Microsoft launched Windows 95, whose release was promoted with the Rolling Stones song “Start Me Up.”
Windows 95 was released to retail customers on August 24, 1995. It introduced the Start menu, taskbar, long filenames, and improved support for consumer-oriented personal computing. These features became familiar parts of later Windows versions.
Microsoft’s marketing campaign was unusually prominent. The company licensed “Start Me Up,” associating the song with the new Start button and using it in television advertising. The launch generated major public attention and long retail lines.
Windows 95 is sometimes confused with Windows 3.1, which preceded it, or Windows 98, which followed it. Windows 95 also integrated 32-bit capabilities while retaining compatibility with many older DOS-based programs.