The Immortalized Windows 95 Startup Sound in the Library of Congress
This week the National Recording Registry preserved the sound of the startup of Microsoft Windows 95 at the Library of Congress. The sound was created by the renowned composer Brian Eno, and it is said that he composed it on a Macintosh.
In an interview with the BBC in 2009, Eno candidly said, “I composed it on a Mac. I never used a PC in my life. I don’t like them.” Honest, but not loyal. He then described how he used the 83 bits of sound to produce the song. Microsoft had given Eno “about 150 adjectives” to describe the sound they wanted. “It has to be music that inspires, sexy, driving, provoking, nostalgic, sentimental…,” he said.
The music composed by Eno lasted twice as long as the 3.8 seconds requested by Microsoft, but the company decided to use it because they felt it “conveyed the sense of welcome, hope, and advancement” they had in mind for the new era of personal computing.
It could be said that “The Microsoft sound,” as it is officially called, is Eno’s greatest success. None of his other compositions have been heard so many times, in so many places, by so many people around the world. It is difficult to describe the precise feeling evoked by that sound, something like feeling in an abyss between time and space. At that time, it was almost magical to have a computer, and there was much optimism about the future that lay ahead. The sound almost exudes the feeling that you are leaping into a new world, totally different.
Other sounds entering the Registry in 2025
In addition to the Windows 95 startup sound, other entries for 2025 at the Library of Congress include the soundtrack of Minecraft and songs from artists like Elton John and Amy Winehouse.
“These are the sounds of the U.S., our long history and broad culture. The National Recording Registry is the playlist of the evolution of our nation,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “The Library of Congress is honored and proud to select these audio treasures worthy of preservation, including iconic music from different genres, field recordings, sports history, and even the sounds of our everyday life with technology.”
