have reflected our humanity and shaped our culture from the past 143 years,” Hayden said in a statement.
The library selects titles for preservation because of their cultural and historic importance to the American soundscape. The titles have to be at least 10 years old.
The registry is adding the 1941 Christmas Eve radio broadcast by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Others that made the list include the soap-opera theme song, “The Guiding Light,” Connie Smith’s single “Once a Day” and Albert King’s album “Born Under a Bad Sign.”
Phil Rizzuto’s 1961 radio play-by-play of Roger Maris’ 61st home run — which surpassed Babe Ruth’s previous record — was also added to the registry.
Disney deals cinemas another setback
The Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday overhauled its upcoming film release plans, postponing some of its biggest films and shifting Marvel’s “Black Widow,” among other titles, to Disney+ the same time they arrive in theaters.
“Black Widow,” once planned to debut in May 2020, had been set to kickoff the summer movie season on May 7. It will instead premiere July 9. And it will do so simultaneously on the company’s streaming platform for a $30 early-access fee
For theaters, which are beginning to reopen after punishing months of closure due to the pandemic, the announcement was a blow to hopes of an imminent recovery. While bigger and bigger films have turned to streaming and premium-on-demand in recent months, Marvel movies are Hollywood’s most bankable box-office behemoths.
Disney will instead launch its summer with “Cruella” on its previously scheduled date, May 28. The “101 Dalmatians” spinoff with Emma Stone will also premiere in both theaters and on Disney+ for $30 — the same hybrid approach the studio took with the recent release of “Raya and the Last Dragon.”
Disney has not announced viewing data on “Raya and the Last Dragon” but on Tuesday called its performance “successful.”