The iconic Microsoft Windows startup sound created by legendary musician Brian Eno in 1995 has been selected for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry, marking a unique intersection of technology and musical history.
The distinctive chime, which greeted millions of Windows 95 users when booting up their computers, joins 24 other audio recordings in the 2024 class of inductees deemed worthy of preservation for their cultural and historical value.
"These are the sounds of America – our wide-ranging history and culture," said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. The inclusion of Eno's brief but memorable composition acknowledges how technology's sounds have become woven into our daily lives.
The Windows startup sound takes its place alongside other notable 2024 inductees including Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black," and the original cast recording of "Hamilton". This year's selections span over a century of audio history, from a 1913 Hawaiian Quintette recording to Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2015 Broadway phenomenon.
The National Recording Registry, which now contains 675 titles, selected these works from more than 2,600 public nominations. Each recording must be at least 10 years old to qualify for inclusion.
The preservation of Eno's digital chime represents a recognition of how technological sounds have shaped modern cultural experiences, standing as a sonic milestone in personal computing history.