Which Rolling Stones song was used in Windows 95 advertising?

The Rolling Stones song used in Windows 95 advertising was “Start Me Up.”

The choice was a deliberate match for Windows 95's new Start button and Start menu, which became the operating system's most recognizable interface changes. The Rolling Stones originally released “Start Me Up” as a single in 1981, and it became one of the band's best-known rock songs.

Microsoft used the track in a major advertising campaign surrounding the Windows 95 launch. The campaign helped turn an operating-system release into a mainstream media event, with television commercials, promotional videos, store events, and extensive press coverage. The song's opening title phrase also made it easy for viewers to associate the music with the new Start feature.

A frequently repeated detail concerns the licensing fee. Reports have variously claimed that Microsoft paid the band between $8 million and $14 million, while Microsoft said the actual payment was about $3 million. That disagreement does not change the quiz answer. “Jumpin' Jack Flash,” “Paint It Black,” and “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction” are also famous Rolling Stones songs, but they were not the signature song of the Windows 95 advertising campaign.