"Whaaaaa...?" you say? Well, the vault holds recorded items, preserving them for future generations. Nevermind will find itself stored alongside work by Public Enemy and The Beach Boys. How'd it get there? Well, records have to be deemed culturally, historically or aesthetically significant by a panel of academics to make the grade. Oh, and they have to be at least ten years old. The earliest stored recording dates from 1898, and a full reading of the bible is preserved, too.

Librarian of Congress James H Billington said: "Once again, we have the opportunity to celebrate the rich variety of music recorded in the United States and the importance of sound recording on our lives."

DiScuss: Does Britain have something similar? If not, why not? Should we be preserving the work of, say, The Clash, Elvis Costello and - what the fuck - The Happy Mondays for future generations? Does it really matter in the digital age?