Congressman Castro Kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month with Public Call for Latino Nominations to the National Recording Registry

Congressman Castro Kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month with Public Call for Latino Nominations to the National Recording Registry

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month by announcing that he is collecting public nominations of songs and albums by Latino artists to be added to the prestigious National Recording Registry. The National Recording Registry is the nation's preeminent archive of recorded sound and is intended to maintain and preserve recordings with cultural, historic, or aesthetic significance. With Latino artists making up less than 5% of the registry, Congressman Castro is committed to expanding Latinos' representation in the registry.

"Latino music and its rich tapestry have shaped the soul of America for generations," said Congressman Castro. "From iconic songs played at weddings and street parties to Latin pop and timeless rancheras, the Latino sound is recognized everywhere. Over the past four years, I've seen the number of Latino artists inducted into the prestigious National Recording Registry grow. Latino music giants produce great works that transcend time, place, and language, and I am glad that narrative defining institutions are recognizing their legacy."

Songs and albums can be submitted by visiting castro.house.gov/music. To qualify for nomination, songs and albums must be at least ten years old. Submissions must be received by Sunday, September 21 at 11:59 PM CT to be eligible for Congressman Castro's official nomination.

Background:

Since the National Recording Registry was established by the U.S. Congress in 2000, 675 titles have been inducted. However, as of 2025, less than 5% of current recordings can be attributed to Latino artists.

In 2022, Congressman Castro began submitting nominating lists to the National Recording Preservation Board to increase the visibility of Latino artists. So far, the board has inducted 7 of his selections-Juan Gabriel's "Amor Eterno" (1990), Héctor Lavoe's "El Cantante" (1978), Irene Cara's "Flashdance…What A Feeling" (1983), Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" (2004), Vicente Fernandez's "El Rey" (1973), Freddy Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" (1974), and Lin Manuel Miranda's album "Hamilton" (2015).