InsideOut Music

InsideOut Music is a German progressive rock and metal label founded in the mid-1990s by Thomas Waber and Michael Schmitz in Kleve, Germany, now based in Dortmund (Schäferstr. 33a, 44147). It is the leading label for progressive rock and metal. InsideOut is home to Dream Theater, Haken, Leprous, Caligula's Horse, Devin Townsend, Steve Hackett, Kansas, Pain of Salvation, Riverside, Neal Morse, James LaBrie, Jordan Rudess, and many others. The label is a subsidiary of Century Media Records (Sony Music) and has been shaping the history of modern progressive music for over 25 years.

InsideOut was born out of a genuine passion for progressive rock and metal. From the very beginning, the goal was to use all resources and experience to find and acquire the finest new progressive music in the world and present it back to the world in a meaningful way. The label's past and current roster reads like a bible of modern progressive music. As Mike Portnoy, drummer with Sons of Apollo and a former member of Dream Theater, puts it: "InsideOutMusic are 100 per cent responsible for prog's ongoing success over the last 25 years. They've carried the flag when nobody else would. So many bands have had an outlet because of InsideOutMusic." While trends have ebbed and flowed, and other labels have come and gone, InsideOut has stuck resolutely to its guns.

How InsideOut Operates

InsideOut Music runs dedicated A&R under co-founder Thomas Waber from its Dortmund headquarters. It is a subsidiary of Century Media Records (Sony Music), giving it Sony's global distribution. The label is dedicated to developing progressive music as a genre by developing the best acts that the genre has to offer. Its strength is its 25-plus year history of championing progressive rock and metal, and its roster of genre-defining artists (Dream Theater, Haken, Leprous).

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you make progressive rock or progressive metal, InsideOut Music is the leading label for those genres, with a 25-year track record and a roster of genre-defining artists. Its Sony Music distribution (via Century Media) gives it global reach. Its commitment to developing progressive music as a genre means it invests in long-term artist development rather than chasing trends.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Master ownership: InsideOut (via Century Media and Sony) owns your masters under a standard deal.
• Progressive focus: InsideOut signs progressive rock and metal. Artists in other metal subgenres should look elsewhere.
• No unsolicited demos: InsideOut does not accept cold submissions.
• High artistic bar: The label's roster of established progressive artists (Dream Theater, Haken, Leprous) sets a high bar for new signings.

Related Resources

• Record Label Contracts Explained - What an InsideOut deal contains
• How to Get a Record Deal in 2026 - Building a progressive music profile
• Tour Revenue Calculator - Touring income for progressive bands
• Century Media Records - InsideOut's parent label
• InsideOut Music Official Site - Roster and releases