WASHINGTON (AP) — Simon & Garfunkel 's song "The Sound of Silence," written amid the turmoil following President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and Chubby Checker's 1960s dance hit "The Twist" are among 25 recordings selected for preservation at the Library of Congress.

The recording that received the highest number of public nominations for this year's registry was Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon." The library said it was notable as an example of "brilliant, innovative production in service of the music."

Other selections included the original 1949 cast album for "South Pacific" and the soundtrack to the popular 1977 movie "Saturday Night Fever." The selections span from 1918 to 1980 and represent nearly every musical and recording category.

Van Cliburn's Cold War piano performance in Moscow when he won the prestigious Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition at 23 also was selected.

Earlier this year, the Library of Congress unveiled an extensive plan to help libraries and archives nationwide preserve recorded sound to guard against losing historic recordings. It's proposing 32 recommendations to Congress on actions to preserve endangered audio.

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