1. "Gypsy Love Song," Eugene Cowles (1898)
2. "Some of These Days," Sophie Tucker (1911)
3. "The Castles in Europe One-Step"("Castle House Rag"), Europe's Society Orchestra (1914)
4. "Swanee," Al Jolson (1920)
5. Armistice Day broadcast by Woodrow Wilson (1923)
6. "See See Rider Blues," Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (1923)
7. "Charleston," Golden Gate Orchestra (1925)
8. "Fascinating Rhythm" from "Lady, Be Good!" Fred and Adele Astaire; George Gershwin, piano (1926)
9. NBC radio broadcast coverage of Charles A. Lindbergh's arrival and reception in Washington, D.C. (1927)
10. "Stardust," Hoagy Carmichael (1927)
11. "Blue Yodel (T for Texas)," Jimmie Rodgers (1927)
12. "Ain't Misbehavin'" Thomas "Fats" Waller (1929)
13. "The Suncook Town Tragedy," Mabel Wilson Tatro of Springfield, Vt. (July 1930)
14. "Gregorio Cortez," Trovadores Regionales (1929)
15. Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Sergei Rachmaninoff, piano; Leopold Stokowski, conductor, Philadelphia Orchestra (1929)
16. Rosina Cohen oral narrative from the Lorenzo D. Turner Collection (1932)
17. "Stormy Weather," Ethel Waters (1933)
18. "Body and Soul," Coleman Hawkins (1939)
19. Sergey Prokofiev, "Peter and the Wolf," Serge Koussevitzky, conductor; Richard Hale, narrator; Boston Symphony Orchestra (1939)
20. "In the Mood," Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (1939)
21. Edward R. Murrow broadcast from London (1940)
22. "We Hold These Truths," radio broadcast (1941)
23. Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1, op. 23, B minor, Vladimir Horowitz, piano; Arturo Toscanini; conductor; NBC Symphony Orchestra (1943)
24. "Down by the Riverside," Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1944)
25. "U.S. Highball (A Musical Account of a Transcontinental Hobo Trip), Harry Partch; Gate 5 Ensemble (1946)
26. "Four Saints in Three Acts," Virgil Thomson, composer, with members of original 1934 cast (1947)
27. "Manteca," Dizzy Gillespie Big Band with Chano Pozo (1947)
28. Jack Benny radio program of March 28, 1948
29. "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs (1949)
30. "Lovesick Blues," Hank Williams (1949)
31. "Guys and Dolls," original cast recording (1950)
32. "Old Soldiers Never Die" (Farewell Address to Congress), Gen. Douglas A. MacArthur (1951)
33. "Songs by Tom Lehrer" (1953)
34. "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," Muddy Waters (1954)
35. "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)," The Penguins (1954)
36. Tuskegee Institute Choir Sings Spirituals, directed by William L. Dawson (1955)
37. "Messiah," Eugene Ormandy, conductor; Richard Condie, choir director, Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Philadelphia Orchestra (1958)
38. "Giant Steps," John Coltrane (1959)
39. "Drums of Passion," Michael Babatunde Olatunji (1960)
40. "Peace Be Still," James Cleveland (1962)
41. "The Girl from Ipanema," Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto (1963)
42. "Live at the Apollo," James Brown (1965)
43. "Pet Sounds," The Beach Boys (1966)
44. King James version of the Bible, Alexander Scourby (1966)
45. Remarks from Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong's broadcast from the moon (1969)
46. "The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East" (1971)
47. "Star Wars" (soundtrack), John Williams (1977)
48. "Fear of a Black Planet," Public Enemy (1989)
49. Recordings of Asian elephants by Katharine Payne (1989)
50. "Nevermind," Nirvana (1991)
