A Texas Representative Just Submitted 35 Latin-Pop Classics to the Library of Congress — from Shakira to Selena Gomez

Last month, Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro put out a call to the public, asking people to send ideas for music by Latin artists to submit to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. It’s part of a years-long effort on Castro’s part to get more Latin art preserved within the Library of Congress and to increase Latino representation across media and pop culture.

The National Recording Registry is made up of works considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” or that “inform or reflect life in the United States.” However, less than five percent of the registry’s 600 titles reflect music by Latinos. Last year, Castro sent 33 songs and albums for consideration and succeeded in getting the 1983 hit “Flashdance…What a Feeling” by Irene Cara, who was of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent, and “Gasolina” by Puerto Rican reggaeton star Daddy Yankee inducted into the registry.

Now, he’s officially unveiled the list of what he’s submitted this year: Castro received nearly 700 submissions from the public, with additional suggestions made by members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and narrowed things down from there. The 35 final titles include “Como la Flor” by Selena, “El Rey” by Vicente Fernández, “Oye Mi Amor” by Maná, and “Amor Eterno” by Juan Gabriel. Several seminal albums are named, including Tego Calderón’s reggaeton opus El Abayarde and Eco de Sombras by Susana Baca.

More contemporary pop classics made the cut, too: “Whenever, Wherever” by Shakira, “Genie In A Bottle” by Christina Aguilera, and “Come and Get It” by Selena Gomez. Diamonds and Rust, the 1975 album by Joan Baez, is a contender, too; Castro previously spoke to Rolling Stone about how the album meant a lot to his mother when he was growing up in San Antonio.

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“Our nominations span nearly 60 years of recording history — from Joan Baez’s Diamonds and Rust, which was always playing in my house when I was growing up, to classics like ‘Before the Next Teardrop Falls’ by Freddy Fender, and newer songs like [Romeo Santos’] ‘Propuesta Indecente,’ which a lot of people consider among the best bachata songs of all time,” Castro said in a statement.

He added, “It was also fun to hear from my staff and younger folks about the songs they remember from their childhoods – like Selena Gomez’s ‘Come and Get It,’ which just became eligible for the registry this year.”

Castro submitted the nominations last Sunday, Oct. 1. From there, the Librarian of Congress typically makes annual selections after reviewing hundreds of titles sent in by the public and confers with the Library’s curators and members of the National Recording Preservation Board. Recordings are selected near the beginning of each calendar year, and the final announcement is expected in February or March of 2024.

Castro hopes that the National Recording Preservation Board will consider his nominations and take into account the impact these works have had both in the Latino community and in American society more broadly. “The profound cultural impact of this music is unmistakable, and it deserves to be recognized as a part of our shared American history,” Castro said.

See the full list below.

1. Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez (album) (1975)
2. “Como la Flor” by Selena (song) (1992)
3. How Will the Wolf Survive? by Los Lobos (album) (1984)
4. “Juancito Trucupey” by Celia Cruz (song) (1956)
5. “Las Nubes” by Little Joe y La Familia (song) (1972)
6. “Rinconcito en el Cielo” by Ramón Ayala (song) (1985)
7. “El Rey” by Vicente Fernández (song) (1991)
8. “Oye Mi Amor” by Maná (song) (1992)
9. “Amor Eterno” by Juan Gabriel (song) (1984)
10. “Ahora Te Puedes Marchar” by Luis Miguel (song) (1987)
11. “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” by Freddy Fender (song) (1974)
12. “Whenever, Wherever” by Shakira (song) (2001)
13. “(Hey Baby) Que Paso” by Texas Tornados (song) (1990)
14. “Oye Cómo Va” by Tito Puente (song) (1962)
15. “Talk to Me” by Sunny and the Sunliners (song) (2012)
16. “She’s All I Ever Had” by Ricky Martin (song) (1999)
17. “Genie in a Bottle” by Christina Aguilera (song) (1999)
18. “Conga” by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine (song) (1985)
19. “Waiting for Tonight” by Jennifer Lopez (song) (1999)
20. “Oye Mi Canto” by N.O.R.E. ft. Tego Calderón, Nina Sky, Gemstar & Big Mato (song) (2006)
21. “Come and Get It” by Selena Gomez (song) (2013)
22. “Rica y Apretadita” by El General ft. Anayka (song) (1995)
23. “Yo Voy” by Zion and Lennox ft. Daddy Yankee (song) (2004)
24. Eco de Sombras by Susana Baca (album) (1989)
25. “Propuesta Indecente” by Romeo Santos (song) (2013)
26. “Juana La Cubana” by Fito Olivares (song) (1996)
27. “Mi Gente” by Héctor Lavoe (song) (1975)
28. “Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano (song) (1970)
29. “Eres” by Café Tacvba (song) (2003)
30. “El Coco Rayado” by Ruben Vela (song) (1994)
31. El Abayarde by Tego Calderón (album) (2002)
32. “The Glamorous Life” by Sheila E. (song) (1984)
33. “Basta Ya” by Jenni Rivera (song) (2011)
34. “Lost in Emotion” by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam (song) (1987)
35. “It Must Be Him” by Vikki Carr (song) (1967)

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