Topspin Media Explained

Url:TopspinMedia.com
Commercial:Yes
Type:E-Commerce and Web Marketing
Launch Date:June 2007
Current Status:inactive

Topspin Media (or Topspin) was a technology company that provides direct-to-consumer retail and marketing software for musicians, filmmakers, artists, authors, and other content creators.[1]

History

Topspin was founded in 2007 by Peter Gotcher (co-creator of Pro Tools) and Shamal Ranasinghe. In its early stages, Topspin's software was accessible to artists through invitation only.[2] The company gradually expanded by testing new features through direct-to-consumer campaigns for notable artists such as David Byrne and Brian Eno. In recognition of this approach, Billboard magazine named Topspin the Indie Visionary of the Year in 2008.[3]

In 2010, Topspin introduced a new ticketing system, which facilitated the sold-out success of two fan-exclusive Pixies shows at The Troxy in London, England.[4] CEO Ian Rogers, in February 2011, announced the company's decision to open its previously private software to the general public.[5] On March 16, 2011, the Topspin platform became accessible to everyone.[6] The company promoted this public launch during the South By Southwest music festival, where they hosted a three-day software demonstration and awarded a $5,000 "Direct-to-Fan Grant" to the artist with the most compelling direct-to-fan marketing plan.[7]

Topspin has consistently maintained a presence at industry conferences such as MIDEM[8] and South By Southwest.[9] In October 2011, Topspin was among the first four partners selected for integration into YouTube's Merch Store.[10] In March 2012, it was announced that Topspin's e-commerce and marketing technology would power MTV Networks' Artists initiative, set to launch in the summer of that year.[11]

Topspin Media is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and operates satellite offices in New York, Nashville, and London, England. The company was acquired by Beats Music in 2014.[12]

Beats Music sold TopSpin to Transform Capital a few months later and the company began to collapse. The website went offline in 2020.[13]

Features

Topspin is a web-based application structured into six primary sections or tabs for users: Dashboard, Products, Promote, Fans, Sell, and Fulfill.[14] As users log in, they are directed to the account Dashboard, providing an overview of recent sales and marketing data. The additional sections are:

Topspin can bundle multiple products together for sale as a unified package. For example, a single package can include a CD, T-shirt, concert ticket, album download, and other items. CEO Ian Rogers has referred to this strategy of combining physical and digital goods as "rebuilding."[15] In February 2012, Rogers noted that Topspin sells roughly equal numbers of physical and digital units; however, the majority (75%) of revenue generated by Topspin artists comes from the sale of physical merchandise.[16]

The Topspin application offers integrated tools for e-commerce, fan relationship management, marketing, and the fulfillment of both digital and physical goods.[17]

Other notable features of the Topspin platform include:

Clients and users

At the time of Topspin's public launch in March 2011, the company's artist roster numbered between three and four thousand. By March 2012, one year after its public launch, Topspin's roster approached 20,000. Notable artists include:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Topspin Media, Inc.: Private Company Information – Businessweek . https://web.archive.org/web/20121010074124/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=6374090 . dead . October 10, 2012 . Investing.businessweek.com . 2010-06-16 . 2012-05-18.
  2. News: Sisario . Ben . 2011-10-02 . High-Tech Tools Help Bands Market Directly to Fans . The New York Times .
  3. Web site: 2008-06-28 . The Indies Issue: The Visionaries . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120518111929/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/magazine/features/e3id3157507ac800210d1231b164ec5d027 . 2012-05-18 . 2012-05-18 . Billboard.biz.
  4. Web site: 2010-07-29 . Topspin Media Now Sells Tickets . 2012-05-18 . hypebot.
  5. Web site: Peoples . Glenn . 2011-02-16 . Topspin To Offer Direct-to-Fan Platform To All Users . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120423214718/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/digital-and-mobile/topspin-to-offer-direct-to-fan-platform-1005039472.story . 2012-04-23 . 2012-05-18 . Billboard.biz.
  6. Web site: 2011-03-16 . Topspin, Act 2 . 2012-05-18 . Topspin Media.
  7. Web site: 16 February 2011 . Topspin's About-Face: The Complete Details . 2012-05-18 . Digital Music News.
  8. Web site: Shamal ranasinghe . 28 January 2010 . Topspin's Marketing With Data Presentation at Midem . 2012-05-18 . Slideshare.net.
  9. Web site: 7 March 2011 . Topspin's Incredibly Ambitious SXSW Splash . 2012-05-18 . Digital Music News.
  10. Web site: 2011-10-16 . YouTube Blog: New YouTube features for music artists . 2012-05-18 . Youtube-global.blogspot.com.
  11. News: Sisario . Ben . 2012-03-15 . Digital Notes: MTV.com Sees an Opening as MySpace Fades Away – NYTimes.com . Mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com . Austin (Tex) . 2012-05-18.
  12. Web site: Ha . Anthony . 2014-03-04 . Beats Music Acquires Music Marketing And Monetization Company Topspin Media . 2023-01-18 . TechCrunch . en-US.
  13. Web site: 2020-06-10 . Topspin Music Marketing Platform Is (Finally) Offline . 2024-02-18 . Hypebot . en-US.
  14. Web site: Topspin Application Overview : Topspin Artist Support . 2012-05-18 . Artistsupport.topspinmedia.com.
  15. News: Sisario . Ben . 2011-10-02 . High-Tech Tools Help Bands Market Directly to Fans . The New York Times .
  16. Web site: 16 February 2012 . 75 Percent of Topspin's Sales Are Physical . 2012-05-18 . Digital Music News.
  17. Web site: Nick . 2009-03-18 . Topspin Media Are The Future of Music . 2012-05-18 . Waycooljnr.com.au.
  18. Web site: Spinshop Gallery . Topspin Media . 2012-05-18.
  19. Web site: Email for Media widget (E4M) : Topspin Artist Support . Artistsupport.topspinmedia.com . 2011-07-29 . 2012-05-18.
  20. Web site: Redemption Codes : Topspin Artist Support . Artistsupport.topspinmedia.com . 2012-05-18.
  21. Web site: Membership Products : Topspin Artist Support . Artistsupport.topspinmedia.com . 2012-05-18.
  22. Web site: Creating A Preorder : Topspin Artist Support . Artistsupport.topspinmedia.com . 2011-12-06 . 2012-05-18.
  23. Web site: Creating Ticket Products : Topspin Artist Support . Artistsupport.topspinmedia.com . 2011-12-06 . 2012-05-18.
  24. Web site: Creating a Package : Topspin Artist Support . Artistsupport.topspinmedia.com . 2012-05-18.
  25. Web site: Topspin Fulfillment : Topspin Artist Support . Artistsupport.topspinmedia.com . 2011-07-27 . 2012-05-18.
  26. Web site: Eminem, Topspin, Brian Eno & The Future of The Music Industry . Laughingsquid.com . 2009-05-18 . 2012-05-18.
  27. Web site: Beastie Boys Reveal Ill Communication Reissue Details, Bonus Tracks . . February 14, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101005085447/http://pitchfork.com/news/35851-beastie-boys-reveal-iill-communicationi-reissue-details-bonus-tracks/ . October 5, 2010 .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Topspin Media".

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