The Library of Congress has added 25 iconic audio recordings, created between 1913 and 2015, to the National Recording Registry. Among these are two standout pieces from the world of video games: the Windows 95 startup chime (composed by Brian Eno in 1995) and the original Minecraft soundtrack, Minecraft: Volume Alpha (composed by Daniel Rosenfeld, also known as C418, in 2011).
If you’ve ever turned on a Windows 95 PC, you’re likely familiar with its distinctive startup sound. This 3.25-second chime, crafted by legendary composer Brian Eno—a pioneer of ambient music and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer—has become an iconic piece of tech history. Microsoft tasked Eno with creating something short and memorable, and he delivered not just one but 84 variations for them to choose from. The final version, slightly longer than initially requested, perfectly captures a sense of welcome, optimism, and progress. Now, this timeless sound has been officially recognized and preserved as part of America’s audio heritage.
Advertisеment
Similarly, the success of Minecraft owes much to its atmospheric soundtrack, composed by German musician Daniel Rosenfeld, who goes by the name C418. Released alongside the game in 2011, Minecraft: Volume Alpha is a masterful blend of soft electronic tones that complement the game’s open-ended, exploratory design. Inspired by artists like Aphex Twin and Brian Eno, Rosenfeld’s score creates a calming and immersive backdrop for players as they build, explore, and interact within Minecraft’s voxel-based worlds. The soundtrack quickly became synonymous with nostalgia and creativity, influencing countless other video game scores and even contributing to the rise of the "lo-fi hip-hop" genre in the late 2010s.
This isn’t the first time video game music has been honored in such a way. In April 2023, the Library of Congress added the Super Mario Bros. theme to the National Recording Registry, marking the first video game soundtrack to receive this recognition.
Support us
Winaero greatly relies on your support. You can help the site keep bringing you interesting and useful content and software by using these options:
