The Super Mario Bros. series’ theme song is the first video game score to be listed in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.
Nintendo’s 1985 Super Mario Bros. tune, “Ground Theme,” which later became the series’ anthem, was officially recognized as “the first sounds of a video game to join the registry” by the Library of Congress.
The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys, and De La Soul are among the artists on the National Recording Registry, which aims to showcase and preserve “the richness of the nations’ auditory legacy.”
“It is truly an honor to have this music archived with so many other timeless songs,” said composer Koji Kondo. Indeed, I find that a little hard to believe.
When asked how he came up with the track, Kondo noted that he was constrained by the “very modest” amount of space on the Super Mario Bros. cartridge set up for audio.
Kondo admitted that she had to employ all of her creativity and the available musical and technological innovation.
The composer said, “I employed a variety of genres that complemented what was happening on screen. We had fanfares to congratulate them when they scored goals, jingles to urge players to try again after receiving a “game over,” and pieces that sped up when the amount of time left decreased.
Another 24 recordings are included in the National Recording Registry for 2023, including The Police’s “Synchronicity,” John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
