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Super Mario Bros. Is 1st Game Music Inducted to U.S. National Recording Registry
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
The original tune, also called the "Ground Theme" or "Overworld Theme," was composed by Koji Kondo for the 1985 Super Mario Bros. game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The song was chosen among 25 other recordings, including John Lennon's “Imagine” and Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." Queen Latifah also made history as the first female rapper to be inducted.
“The National Recording Registry preserves our history through recorded sound and reflects our nation's diverse culture,” Hayden said in a statement. “The national library is proud to help ensure these recordings are preserved for generations to come,” Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden stated in an issued statement.
Kondo, speaking through an interpreter, told the Library of Congress, "I really had to be very innovative and make full use of the musical and programming ingenuity that we had at the time. I used all sorts of genres that matched what was happening on screen."
According to an interview with Electronic Gaming Monthly, Kondo composed the song on a small keyboard. He was a college senior when he first answered a recruiting call from Nintendo. The iconic track has changed slightly depending on the game, system generation, or in-game location. It was also the basis for The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! television series theme.
