Duran Duran stays up close and personal with fans
The 1980s pinup boys have stayed on the scene by connecting with millions of fans.
Duran Duran
Mike Blake/Reuters/File
After more than 30 years in the music business, these 1980s pinup boys have long graduated from the covers of Tiger Beat and Bop. But the British band still has the golden touch when connecting with its millions of fans through vast channels of social media, contests, and the long-anticipated meet and greet.
It's no surprise that Duran Duran has so engaged 21st-century technology.
The band was one of the first to shoot glossy music videos in the 1980s. Lead singer Simon Le Bon running through the jungle in "Hungry Like the Wolf" became an iconic image of the decade. In 1997, Duran Duran touted it was the first band to sell a single on the Internet.
Now they are poised again to ride out front, this time on the social media wave. In a move reminiscent of the '80s when Duranies waited breathlessly for MTV world première videos, the band will sell "tickets" to a live concert via Facebook July 8. For $4.99, fans can watch a live stream of the concert. After the stream, the band will answer fan questions live from Istanbul, Turkey, where they will be on tour. A DVD of the concert will be available for purchase July 10.
