Microsoft Windows 95 reboot chime and Minecraft soundtrack inducted into National Recording Registry

In a move that is sure to make longtime PC users do a double take, the Library of Congress has added two very unexpected sounds to its National Recording Registry. No, it’s not another classic rock album or jazz staple. Believe it or not, it’s actually the “Reboot Chime” from Windows 95 (that played when the operating system started) and the soundtrack from Minecraft! I kid you not, folks. Both of these are linked to Microsoft, a company more known for software than symphonies.

If you ever booted up a Windows 95 machine, chances are you’ve heard that memorable chime. That short, ambient tone was composed by a man named Brian Eno. Microsoft asked him to create something brief, and he delivered a now-legendary 3.25-second sound that played every time the operating system came to life. And now, it’s being preserved forever as part of the nation’s sonic history -- how wild is that?

Minecraft’s soundtrack being included is quite timely, as the official motion picture based on the game is in theaters now (and going viral due to a “chicken jockey” scene). The game itself is wildly pioular, and its music (composed by Daniel Rosenfeld) has been praised by many. Surprisingly, this marks only the second time a video game’s audio has made the registry. The first was the Super Mario Bros. theme back in 2023.

Among the 25 inductees for 2025 are some of the usual heavyweights such as Elton John, Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, even the Broadway hit Hamilton. But nestled between those names is Microsoft, not for its productivity software or cloud services, but for audio. Look, that really says something about how far technology has come. Impressive, really.