The Iconic NBC Chimes: Media and Cultural Impact

For nearly 90 years, the NBC chimes, consisting of three notes, have made a colossal impact on media and culture. Originally used by NBC in the late 1920s for identification, the chimes became so iconic that they became the first sound to be awarded an audio trademark. Despite attempts by other companies, only around a hundred sounds have officially become US trademarks. The concept of a trademark is based on something universally accepted and representative of a product.