George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today” added to Library of Congress

Every year, the Library of Congress selects recordings it deems worthy of being preserved for all time. It’s called the National Recording Preservation Board, and the selections are both historical (field recordings of the Passamaquoddy Indians in 1898) and popular (Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes” and Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation).

You can view the full list online, and it’s quite fascinating to see as to why the Librarian of Congress, James H. Billington, has chosen what he has — besides the criteria that they be “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”

One of this year’s inductees is George Jones‘ “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the 1980 hit that Jones himself thought was “too sad to be popular,” yet went on to hit number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles.

As a matter of fact, it’s the only song I know to have its own website (the Rockabilly Hall of Fame’s history of “Hot Rod Lincoln” doesn’t count).

Personally, I would’ve chosen something like “White Lightning” or “Why Baby Why,” but good on the Possum anyhow.