Episode 8: The Music Biz Weekly Podcast
Music Marketing w/ Ian Rogers, CEO Topspin Media

Thanks to the power of Twitter, we have a very special guest on this week's podcast, Ian Rogers, CEO of Topspin Media. We had an amazing discussion with Ian on social media,

music marketing, and of course the Topspin direct-to-fan marketing platform.

Topspin Media (also known as Topspin) is a technology company that provides e-commerce and marketing software & services for artists, their representatives, and their business partners. According to their website, their mission is to empower independent artists to build sustainable businesses, and to supply established artists, record labels, and managers with tools that allow them to operate in the modern music industry.

Topspin was founded in 2007 by Peter Gotcher (co-creator of ProTools) and Shamal Ranasinghe. In 2008, former Yahoo!Music General Manager Ian Rogers was named CEO of Topspin. The company initially engaged with a small number of clients on a one-on-one basis, gradually adding more artists and new features. In 2008, Topspin was named Indie Visionary of the Year by Billboard magazine. The company has had a notable presence at industry conferences such as MIDEM and South By Southwest.

Listen the podcast on Soundcloud here:

Topspin's software include the ability to create and customize an online store, engage in targeted email marketing, and promote art and media through a variety of widgets. Users are able to collect fan email addresses in exchange for a free download, create streaming media players, offer bundles of different products, and sell tickets & fan-club memberships. In 2010, Topspin launched a feature that allowed users to sell tickets with barcodes that could be printed at home and scanned with a custom iPhone app.

Topspin serves over three thousand artists including musicians, filmmakers, and authors. Notable clients include: David Byrne and Brian Eno, Paul McCartney, Linkin Park, Eminem, Beastie Boys, Arcade Fire, and Trent Reznor.

Be sure to follow Brian on Twitter here, Michael on Twitter here, Ian on Twitter here, and Topspin Media on Twitter here.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and share your own tips and tricks with us!

Tags: Brian Thompson | Michael Brandvold | The Music Biz Weekly | Podcast | E-Commerce | Marketing | Promotion | Ian Rogers | Topspin Media