Voyager 1 and 2 are now in interstellar space, billions of miles away from our planet. But when NASA launched the Voyager probes in 1977, it wanted to send a portrait of humanity recorded in sound. The Voyager Golden Record mixes music, voices, and natural noises from around the world, a kind of cultural handshake meant for any civilization advanced enough to find it. This collection offers a tour through Earth’s expressive range as it travels far beyond our solar system.
#1: “Johnny B. Goode” – Chuck Berry
The inclusion of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” surprised many listeners at the time because rock and roll was still considered relatively young. NASA wanted a piece that showed rhythmic invention and high-energy performance, and Berry’s guitar lines accomplished exactly that. His recording represents mid-twentieth-century American creativity and offers extraterrestrial listeners a clear example of human musical exuberance.
