InnerCat Music Group

InnerCat Music Group is a US-based music distributor founded in 2012, headquartered in Miami, Florida. The company employs 14 people across offices in the US, Dominican Republic, and Chile, and works with over 1000 artists and labels. InnerCat operates a custom-built server farm with no third-party platforms, enabling direct content delivery to 60+ DSPs worldwide without middlemen. The company has been a DDEX partner since its inception and is a Spotify Platinum Preferred Provider, the 4th distributor to earn this status. InnerCat offers a broader range of services than many distributors of similar size, including video distribution to YouTube, VEVO, Apple Music, and TIDAL, digital marketing with a Google-Certified team, YouTube channel management and optimization, neighboring rights collection, music publishing and licensing, sync licensing opportunities, and InnerCat Films for video content production. The company provides monthly accounting with a breakdown by DSP and is selective about which artists and labels it works with.

Pricing and Plans

InnerCat does not publish a pricing page. The company is selective about its clients and negotiates custom deals based on the artist or label's needs, catalog size, and service requirements.

Services Included

• Digital distribution to 60+ DSPs worldwide via custom-built server farm
• Direct content delivery with no middlemen
• Video distribution to YouTube, VEVO, Apple Music, and TIDAL
• Digital marketing with a Google-Certified team
• YouTube channel management and optimization
• Neighboring rights collection
• Music publishing and licensing
• Sync licensing opportunities
• Video content production through InnerCat Films
• In-house graphics team for artwork and visual assets
• Monthly accounting with breakdown by DSP
• Free UPC and ISRC codes (if included in deal)

How Access Works

InnerCat is selective about who they work with. The process typically involves:

1. An artist or label submits their catalog for consideration through the InnerCat website.
2. InnerCat evaluates the artist's profile, streaming history, and commercial potential.
3. If accepted, a custom deal is negotiated covering distribution, services, and revenue share.
4. Once the deal is signed, InnerCat's team handles ingestion, delivery, and ongoing management.

This is not a self-service signup process. If you want immediate, self-service distribution, consider DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, or Catapult instead. For a comparison of open-signup distributors, see our music distribution services comparison.

What Sets InnerCat Apart

1. Custom-built server farm, no third-party platforms: InnerCat operates its own server infrastructure rather than relying on third-party distribution platforms like many smaller distributors. This gives the company full control over delivery, metadata processing, and quality assurance. Direct content delivery with no middlemen means fewer points of failure in the supply chain.
2. Spotify Platinum Preferred Provider: InnerCat is the 4th distributor to earn Spotify Platinum Preferred Provider status, the highest tier of partnership with Spotify. This ensures priority delivery, direct Spotify support, and early access to new platform features. Only a small number of distributors worldwide hold Platinum status.
3. DDEX partner since inception: InnerCat has been a DDEX partner since the company was founded in 2012. DDEX is the industry standard protocol for digital supply chain communication. Being a DDEX partner from day one means InnerCat's systems were built to industry standards rather than retrofitted later.
4. Video distribution to VEVO, Apple Music, and TIDAL: In addition to YouTube, InnerCat distributes video content to VEVO, Apple Music, and TIDAL. Most distributors focus on audio distribution and treat video as an add-on. InnerCat's video distribution is a core service, making it strong for artists who prioritize video content and visual storytelling.
5. InnerCat Films: InnerCat operates a dedicated film division for video content production. This includes music videos, documentaries, and other visual content. Having an in-house film production team is unusual for a music distributor and provides end-to-end creative services from recording to visual content to distribution.
6. Google-Certified digital marketing team: InnerCat's digital marketing team is Google-Certified, meaning they are qualified to run Google Ads campaigns, YouTube advertising, and other Google-platform marketing. This certification is not common among music distributors and indicates a level of marketing sophistication beyond basic social media promotion.
7. YouTube channel management and optimization: InnerCat offers YouTube channel management and optimization as a dedicated service. This includes channel setup, metadata optimization, thumbnail design, content strategy, and audience development. For artists who generate significant YouTube revenue, this service can meaningfully increase views and ad revenue.
8. Neighboring rights collection: InnerCat collects neighboring rights royalties on behalf of its clients, a service that most distributors do not offer. Neighboring rights revenue can be significant for artists with international airplay and public performance.
9. In-house graphics team: InnerCat has an in-house graphics team for artwork and visual assets, ensuring that cover art, promotional materials, and channel branding meet platform specifications and quality standards.
10. Monthly accounting with DSP breakdown: InnerCat provides monthly accounting with a detailed breakdown by DSP, giving artists and labels clear visibility into which platforms generate the most revenue. Some distributors provide less granular reporting or pay quarterly.
11. 14-person team across US, Dominican Republic, and Chile: InnerCat's small team and presence in both the US and Latin America give it a personal, hands-on approach that larger distributors cannot match. The Latin American presence also provides insight into the growing LATAM music market.

Submission and Upload Process

InnerCat does not have a self-service upload process. The workflow for accepted artists and labels typically involves:

1. Submit your catalog for consideration through the InnerCat website or by contacting the team directly.
2. InnerCat evaluates your profile, streaming history, and commercial potential.
3. If accepted, a custom deal is negotiated covering distribution scope, services, and revenue share.
4. Once the deal is signed, InnerCat's operations team handles ingestion using its custom-built server farm.
5. Audio and video content is delivered directly to 60+ DSPs, YouTube, VEVO, Apple Music, and TIDAL.
6. In-house graphics team handles artwork and visual assets as needed.
7. Digital marketing campaigns are coordinated through the Google-Certified marketing team.
8. YouTube channel management and optimization are set up for video-focused clients.
9. Monthly accounting with DSP breakdown is provided, with royalty payments processed on a regular schedule.
10. Neighboring rights, music publishing, and sync licensing opportunities are managed on an ongoing basis.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Selective about clients. InnerCat does not accept everyone. If you are an emerging artist without a track record or streaming history, you may not be accepted. DIY distributors like DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby accept all artists with no evaluation process.
• No public pricing. InnerCat does not publish pricing, which means you cannot compare costs upfront. Custom deals may involve revenue shares that are higher or lower than DIY distributors depending on your negotiation and catalog value.
• Only 60+ DSPs. InnerCat distributes to 60+ DSPs, which is fewer than DistroKid (150+), CD Baby (150+), iMusician (200+), or Catapult (150+). If you need maximum store coverage, competitors offer broader reach. However, the 60+ DSPs include all major platforms where the vast majority of streaming revenue is generated.
• Small team of 14 people. InnerCat's 14-person team provides personalized service but may have limited capacity during peak release periods. Larger distributors have more staff to handle support requests and operational volume.
• Limited brand recognition. InnerCat is less well-known than DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, or Catapult. Fewer community reviews, tutorials, and comparisons exist online, which can make it harder to evaluate before committing.
• Royalty split policy not stated. InnerCat does not prominently document its royalty split policy for collaborators. If you work with multiple collaborators who need separate payouts, clarify this before signing.
• Release protection policy not stated. InnerCat does not prominently document what happens to your releases if you end your relationship with the company. Confirm whether music stays live or is removed.
• AI music policy not stated. InnerCat does not publicly document its policy on AI-generated music. If you produce AI-assisted or AI-generated content, confirm acceptance before pursuing a deal.
• Best for artists who value service over price. InnerCat's value proposition is personalized service, direct delivery, and video-focused distribution, not low costs. If your primary criterion is the cheapest possible distribution, DIY distributors are a better fit.

Who InnerCat Is Best For

InnerCat Music Group is best for artists and labels who want personalized service, direct content delivery, and a distributor with strong video capabilities. If you produce music videos, need YouTube channel management, want VEVO and TIDAL video distribution, or require digital marketing with a Google-Certified team, InnerCat offers a service profile that most distributors cannot match. The Spotify Platinum Preferred Provider status ensures reliable delivery to the most important streaming platform, and the DDEX partnership guarantees industry-standard metadata handling. The presence in both the US and Latin America makes InnerCat particularly relevant for artists targeting the LATAM market.

InnerCat is less ideal for emerging artists who want self-service signup (use DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby), artists who need maximum store coverage beyond 60+ DSPs (use DistroKid or iMusician), or artists whose primary criterion is the lowest possible cost. For a broader comparison, see our music distribution services comparison. Use our streaming royalty calculator to project your earnings across platforms.

Related Resources

• Music Distribution Services Compared - Broader distributor comparison
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Project your earnings across platforms
• Why Music Distributors Don't Offer Free Music Distribution - Understanding distribution economics
• InnerCat Music Group Official Website - Services and submission information