National Recording Registry Class of 2022: An Opportunity for Discovery
By: Garrett Levin, DiMA CEO
The Digital Media Association and its member companies congratulate the artists, songwriters and composers of the Class of 2022 Inductees into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. The National Recording Registry is honoring a diverse and historic range of recorded music with the 2022 inductees, including “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin, “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole, “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen and albums The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan, Songs in A Minor by Alicia Keys, and Nick of Time by Bonnie Raitt.
Music fans of any age, from any corner of the country and from around the world, are bound to recognize recordings from the Class of 2022. Some may rediscover songs they haven’t heard in years, and share those recordings with family and friends. Others may experience a recording for the first time, and fall-in love with an old (but new to them) classic. The ability to discover new music and re-discover familiar music has been supercharged by streaming. Before music streaming, this would have been much more difficult – record store shelf space was limited, only so many songs play on the radio, and even if you got great recommendations from music-loving friends, you still had to track down the music to listen to it. Streaming services position entire catalogs for unprecedented public accessibility, and allow users to not only discover, but rediscover music that otherwise could go long forgotten.
The music recognized by the National Recording Registry underscores the diversity of sound and dynamic listening habits fueling music discovery around the world today. DiMA’s 2021 survey of 1000 music listeners in the US, done in conjunction with Music Watch and A2IM, demonstrated consumer appetite for new music has never been stronger, and streaming is at the forefront of this new age of discovery.
This relentless innovation of streaming services has reshaped the world of music discovery, allowing inter-generational connection through access to a vast world of music catalogs from every era of music. According to the survey streaming is now responsible for 63% of music discovery.
Take the time to check out playlists on each of DiMA’s members featuring the 2022 inductees. You may just rediscover old favorites and find new ones.
