Lauryn Hill’s ‘Miseducation’ and Radiohead’s ‘Ok Computer’ Heading to Library of Congress

There are not many moments in pop culture that can be recalled with absolute certainty, but for reasons that are obvious, when 1998’s Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was unleashed, those of us who were lucky enough to indulge, will never forget the realization that we were witnessing a cultural event that would shift the landscape of what was once the blueprint for the three main genres – R&B, Hip-hop and Soul.

New Jersey born Lauryn Hill, a former member of the famed group – Fugees, delivered her solo album and manifested the convergence of the elements without skipping a beat. The result was critical-acclaim and a reassurance that she would forever be revered for giving us the gift that keeps on giving.

From Ex-Factor to Doop-Wop (That Thing), the catalogue of hits were astoundingly infectious and collectively came to be pure perfection.

Even though the reclusive songstress has weathered her share of personal challenges that threatened to bury her endearing achievement, she has slowly begun to crave the spotlight again. Back in 2010, during a New Year’s Eve gathering at a trendy hotel in Mid-Manhattan, Lauryn Hill performed the song to an eager crowd. It wasn’t a stunning effort and she was expectedly mocked by revelers and the media, but when you’ve racked up $20 million in album sales and mercilessly dominated the charts – you can afford to have a bad day tow.

Whatever the Grammy-winner does with her current status is up for debate but what can’t be refuted is the fact that she is still one of the most prolifically talented vocalist of all time, and apparently the Library of Congress agrees because they are adding The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill to its National Recording Registry.

The library is also recognizing British rock band, Radiohead for their mind-altering classic, Ok Computer. The 1997 album was a revolutionary treat and featured a cluster of hits, including Paranoid Android and Lucky.

This honor is usually bestowed on “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” contributions and the goal is to keep them intact over a 15 year period.

This latest revelation proves that the US Library of Congress definitely has great taste in music. Rock on!