Record Label Takes Beyoncé’s Company to Court Over ‘Alien Superstar’ Sample Rights

A fresh legal battle has erupted over Beyoncé's 2022 track "Alien Superstar." Soundmen on Wax Records filed a lawsuit against several music giants, claiming they cleared the sample with the wrong rights holder.

At the heart of the dispute sits the track's opening lyrics: "Please do not be alarmed, remain calm. Do not attempt to leave the dancefloor. The DJ booth is conducting a troubleshoot test of the entire system." These exact lines were from John Holiday's 1998 track, "Moonraker."

Soundmen on Wax's chief, Shuji Hirose, bought full rights to "Moonraker" back in 1998 for $1,500. According to the lawsuit, while they agree that Beyonce's team did clear the track with the original musician, Holiday, the issue is that Holiday allegedly doesn't own the rights to the master recording.

"Despite widespread domestic and international distribution and publication of the sound recording 'Moonraker' by Soundmen on Wax Ltd. since 1998, defendants Parkwood, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing opted to contract with defendant Holiday for a master use license of the sound recording 'Moonraker' to create infringing derivative work, 'Alien Superstar'," the court papers read, as reported by Billboard.

The case aims to grab a slice of the profits and royalties made from "Alien Superstar" — a track that shot to No. 19 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Notably, Beyoncé herself is off the defendant list.

This isn't the only track with clearance issues from Beyoncé's chart-topping seventh studio album. Renaissance just can't shake its troubles, as this suit marks strike three. In 2022, popular band Right Said Fred publicly blasted the "Run the World" singer for sampling their song "I'm Too Sexy" in "Alien Superstar" without seeking permission.

"Normally the artist approaches us, but Beyoncé didn't because she is such an arrogant person. She just had probably thought, 'Come and get me,' so we heard about it after the fact when you did," the group stated, per Yahoo Entertainment.

Team Beyoncé struck back fast. "Permission was not only granted for its use, but they publicly spoke of their gratitude for being on the album," the star fired back in a statement to E! News.

The drama didn't stop there. Singer Kelis also took issue with samples of her 2003 "Milkshake" showing up in Beyoncé's 2022 track, "Energy," without permission. Her complaints were definitely heard, as the sample vanished from the final cut.

The music giants named in the suit, Parkwood Entertainment, Sony, and Warner Chappell, haven't released any official statements so far.