How Microsoft Licensed Weezer's "Buddy Holly" Video for Windows 95 CD-ROM
By
ingve
A baker's-dozen of insight crammed into one ring.
Summary
The article explores how Microsoft obtained permission to include Weezer's "Buddy Holly" music video on the Windows 95 CD-ROM. It details the process of Microsoft's multimedia team seeking rights from multiple parties including Weezer, their record label Geffen, and director Spike Jonze. The key insight is that Microsoft approached this as a standard licensing negotiation rather than a special favor, working through proper channels to secure the necessary permissions for inclusion as a demonstration of Windows 95's multimedia capabilities.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledOne of those multimedia extras was the music video for the song Buddy Holly by the band Weezer.
Acquiring permission to include the video was a matter of asking nicely, and asking a lot of people.
The Windows 95 CD contained a variety of multimedia extras, partly because they were fun, and partly to show off Windows 95's multimedia capabilities.
Microsoft's multimedia team had to secure rights from multiple parties including the band, record label, and video director.
You might also wanna read
Ableton Push prototype was built from Lego bricks and scavenged music gear parts
Ableton's Push controller was originally prototyped by designer Jesse Terry using Lego bricks and parts scavenged from other music gear. Ter
theverge.com·1h ago
Google Pixel's Now Playing Gets Standalone App with Full Song History and Streaming Integration
Google introduced a standalone Now Playing app for Pixel devices as part of the March 2026 Pixel Drop. The app allows users to browse their
bgr.com·9h ago
Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max Review: Feature-Packed Wireless Earbuds at a Competitive $229 Price Point
Soundcore (Anker's sub-brand) has released the Liberty 5 Pro Max wireless earbuds at $229, packed with an extensive array of features includ
gizmodo.com·11h ago
AI-powered Ozzy Osbourne avatar being developed for global tour, starting in Birmingham
Two digital companies, Hyperreal and Proto Hologram, are developing an AI-powered avatar of Ozzy Osbourne that can perform, hold conversatio
bbc.co.uk·17h ago
Open-source tool turns Steam Controller haptic motors into musical instrument for playing Portal songs
PC gamers have repurposed Valve's 2026 Steam Controller into a musical instrument using an open-source program called "Steam Haptics Singer.
blazetrends.com·18h ago
Rocksky: A Decentralized, Open-Source Music Tracking Platform Built on Bluesky's AT Protocol
Rocksky is a decentralized, open-source music tracking and discovery platform built on the AT Protocol (Bluesky). It functions as an alterna
tangled.sh·1d ago