Windows 95 Jingle, 1960 World Series Broadcast, and Other ‘Audio Gems’ Inducted into the National Recording Registry

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From a list of 2,600 nominations submitted by the public, the Library of Congress has selected 25 songs, albums, and sounds that are at least ten years old to preserve for posterity

Sarah Kuta – Daily Correspondent

April 11, 2025 12:47 p.m.

The iconic Windows 95 startup chime, a nostalgic sound for many users from the mid-1990s, has been officially added to the National Recording Registry. This six-second audio clip, crafted by acclaimed producer Brian Eno, was designed to evoke feelings of welcoming and hope during a transformative period when computer technology was becoming more mainstream. The sound marked a significant moment for users adapting to personal computers, as noted in a Library of Congress statement.

This year, Eno’s memorable chime is among 25 audio works selected for preservation within the National Recording Registry. This initiative safeguards recordings deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant and at least ten years old.

According to Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, “These are the sounds of America—our wide-ranging history and culture. The National Recording Registry is our evolving nation’s playlist.”

Chosen from over 2,600 public nominations, this year’s selections prominently featured Chicago’s 1969 debut album, Chicago Transit Authority, which led the pack. Notable mentions in the top ten include Roy Rogers and Dale Evans’ “Happy Trails” from 1952, Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road from 1973, and Mary J. Blige’s influential 1994 album My Life.

The oldest recording on the list is a rendition of “Aloha ‘Oe” by the Hawaiian Quintette from 1913. Written by Lili’uokalani, who was both a princess and later a queen of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the song has its origins in the late 19th century, inspired by poignant farewells between friends. Its popularity reached the mainland United States as early as 1884.

One of the most contemporary inclusions is the original Broadway cast album of the groundbreaking musical Hamilton, created in 2015. It is among the first works to meet the ten-year eligibility requirement for this year’s registry.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the mastermind behind Hamilton, sees the registry as a reflection of an ongoing artistic dialogue within the nation. He expressed, “Every piece of art that is made is both deemed timeless by the Library of Congress and also a product of its time. To listen to these recordings, to go back as far as the turn of the century… is to hear points in a timeline, is to time travel. I feel incredibly honored that Hamilton is a point in that timeline.”

Another notable addition is the soundtrack album Minecraft: Volume Alpha, composed by Daniel Rosenfeld for the 2011 version of the popular video game. This marks only the second time a video game soundtrack has been honored by the registry, following the inclusion of the “Super Mario Bros.” theme in 2023—significantly coinciding with the recent success of its film adaptation, which debuted with impressive global box office earnings.

In addition to music, several acclaimed albums are now part of the archive, including Fly Like an Eagle by the Steve Miller Band (1976) and Back to Black by Amy Winehouse (2006). The library noted that three of the selected singles also reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100: “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion (1997), Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman” (1972), and Freddy Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” (1975).

This year’s registry also notably features a radio broadcast capturing the excitement of the 1960 World Series final game between the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates—an event narrated by NBC’s Chuck Thompson. This recording retains significant historical value as it recounts the Pirates’ nail-biting 10-9 victory.

“The Library of Congress is proud and honored to select these audio treasures worthy of preservation, including iconic music across a variety of genres, field recordings, sports history, and the sounds of our daily lives with technology,” Hayden remarked in the library’s statement.

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