All songs considered: NPR

The National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress is more than just a collection of music and sounds: it is a reflection of who we are as a country. In April, two new songs in Spanish were added to the roster: “Amor Eterno” by Juan Gabriel and “El Cantante” by Héctor Lavoe.

This week on Alt.Latino, Felix and Ana take the opportunity to delve into the Spanish-language songs that made it into the landmark collection, and share their dream picks for what should be chosen next.

Songs featured in this episode:

•Héctor Lavoé, “El Cantante”
•Juan Gabriel, “Amor Eterno (En Vivo [En el Palacio de Bellas Artes])”
• Buena Vista Social Club, “Chan Chan”
• Buena Vista Social Club, “Orgullecida”
• Buena Vista Social Club, “El Carretero”
•Santana, “Oye Come Go”
•Lydia Mendoza, “Mal Hombre (Man with a Cold Heart)”
•Feat by Dizzy Gillespie. Chano Pozo, “Manteca”
• Queen of ivy, “Quiero Bailar”
• José Feliciano, “El Reloj”

The audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler, with editorial support from Hazel Cills. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.