Beyonce Attracted Criticism

Beyonce has attracted criticism for using audio from the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster in a new love song.

Seven crew members were killed when the Nasa craft exploded almost immediately after launching on January 28, 1986.

In a six-second audio clip at the start of Beyonce's song XO, Nasa's public affairs officer at the time, Steve Nesbitt, is heard saying: "Flight controllers here looking very carefully at the situation.
"Obviously a major malfunction."
His comments, made as Challenger broke up in the air, were heard in footage broadcast around the world.

They are sampled in XO just before a synthesiser starts playing, and the decision to use the audio has been described as insensitive by those affected by the disaster.
The widow of the shuttle's commander, Dick Scobee, issued a statement on behalf of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, which was formed by the families of the astronauts in their memory.

Challenger is pictured here moments before it exploded

June Scobee Rodgers said: "We were disappointed to learn that an audio clip from the day we lost our heroic Challenger crew was used in the song 'XO'.
"The moment included in this song is an emotionally difficult one for the Challenger families, colleagues and friends.
"We have always chosen to focus not on how our loved ones were lost, but rather on how they lived and how their legacy lives on today."

The statement was posted on NasaWatch.com, which is run by former Nasa employee Keith Cowing.
He said: "This choice of historic and solemn audio is inappropriate in the extreme."
In a statement to ABC News, Beyonce said the song was recorded "with the sincerest intention to help heal those who have lost loved ones and to remind us that unexpected things happen, so love and appreciate every minute that you have with those who mean the most to you".
She went on: "The songwriters included the audio in tribute to the unselfish work of the Challenger crew with hope that they will never be forgotten."

While some have been supportive of the star, she has continued to come under fire over the song on Twitter. Some described the use of the Challenger audio as "tacky" and one tweeter, Ashley Wilke, wrote: "Did Beyonce really thing this would be a good idea?"