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Wow, I didn't know there were categories like “best recording package”. I did hear about the artists who got them though. :) You discover something new about Grammy Awards every year! :) Seriously though, you've got to see the video! It's absolutely awesome!

(The following article appears on the Top Spin Media web site).

Kudos to David Byrne (and Brian Eno) and Eminem for walking away with a few of those coveted gold Gramophones at the 52nd GRAMMY Awards last night. It’s been a privilege to have both of these extremely talented artists release records on the Topspin platform, and we’re proud to see them awarded for their amazing work.

If you haven’t been following along at home, Eminem picked up two GRAMMY Awards for ‘Relapse’, one for Best Rap Album, and the other for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group (with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent) for the single, ‘Crack A Bottle’. Eminem released ‘Relapse’ directly to his fans on eminem.com in a variety of exclusive digital and physical packages via Topspin in May 2009. (’Relapse: Refill’ was also introduced via Topspin in December 2009 with the addition of a variety of exclusive shirt designs bundled with the record.)

David Byrne & Brian Eno’s ‘Everything That Happens Will Happen Today’ won the GRAMMY Award for Best Recording Package, with art direction by Stefan Sagmeister. Sagmeister’s design for ‘Everything That Happens…’ included a fabricated tin for the deluxe version of the record, and was released exclusively via the Topspin platform at everythingthathappens.com. If you missed Ian’s unboxing of the ‘Everything That Happens…’ deluxe package, check it out below.

As many of you know, we’re big proponents of deluxe offerings here at Topspin. Artists who’ve released albums directly to their fans in a variety of digital and physical packages using Topspin typically see deluxe offerings account for as much as 40% of total unit sales and north of 50% of gross revenue in some cases. Don’t force your fans to settle for the one-size-fits-all version of your record at retail – create something special they can only get from you.

Congratulations again to David Byrne & Brian Eno, Eminem, and all the GRAMMY Award winners and nominees for putting out some great music this past year.

Gary Brotman
Topspin