The White House Apparently Has a Secret Vinyl Collection

The Library of Congress maintains a robust collection of everything Americans consider important, but it was shocking to some–like John Chuldenko, grandson of President Jimmy Carter–that it included an expansive record collection. According to Consequence, “songwriter Johnny Mercer curated the library’s initial installation in the late 1970s, and over 1,800 LPs were presented to the White House in 1973. Its picks — Lawrence Welk, Don Ho, and Perry Como among many others — proved very of their time. But when John Hammond, the record producer who signed the likes of Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, and Bruce Springsteen, signed on to compile a later selection, he stocked the White House with records that still stand up today.” The entire collection is stored at a secure, offsite (undisclosed) location, but given their subject matter choices, we’re okay with their selections when it comes to the preservation of music as a whole.