Have Aura leak at the time it did. Let Gaga leave it on the internet and talk a bit about it.
Lead single:
Venus, a month before Roar. Risky choice I know but it's the boldest song on the album and the public would either love or hate it. So, you'd market Gaga as
likeable with the video. Make her look sexy and set it in a nightclub that's being taken over by aliens, she rescues everyone from them and does choreography on the dancefloor. The video would be deliberately cheesy and ironic, but also funny and balance the pretentiousness of the song. It would also be a huge streaming hit that could hopefully make the song top 3 on billboard, providing that radio warmed to it (they liked Applause so why not?). Sales would be underwhelming but that's okay.
Swinefest @ the iTunes festival! Setlist: Artpop, Venus, Aura, Manicure, Dope, Applause, J&D (not in that order). Let some good reviews pour in and bring some hype for the album.
Second single: Do What U Want. R Kelly apparently isn't liked because of what he did in the past so replace him with Usher or whoever. Keep the performances and Rick Ross remix (no Xtina). Release the video
on time and it can stay controversial. It provides a talking point for interviews and gives her media coverage. This song should've had longevity on radio and sales so it could sell 2.5 mill in the long run and be another streaming hit along with acclaim for the song. And a top ten peak.
Release ARTPOP cover as it is. Reveal the tracklisting and a promotional video like the "Gaga is over" one but keep it normal and fun like the O2 TV ad, with a new song in the background.
Release Manicure as a promotional single and put out a lyric video straight away. It could debut top 40 and would have all the gays on board for the album.
A week before album release, announce Dope as 3rd single. Do an extensive radio tour for the song so she can also talk about the album and future plans. Dope would have softer vocals and would show a different side of her to the public. She could do an acoustic version for some of the radio stations too. It could go top 20 (possibly peak at #10) and would go platinum.
Album tracklisting:
1. Applause
2. G.U.Y.
3. Do What U Want
4. Artpop
5. Sexxx Dreams
6. Jewels N Drugs
7. Manicure
8. Venus
9. Gypsy
10. Fashion!
11. Dope
12. Swine
13. Mary Jane Holland
Deluxe
14. Aura
15. Donatella
16. Other (Brooklyn, Temple, whatever)
17. A good Venus remix
18. Do What U Want F/ Rick Ross
19. Dope (Acoustic)
Critics would be slightly warmer to the album (65-7 on meta) due to Gaga being organized and less pretentious, along with the improved tracklisting. It would divide some of them, as would Venus and the DWUW video, but Dope and its sincerity could bring a few back.
Fourth single: Sexxx Dreams. The only hit left on the album. And it would be a decent one too- with a sexy video and a good radio edit as X Dreams, this could be another top 5 hit for her. If worst comes to worse bring out the Rihmix! That's why I said to spare the Xtina one- you can't have two in one era. Announce the ARTPOP ball or whatever it's called during this single and embark on that. Sales for the album would be fairly similar in the long run, perhaps a bit better in the US and Australia.
That's how you do it folks
she would still be labeled as the "flop" compared to Perry but it wouldn't have as much backlash or be as low in quality and direction.
That is, the album doesn't/ didn't flop after the first single.
Gypsy
