The original soundtrack of the 1993 video game Doom, composed by Bobby Prince, has been officially added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in the United States. This music is known for its adrenaline-fueled energy and its significant role in shaping the game’s unique style, which has become iconic in the first-person shooter genre.
Composer Bobby Prince, who is also a practicing attorney, used MIDI technology to craft the aggressive, recognizable soundtrack, accommodating the technical limitations of early 1990s sound cards. He drew inspiration from artists such as Alice in Chains, Pantera, and Metallica, whose recordings were featured in the game’s soundtrack, composed by the game’s lead designer, John Romero.
Prince employed a technical approach to the audio design, distributing sound effects across various frequencies to ensure they did not compete with the music. This soundtrack contributed to Doom’s popularity, combining fast-paced gameplay, three-dimensional graphics, and heavy music, and subsequently influenced the evolution of music in video games.
Additionally, in 2024, the National Recording Registry also inducted Weezer’s debut album “The Blue Album,” Taylor Swift’s album “1989,” Beyoncé’s song “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” and the original recording of the Broadway musical “Chicago.”