Country of origin Composition Artist(s) Category
Germany Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F. First Movement Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, conductor [Instrumental / Baroque]
Senegal percussion recorded by Charles Duvelle [Instrumental / Origins]
Zaire Pygmy girls’ initiation song recorded by Colin Turnbull [Female Vocals / Traditional]
Australia Aborigine songs, “Morning Star” and “Devil Bird” recorded by Sandra LeBrun Holmes [Male Vocals / Traditional] Captures
United States “Johnny B. Goode” written and performed by Chuck Berry [Male Vocals / Modern]
Austria Mozart, The Magic Flute, Queen of the Night aria, no. 14 Edda Moser, soprano. Bavarian State Opera, Munich, Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor [Female Vocals / Classical]
United States “Melancholy Blues” performed by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven [Instrumental / Modern]
Peru wedding song recorded by John Cohen [Female Vocals / Folk]
China ch’in, “Flowing Streams” performed by Kuan P’ing-hu [Instrumental / Classical]
India raga, “Jaat Kahan Ho” sung by Surshri Kesar Bai Kerkar [Female Vocals / Classical]

Inspired by Dr. Abby Smith Rumsey’s lecture at Brown University, I initially considered the provocative question, “What can we afford to lose?”. However, acknowledging the limits of my literacy in diverse musical and cultural landscapes in defining loss, I focused on the fundamental task of preservation: “What must we save?” . To guide my curation, I prioritized three core parameters: geographic distribution, chronological evolution, and gender diversity. I intentionally selected tracks from all six continents to ensure global inclusivity, and curated a sonic timeline that traces human progress from the primal rhythms of Senegal to the electric energy of Chuck Berry. Furthermore, I tried to balance the human voice by featuring both male and female singers, ensuring that my selection offers an equitable representation.

Gemini (Google, 2026) was used to verify the historical eras and geographical continents associated with each musical track on the Golden Record.

References

Brown University. (2017, July 11). Abby Smith Rumsey: “Digital memory: What can we afford to lose?”Links to an external site.[Video]. YouTube