Astronauts Slam Beyoncé's Sampling Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion Audio

Sampling of other artists’ work from time-to-time ruffles singers’ and songwriters’ feathers, but, it’s part of the music business these days. Sampling audio of a historical event is less common, so there are fewer rules of the road dictating do’s and don’t's. Beyoncé’s new single "XO," however, seems to have helped define what not to do when using actual events to sell pop songs.

In the song, Beyoncé uses audio from the space shuttle Challenger, which launched from Kennedy Space Center Jan. 28, 1986. The shuttle’s flight lasted only 73 seconds, when Challenger exploded killing all seven of the crew on board. In the video’s opening seconds, haunting audio can be heard from the broadcast of Mission Control center that day, saying: "flight controllers here looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously a major malfunction.”

www.slate.com...

I'm going to be honest, I haven't heard a beyonce song in three years at least. She proclaims this is a tribute. I don't think I'm missing anything here, but this tribute BS is just that-BS. Nothing about this song suggests a tribute. Furthermore, that audio is pretty much at their moment of death. I think it's a little tacky to use someone's death to sell your records.



She's on freaking bumper cars when this audio plays. There is nothing to suggest a tribute in the video.

Let's try some of the lyrical content:

Your love is bright as ever (ever, ever, ever)
Even in the shadows (shadows, shadows, shadows)
Baby kiss me (kiss me, kiss me, kiss me)
Before they turn the lights out (lights out, lights out, lights out)
Your heart is glowing (glowing, glowing, glowing)
And I'm crashing into you (into you, into you, into you)
Baby kiss me (kiss me, kiss me, kiss me)
Before they turn the lights out (the lights out)
Before they turn the lights out (the lights out)
Baby love me lights out

[Pre-Hook:]
In the darkest night hour (In the darkest night hour)
I'll search through the crowd (I'll search through the crowd)
Your face is all that I see
I'll give you everything
Baby love me lights out
Baby love me lights out
You can turn my lights out

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but where's the tribute?

I think it's likely Beyonce's songwriters had no idea what it was when they used it, now she's left looking stupid and has to explain herself. I'm not sure it's outrage worthy, but she apparently pays her songwriters too much. It sounds like generic pop music to me, not some tribute song.

I read an article about it last night, and I was struck by her answer that she wants to help those involved in the accident to "get over it", kind of. And she was telling that to the people who she is supposed to "care for"... and that say they find it insulting...

That shows how hypocrite she is and that she is only doing it to milk more money from people.

Not impressed by her here.

She didn't decide to use it, the producer did. Beyonce didn't write that song, she is just performing it.
It's only in there to sell records.

reply to post by rangerdanger


But she's defending the choice to use it.

I'm all about some good sampling and the post-modern aspect of sampling, but I don't get what she is going for here. I am nearly positive that Beyonce didn't even know anything about the Challenger explosion. Was she even born yet when it happened? How did it affect her so that she wants to do a tribute?
But then again, it's her producer who was responsible. It's not like she writes or arranges the songs.
Seems like a cheap rip off of a tragedy. They probably didn't think anyone would remember it. That's how removed these people are from reality.

reply to post by antonia


Not a tribute, she isn't that talented, all she does is shoot music videos and sing in studio. I hope everyone who thinks that kind of music, or her music is good, to boycott. That is just insulting what they did.

reply to post by antonia


I can't stand her!!

I never liked her. I remember when she was in Destiny's Child, she was something I can't say on here and her "diva" attitude showed then. When she married Jay Z she became even more egotistical and full of herself. I wish she would just go away.

I find her use of the Challenger incident disgusting and there is no tribute, it's a half assed answer because people spoke out against it so she had to say something. She only cares about herself and whatever else gives her publicity.

I saw another article just about 20mins ago where she depicts herself in the Last Supper Photo as Jesus. I mean really? Her and Jay Z and their egos need deflating.