Throughout the course of his unparalleled career, Dr. Dre has collected more than his fair share of accomplishments and accolades. But his latest might be his most significant yet, as the National Recording Registry announced that his debut album, The Chronic, will be archived for forevermore in the Library of Congress.
“The National Recording Registry is the evolving playlist of the American soundscape,” Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, said in a statement. “It reflects moments in history captured through the voices and sounds of the time. We received over 800 nominations this year for culturally, historically or aesthetically significant recordings to add to the registry. As genres and formats continue to expand, the Library of Congress is committed to working with our many partners to preserve the sounds that have touched our hearts and shaped our culture.”
The Chronic is being archived due to its “cultural, historical and aesthetic importance to the nation’s recorded sound heritage.” Released in 1992 on the infamous Death Row Records, the landmark album established Dr. Dre as one of the biggest artists of all-time, selling nearly six million records since its release. Of equal importance, it served as a launching pad for the careers of West Coast legends like Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound, the Lady of Rage, and many others.
But The Chronic isn’t the only induction, as Tina Turner’s seminal Private Dancer and Whitney Houston’s signature cover of the Dolly Parton-penned ballad “I Will Always Love You” are among an impressive list of inductees.
You can check here for the full list of songs and albums newly added to the Library of Congress.