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Doom Soundtrack Enters National Registry, Honoring Gaming Milestone

7/17/2026

46 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Washington Post named Doom (1993) as one of 25 works shaping culture from 1986-1995.
The Library of Congress added the Doom soundtrack to the National Recording Registry in May 2026.
The shareware version reached one million users by May 1994 and 20 million downloads by June 1996, while its tools let players create custom WAD levels.
After the 1999 Columbine shooting, Doom was scapegoated, prompting repeated congressional hearings on video games.

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Story summary

Washington Post named Doom (1993) as one of 25 works shaping culture from 1986-1995.
The Library of Congress added the Doom soundtrack to the National Recording Registry in May 2026.
The shareware version reached one million users by May 1994 and 20 million downloads by June 1996, while its tools let players create custom WAD levels.
After the 1999 Columbine shooting, Doom was scapegoated, prompting repeated congressional hearings on video games.