The fall music season is well under way, with several artists debuting lead singles from new albums to be released before Christmas. With the continuing decline of album sales, the market for grabbing a share of the Soundscan pie is more fiercely competitive than ever. This can be seen no more clearly than in this fall's Diva Girlfight. With Pink, Britney, Beyonce, XTina and more releasing new albums, who's the most likely to come out on top? Check it out, after the jump!
Here's the Contenders, along with their chances at Diva Girlfight Victory:
Christina Aguilera: While the lead track from her forthcoming Greatest Hits album, "Keeps Getting Better", shot up to 7th on the Billboard Hot 100 last week, it's tumbled already out of the top 10, during a week that saw rival Britney Spears shoot up to the top spot. Yet with the album being a compilation and not one of original material, it's unlikely that XTina will dominate this fall, in favour of saving it for her next full album, due out next summer. She may not dominate now, but count on it once the weather goes above 30 degrees again.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 20-1
Alicia Keys: Ms. Keys is one of the few in the industry who can do no wrong. While you can expect her album from last winter to start cleaning up the awards (it qualifies for this February's upcoming Grammys), she's presenting a tough sell of single this fall: Her collaboration with Jack White on "Another Way to Die", the theme from the upcoming James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. While the single certainly rocks (why wasn't this genius pairing thought of sooner?), getting it to catch on with Keys' RnB and Pop radio demographics may be a challenge. The added bonus? It may gain her a few extra rock fans as well. Since it's only a single, don't look for Keys to annihilate the competition this winter (for once). However, one can certainly expect this single to be just as (if not more) successful as Madonna's "Die Another Day" from 2002.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 15-1
Jennifer Hudson: Regardless of the critical praise thrown upon her debut album and lead single, "Spotlight", it was only this week that the song finally cracked the Top 20. However, it shows signs of a slow burner, as it also just reached the No. 1 position on the Hot RnB/Hip Hop Songs Chart. What's more, Hudson's base garners largely toward the adult-contemporary crowd as well, and that demographic could certainly help boost sales through the holiday season, provided a second single garners such attention.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 12-1
Pink: Pop's favourite angry wounded singer of the moment is enjoying a career resurgence, thanks to her hit, "So What", hitting the top spot on the Hot 100, and staying steady in the Top 10 ever since. Given the momentum leading up to the release of her next album, Funhouse, on Oct. 28th, look for Pink to have a very enoyable fall indeed. With a slew of radio-friendly tracks from various uber-producers waiting in the wings, look for Pink to possibly generate something even more rare in today's industry: A hit with legs. Got any doubt? Two of her last three albums, M!zzundastood, and I'm Not Dead, both were still in the top ten a year after release. So even if fall doesn't work out, spring is looking good for Pink too.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 6-1
Britney Spears: Any warblings about Spears' comeback being nothing more than talk (including my own) seem to be unfounded. Today it was announced that Ms. Spears broke the record for greatest gain on the Hot 100 in history, bounding from 96-1, giving Spears her first No. 1 since "...Baby One More Time". With hype building to a peak for her next album, Circus, it appears that Spears' comeback will finally be solidified. Even if the album fails to sell ginormous amounts, if it still contains a slew of hits at radio, look for Spears to dominate most of her competition this autumn.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 2-1. It would be higher if not for...
Beyonce: You might as well call her the comeback killer. Beyonce leaves many fans divided, mostly because people envy those who are incredibly talented, beautiful, and seemingly never take a misstep. They may have more to envy, because with the release of her two new singles, Mrs. Jay-Z seems to have avoided the missteps altogether once again. "If I Were a Boy" is a surefire hit ballad with mass crossover appeal, much in the vein of "Irreplaceable'. In addition, "Single Ladies" doesn't share the heavy bass or horns of predecessors such as "Deja Vu" or "Crazy in Love", but it does come with ridonkulously catchy beats, and a video that schools Ms. Spears in the dance (and hot bod) category. Since Beyonce's album will probably also score high on the album charts as well as with critics, it looks like fall may belong to a Dreamgirl.
Odds of Girlfight Success: Even
Agree or disagree? Feel as if there's room for more than once champion? Did we miss a contender that would wipe the floor with all of these divas? Post a comment!
Here's the Contenders, along with their chances at Diva Girlfight Victory:
Christina Aguilera: While the lead track from her forthcoming Greatest Hits album, "Keeps Getting Better", shot up to 7th on the Billboard Hot 100 last week, it's tumbled already out of the top 10, during a week that saw rival Britney Spears shoot up to the top spot. Yet with the album being a compilation and not one of original material, it's unlikely that XTina will dominate this fall, in favour of saving it for her next full album, due out next summer. She may not dominate now, but count on it once the weather goes above 30 degrees again.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 20-1
Alicia Keys: Ms. Keys is one of the few in the industry who can do no wrong. While you can expect her album from last winter to start cleaning up the awards (it qualifies for this February's upcoming Grammys), she's presenting a tough sell of single this fall: Her collaboration with Jack White on "Another Way to Die", the theme from the upcoming James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. While the single certainly rocks (why wasn't this genius pairing thought of sooner?), getting it to catch on with Keys' RnB and Pop radio demographics may be a challenge. The added bonus? It may gain her a few extra rock fans as well. Since it's only a single, don't look for Keys to annihilate the competition this winter (for once). However, one can certainly expect this single to be just as (if not more) successful as Madonna's "Die Another Day" from 2002.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 15-1
Jennifer Hudson: Regardless of the critical praise thrown upon her debut album and lead single, "Spotlight", it was only this week that the song finally cracked the Top 20. However, it shows signs of a slow burner, as it also just reached the No. 1 position on the Hot RnB/Hip Hop Songs Chart. What's more, Hudson's base garners largely toward the adult-contemporary crowd as well, and that demographic could certainly help boost sales through the holiday season, provided a second single garners such attention.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 12-1
Pink: Pop's favourite angry wounded singer of the moment is enjoying a career resurgence, thanks to her hit, "So What", hitting the top spot on the Hot 100, and staying steady in the Top 10 ever since. Given the momentum leading up to the release of her next album, Funhouse, on Oct. 28th, look for Pink to have a very enoyable fall indeed. With a slew of radio-friendly tracks from various uber-producers waiting in the wings, look for Pink to possibly generate something even more rare in today's industry: A hit with legs. Got any doubt? Two of her last three albums, M!zzundastood, and I'm Not Dead, both were still in the top ten a year after release. So even if fall doesn't work out, spring is looking good for Pink too.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 6-1
Britney Spears: Any warblings about Spears' comeback being nothing more than talk (including my own) seem to be unfounded. Today it was announced that Ms. Spears broke the record for greatest gain on the Hot 100 in history, bounding from 96-1, giving Spears her first No. 1 since "...Baby One More Time". With hype building to a peak for her next album, Circus, it appears that Spears' comeback will finally be solidified. Even if the album fails to sell ginormous amounts, if it still contains a slew of hits at radio, look for Spears to dominate most of her competition this autumn.
Odds of Girlfight Victory: 2-1. It would be higher if not for...
Beyonce: You might as well call her the comeback killer. Beyonce leaves many fans divided, mostly because people envy those who are incredibly talented, beautiful, and seemingly never take a misstep. They may have more to envy, because with the release of her two new singles, Mrs. Jay-Z seems to have avoided the missteps altogether once again. "If I Were a Boy" is a surefire hit ballad with mass crossover appeal, much in the vein of "Irreplaceable'. In addition, "Single Ladies" doesn't share the heavy bass or horns of predecessors such as "Deja Vu" or "Crazy in Love", but it does come with ridonkulously catchy beats, and a video that schools Ms. Spears in the dance (and hot bod) category. Since Beyonce's album will probably also score high on the album charts as well as with critics, it looks like fall may belong to a Dreamgirl.
Odds of Girlfight Success: Even
Agree or disagree? Feel as if there's room for more than once champion? Did we miss a contender that would wipe the floor with all of these divas? Post a comment!
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