What do the tube map art prints show?

Each print plots the complete story of its subject - whether that's a musician's full studio discography and every collaborator, or a film's complete plot structure - laid out as a tube map-style visual system. Albums or key narrative moments are shown as stations, with musicians or characters connected through clear, logical lines. The whole picture, not just a single moment.

How accurate is the information?

Every map is built from my own detailed research - official credits, liner notes, session records, interviews, and archival references. When I'm working on a new map, I cross-reference multiple sources before a single line goes down. Accuracy is central to how I work, and every map is checked and refined before it goes to print. I also welcome corrections from fans and musicians - several maps have been updated following direct input from the artists themselves.

Who designs these maps?

I'm Mike Bell and I research and design every map myself, here in the UK. I'm a fan first - each map starts with the music or the film, not a template. This is original, independent work created by one person with an obsessive attention to detail, not mass-produced artwork generated by an algorithm.

What makes these different from a standard music poster?

A standard poster shows you an image. My tube maps show you a system — the relationships, timelines, and connections that run beneath an artist's entire career. They're designed to reward close inspection and long-term viewing. Many buyers describe them as both artwork and reference pieces; something they find themselves returning to.

What quality are the prints?

Every print is produced on archival-grade, acid-free Giclée paper, designed for 100+ years of colour stability. The result is sharp detail, rich colour, and a print made for permanent display rather than short-term decoration. Full paper and frame specifications are here.

Are framed options available?

Yes. Most designs are available as unframed prints or as professionally framed, ready-to-hang pieces in a choice of frame finishes. Available options are shown on each product page.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes — orders ship worldwide, carefully packaged to protect the artwork in transit. I work with local print partners across the UK, Europe, and North America for faster fulfilment. Shipping opt

Press Kit - V&A and Bruce Springsteen Archives Tube Map Designer

Press Kit and Licensing

This press kit is for journalists, museum and archive curators, broadcast researchers, podcast producers, licensing partners, music industry contacts and anyone else writing about, exhibiting or commissioning my work. I'm Mike Bell, the designer, researcher and creator behind mikebellmaps.com.

The Short Version

I make research-led tube map artworks of music discographies, film plots and other cultural histories. Every map is independently researched, designed and updated by me from primary sources. The work is held in two major cultural institutions and has been the subject of national press coverage.

Institutional Holdings

Victoria and Albert Museum, London

My David Bowie discography tube map is held in the permanent collection at the David Bowie Centre for the Study of Performing Arts, part of V&A East Storehouse at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. The Centre is the world's most significant repository of Bowie's archive. Full story: the David Bowie discography tube map at the V&A David Bowie Centre.

Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music

The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University (400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, New Jersey 07764, USA) holds a copy of my Bruce Springsteen discography map in their permanent archive. The Archives team contacted me in November 2020 calling the map "truly amazing". Full story: my Bruce Springsteen discography map at the Bruce Springsteen Archives.

Press Coverage

I was interviewed by The Guardian for a feature about life after de-diagnosis, with a backlink to mikebellmaps.com. The piece is forthcoming and will be linked here when published.

Industry Endorsements

"Truly amazing" - the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music, Monmouth University
"Brilliant idea" - Billy Bragg
"Very cool and smart" - Susan Rogers, producer for Prince
"Awesome!!" - Warren Ellis of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
"Brilliant series" - Simon Rogers of The Fall

Full feedback page: music map feedback at mikebellmaps.com.

What I Make

My catalogue covers four template types:

Music discography maps: stations are albums in chronological order, lines are musicians showing which records they played on. Around 65 artists covered including The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, The Cure, The Who, Pink Floyd, Kate Bush, Nick Cave, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Taylor Swift, Queen, ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, Nirvana and many more.
Single-album maps: stations are tracks in album running order, lines are musicians with the instrument or credit shown at each track they played on. Currently Rolling Stones Goats Head Soup, with more in development.
Film plot maps: stations are major plot interactions, lines are characters. Currently Back to the Future, Blade Runner, Dirty Dancing, Jaws and The Shining, plus the James Bond franchise map which uses a different structure (films as stations, recurring characters as lines, with the actor identified at each station).
Other maps: F1 seasons (1984, 1986, 2019, 2020), Brighton and Hove Albion history, Lewes and Uckfield town tube maps, political maps including Boris Johnson, Liz Truss vs the Lettuce, Trump Tan Lines, UK Prime Ministers Education, and the Live Event Production Process map drawn from two decades in live communications.

Production Specifications

Every print ships as a ready-to-hang framed art print, fully assembled out of the box:

Ready-to-hang framed art prints, fully assembled out of the box
Handmade Italian wooden frames in solid, real wood
Available in oak, black and white finishes, with red, yellow and blue on selected products
Slim modern gallery profile: 1.5cm wide and deep on A2, 2cm wide and deep on A1
Premium plexiglass glazing, lightweight and shatter-resistant for safe global shipping
Museum-quality Giclée printing for exceptional detail and colour accuracy
230gsm premium fine art paper with a textured matte finish
Archival, acid-free stock for long-term colour stability
Stretched canvas option available on a 4cm deep floater frame
Pre-fitted sawtooth hangers and rubber bumpers, ready for portrait or landscape display
Made to order, printed locally, shipped worldwide in protective packaging

Sizes are A1 landscape (594 x 841mm) and A2 landscape (420 x 594mm). Available framed in oak, black or white, with red, yellow and blue on selected products, plus the stretched canvas option on a 4cm deep floater frame.

Methodology Notes

Every map is built from primary sources. I work from album liner notes, studio session documentation, film credits and production archives, musician and producer interviews and specialist fan-led historical databases. Each station represents a confirmed studio album, film or defined creative milestone. Each line represents a documented collaboration or character journey. There's no outsourced research team and no automated data scraping.

Commission and Licensing

I take on commissioned work for bands, artist management, record labels, tour promoters, museums, archives, and festivals. Recent examples include the Country 2 Country Festival 2025 commission for Countryline Radio. For commissions, see the tour merchandise and band map page.

I also offer wholesale rates to museums, galleries, gift shops and independent retailers. See wholesale art prints, trade rates and ordering.

Editorial Writing

Long-form pieces I've written about the research and design behind specific maps:

Designer Biography

I started in music, moved into theatre, and then spent two decades in live communications producing and designing conferences, brand events and shows. I now design them on a freelance basis through freelancevisuals.co.uk, alongside my work on mikebellmaps.com. I live and work in East Sussex.

Available Assets

I can supply on request:

High-resolution map images for editorial use
Portrait photographs
Quotes and short-form designer biography (50, 100 and 250 word versions)
Background on specific maps or design decisions

Contact

For press, museum, archive, licensing, commission, broadcast and podcast enquiries:

Email: mike@mikebellmaps.com

Studio: East Sussex, UK

Website: mikebellmaps.com