Super Mario Bros. theme to be the first game music inducted to Library of Congress

Buda-bep-bud-du-bep… Boop!

The National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB) has announced that Koji Kondo’s iconic Super Mario Bros. theme is to be inducted for preservation in the U.S. Library of Congress. The instantly recognizable ditty will be the first piece of video game music ever to join the NRPB’s catalog of significant compositions.

Each year, the NRPB selects 25 pieces of music that it deems “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant, and/or informs or reflects life in the United States”. I like to think that the Super Mario Bros. Theme falls into the latter category. Kondo’s simple but endlessly entering tune — officially known upon conception as simply “Ground Theme” made its debut in World 1-1 of 1985 NES release Super Mario Bros. It has since been remixed and used endless times for various Nintendo titles, TV shows, and commercials.

Joining Mario in the library this year will also be guitar shop nightmare “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, Madonna’s censor bothering “Like a Virgin”, Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”, John Lennon’s “Imagine” and, from the goddess of winter herself, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”. For all you midwestern dads, Jimmy Buffet is getting representation via his 1977 hit “Margaritaville”.

Sadly, there is no sign of my personal favorite Super Mario Bros. tune, “Take on Me” by a-ha.

Chris Moyse

Senior Editor – Chris has been playing video games since the 1980s and writing about them since the 1880s. Graduated from Galaxy High with honors. Twitter: @ChrisxMoyse