Topspin is one of the most heavily-hyped startups in the music space, and Ian Rogers is a big part of that picture.  But can Topspin and Rogers truly revolutionize the online space for developing artists, in a fashion that scales, or is this company destined to become more of a boutique-level solution?

Currently, the Topspin clientele includes already-huge stars like the Beastie Boys, Paul McCartney, and David Byrne, acts boosted by a once-powerful major label machine.  But Topspin is also assisting smaller groups - plenty of them - though it remains unclear if the company can create scalable, direct-to-fan pathways that truly result in sustainable payouts, not just high-touch success stories.

The question may be answered by a promised, off-the-shelf and self-service platform, currently in development.  But for acts lucky enough to get the hands-on, Topspin treatment, none of that really matters.  Just recently, Rogers donned a manager's cap, and detailed some smart steps for promoting the group Get Busy Committee on his blog.  The post is chock-full of great nuggets, including those tied to release configurations, release partners, the artist website, search optimization, social networking, and leaking music.  Of course, Rogers cannot create a great band, though his tips are invaluable for aspiring acts - most of whom will never get to meet the guy.