How Much Does a Music Map Cost? Three A Sizes and Three Inch Formats, £35 to £175
How much does a music map cost depends on two choices only: the size, and whether you want it framed. A3 is £35 unframed, A2 is £45 unframed or £125 in a black wood frame, and A1 is £65 unframed or £175 framed. There is no third variable, no edition pricing and no canvas option.
Every size and price, in full
This is the whole list. A standard map carries ten variants, which is the three A sizes plus the three inch formats, each unframed or framed except A3.
| Size | Dimensions | Unframed | Black wood frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3 | 420 x 297 mm | £35 | not offered |
| A2 | 594 x 420 mm (23 x 16 in) | £45 | £125 |
| A1 | 841 x 594 mm (33 x 23 in) | £65 | £175 |
| 16x12 in | its own format | £35 | not offered |
| 24x18 in | its own format | £45 | £125 |
| 36x24 in | its own format | £65 | £175 |
The inch formats are separate formats, not conversions. A2 has its own inch equivalent printed above, 23 x 16 in, and 24 x 18 in sits alongside it as a different sheet. If you are in the UK or Europe, the A sizes are the ones to pick; the inch sizes suit standard American frames.
Three maps are the exception, and they start at £65
Both editions of the Beatles discography map and the Levellers map carry four variants rather than ten, because they are produced at A1 only. On those three the floor is £65 unframed and £175 framed.
The reason is density rather than pricing. Those maps carry more credited names per centimetre than the sheet survives at a smaller size, and I would rather remove the option than sell a version where the small type cannot be read.
What the price actually buys
Every map is printed to order as a museum-quality Giclée on 230gsm acid-free matte fine art paper. Black is the only frame colour I offer, supplied ready to hang. Canvas is not currently part of the range, so there is no stretched or deep-edge option to price.
These are the print prices. I am not quoting delivery here, because the rate depends on where it is going and the checkout shows the exact figure before you pay.
The research is the part that does not appear on the invoice. Every map is drawn by hand from session credits and sleeve notes rather than generated, and the figures below are what that produces.
Which size you need depends on the map, not on the wall
This is the question I get asked most, and the honest answer is that it varies by subject far more than people expect. The deciding factor is the busiest station on the particular map you are buying, because that column is where the type gets smallest.
| Map | Busiest single station | Names at that station |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Jackson | Will Power (1987) | 76 |
| Steely Dan | Gaucho (1980) | 41 |
| Liam Gallagher | C'mon You Know (2022) | 33 |
| The Charlatans | Different Days (2017) | 18 |
| The Kinks | Preservation Act 2 (1974) | 14 |
A Joe Jackson map at A3 gives you the shape of the career and a solid block where the orchestra sits. The same map at A1 gives you the string players as names. That is a £30 difference and it is the difference between seeing that a station is crowded and reading who is standing in it.
The Kinks map is the other case. Its busiest station carries 14, which reads comfortably at A2, so the jump to A1 buys you presence on the wall rather than legibility. I would spend the extra on a dense map and save it on a sparse one.
Is the cheapest option the wrong one?
No, and I would rather say so plainly than talk anybody up a size. A3 at £35 is a real print on the same paper, not a reduced-quality version, and on a map like the Kinks or the Ramones it does the job.
Where A3 struggles is the handful of maps with a genuine crowd on one album. Joe Jackson, Steely Dan and the late Liam Gallagher records are the three I would steer away from A3, and the Beatles and Levellers maps take the decision out of your hands by only existing at A1.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a music map cost at the smallest size?
£35 for A3 unframed, which is the floor across the range apart from the three A1-only maps. The 16 x 12 in format is the same price.
Why is the framed price so much higher than the unframed one?
Because the frame is a made-to-size black wood moulding with glazing, assembled and supplied ready to hang, rather than an off-the-shelf clip frame. A2 goes from £45 to £125 and A1 from £65 to £175.
Is A3 available on every map?
On every map with ten variants, which is nearly all of them. The exceptions are both editions of the Beatles discography map and the Levellers map, which are A1 only at £65 and £175.
Do you offer canvas or other frame colours?
Neither, currently. Black wood is the only frame I supply, and canvas is not part of the range, so there is nothing else to price.
What is not included in these prices?
Delivery, which depends on the destination and is shown at checkout before you pay. The prices above are for the print, and for the frame where you choose one.
Can I buy a gift card instead of choosing a size?
Yes. A gift card for music fans lets the recipient pick both the map and the size themselves, which is the sensible answer when you are not sure which artist they would want.
Where to start
There are 70 maps in the music range, and the sizing decision follows from which one you pick rather than the other way round. Browse the music map collection, find the artist, then come back to this page and check how crowded their busiest album is.
If you have already settled on a map and want help choosing between the sizes rather than the prices, I have written more on that in my guide to choosing a size, and on the frame itself in how to frame an A1 print. The paper and frame specification sits on the print specifications page.
