Marketing the Girls of Summer

Diva smack-down alert! Record and concert sales for music performers of all genres are melting faster than a Bomb Pop® in the scorching summer sun. So some of the music industry’s hottest-selling female artists are taking to new media for a full-contact publicity battle. Here’s a peek at how some of the biz’s toughest chicks are using social media and online marketing to get attention in this crowded market.

Christina Aguilera’s new record, Bionic, is due June 8th and the little gal with the giant voice is employing everything from social media to online videos in hopes of squashing the competition. But some of her most recent online activity has been spent on the defense: Aguilera made waves when she canceled her summer tour to support her record. Although sales were decent, Team Xtina said that she’s hard at work finishing her first film and publicizing the album. The Genie in the Bottle took to her website to address the issue. In addition, whether it’s her allegedly catty remarks about Lady Gaga or to alert followers about her new video, Aguilera has come out swinging in a series of smartly-constructed announcements posted on her site.

Katy Perry, hot off a headline-making stint as a guest judge on American Idol, once again is generating buzz. Those who hoped that the thin-voiced chanteuse would go away after hearing “I Kissed a Girl” for the billionth time will be sad to find out that Perry is here to stay. She and her husband, Russell Brand, tweet every move of their newlywed life, beating tabloids to the punch. Perry’s new single, “California Gurls,” has been much discussed online, with much of the talk coming from Perry herself. Perry likewise uses Twitter to promote her upcoming album and to drop links to sneak previews for fans.

Finally, in what to could be the Justice League of Female Artists, Lilith Fair is back this summer and already creating buzz. The biggest Lilith Fair news came from The Go-Gos, who canceled their appearance on the tour in protest of Arizona’s new immigration laws. Lead singer Belinda Carlisle took to Facebook to explain to fans why they wouldn’t be participating. The move caused chatter and The Go-Gos ended up on CNN – pretty amazing since the band hasn’t had a hit in more than 2o years! Carlisle, who is promoting a new autobiography, and her team have cleverly used online marketing since her appearance on Dancing with the Stars a few seasons back. The rest of the tour is now selling well and even selling out in other cities across the country.