Congressional Hispanic Caucus nominate dozens of musicians to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has nominated dozens of Latino musicians to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in an effort to increase Latino representation.

Latinos are approximately 20% of the US and are widely bilingual - but of the 600 titles in the Recording Registry, less than 4% are from Latino artists, according to Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas.

33 titles, in English and Spanish, and across various genres, were nominated by the caucus, with a priority on artists that have not yet been featured in the registry.

The list includes Juan Gabriel's Amor Eterno Elvis Crespo's Suavemente Jos Feliciano's Feliz Navidad Jennifer Lopez's album J. The album Corridos was released by Lo and Los Tigres Del Norte.

Castro said in an interview that he wanted the contributions of our musicians to be recognized and celebrated in the way that they deserve, because they have made a mark in America.

Castro reached out to Twitter users for suggestions to help curate the list, which has advocated for increased Latino visibility.

Castro is one of several members of Congress who requested a recent Government Accountability Office report on Latino representation in the media industry workforce across film, radio, television, newspapers and digital platforms.

The National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress selects 25 recordings a year to showcase the range and diversity of American recorded sound and to raise preservation awareness for future generations.

The National Recording Preservation Board will work with Castro to consider nominations, Steve Leggett, the board's program director, told Axios since the deadline for public nominations for the 2023 registry has passed.

Users can submit recommendations to the Library of Congress in anticipation of the 2024 nominations. Eligible recordings must be at least 10 years old and culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and or inform or reflect life in the United States, according to the Library of Congress.

The registry for 2023 is expected to be announced in late March or April.