America Online, known as AOL, became one of the most familiar home internet services in the United States during the 1990s, when many people first went online through its software. Its startup and notification sounds became part of everyday computer use, and later became shorthand for that era in online culture. As dial-up faded, clips like this one survived through memes, reaction videos and retro edits, where a two-second chime can instantly signal nostalgia for a time when getting online felt like an event.