The artist who first came to my mind when I thought about this is Lady Gaga. She blatantly flaunts her sexuality both in her appearance and her songs, but she does so in a way that doesn't seem like she's trying to appeal to the masses. It really seems as though she is simply being herself. I think that the reason for this is that she isn't JUST sexual - she is eccentric, unique, and quite bizarre! She is also very open about her sexuality as being a bisexual woman and her sexual escapades. Maybe it is all just a marketing ploy on her part. If so, I would say it's pretty effective because not only is she getting attention, but people really believe that that is how she is. The perceived authenticity of Gaga's sexuality is what causes it to be so acceptable and even respected by many people.
On the other hand is Britney Spears. Britney flaunts her sexuality just as much as Gaga does. And their music is really not all that different. Yet it seems as though less people would consider Britney to be the "artist" that Gaga is. Why? I would argue that Britney's sexuality seems to be more strategic. Sex sells, and she knows it. From the beginning of her career as a teenager, It appears as though Britney has embraced her sexuality over the years. But has she really embraced it, or is she just doing it for the popularity and recognition that comes along with being a sex sybmol? Most people would argue the latter.
And you know, like I said, Gaga's sexuality may be just as strategic as Britney's. In fact, she may have even done a better job because her strategy of using sex to sell records is more discrete. Whatever the case may be, I personally find it sort of disheartening that this discussion has always been and probably will always be present when it comes to discussing and analyzing women in the music industry (or any industry, for that matter). Whether it's at the forefront of a woman's career or not, sexuality will always be an issue, and that is not the case for men.
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