DOOM soundtrack inducted into Library

The Library of Congress added the 1993 soundtrack from the video game “Doom” to the National Recording Registry on May 14, saying the recording met the registry’s standard for cultural, historical or aesthetic importance. The selection placed the score by composer Bobby Prince in the 2026 class of 25 recordings chosen for preservation recognition. The Library said the new class brought the registry’s total to 700 recordings. The announcement also marked another step in the institution’s gradual recognition of video game music as part of the U.S. recorded-sound canon. ### Which Library of Congress list did “Doom” actually join? The National Recording Registry is the Library of Congress program that selects 25 recordings each year for preservation awareness, according to the agency’s Recording Registry page. The Library says works chosen for the registry are picked because they are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and are at least 10 years old. (loc.gov) The 2026 induction-year page lists “Doom” among the 25 recordings added on May 14, 2026. The Library’s newsroom release and blog post both identify the soundtrack as part of that year’s class. ### Why did the Library single out this soundtrack? The Library of Congress said “Doom,” originally released in 1993, brought “a heavy metal energy to MS-DOS systems across the globe” while helping pioneer the first-person shooter genre. (loc.gov) The agency’s release said the game’s popularity was tied in part to Bobby Prince’s “adrenaline-fueled soundtrack.” (loc.gov) Bobby Prince was identified by the Library as the freelance video game music composer behind the score. The Library did not frame the selection as a prize for commercial success alone; it described the registry as a preservation list for recordings with lasting significance. (loc.gov) ### How unusual is it for video game music to make the registry? The Library of Congress said the “Doom” soundtrack was the third video game music selection in the registry’s history. The agency repeated that point in both its newsroom announcement and blog coverage of the 2026 class. (loc.gov) The 2026 blog post placed “Doom” alongside a class that also included Taylor Swift’s “1989,” Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” Weezer’s self-titled debut album and José Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad.” The Library said the class spans 70 years of recorded sound. ### Does induction mean the Library physically holds the recording? (loc.gov) The Library of Congress says on its 2026 induction-year page that the National Recording Registry is a national list and that many listed items are housed in collections across the country. The same page says the Library “does not currently hold copies of all the recordings listed.” (blogs.loc.gov) That distinction matters because registry induction is a recognition and preservation program, not a guarantee that every selected work is already sitting in the Library’s vaults. The agency’s program page describes the registry as a way to increase preservation awareness for the nation’s audio legacy. (loc.gov) ### What happens next for people who want to see the official record? The Library of Congress has posted the 2026 induction-year page, the full registry listing and a press release naming the class announced on May 14. Those pages identify “Doom” as part of the 2026 selections and provide the official catalog context for the induction. (loc.gov) The National Recording Preservation Board page says the registry is updated annually, and the Library’s induction-year archive shows prior classes from 2002 through 2026. Readers tracking future additions can follow those registry pages when the next class is announced. (loc.gov 1) (loc.gov 2)