IT’S IN THE UNIQUE DETAILS - MUSIC MAPS
Every one of my music map art prints begins with deep research and a simple question: how can the story of sound be seen?
Each design transforms a band’s or solo musician's discography into a clear visual journey, turning years of studio work, collaborations, and creative evolution into a single connected artwork.
What looks effortless on the wall is the result of months of meticulous data collection, verification, and design craft.
Building My Music Map Art Prints
Each map starts from the source: the official liner notes, studio archives, musician credits, and recording logs. I track every contributor, from headline artists and producers to the lesser-known session musicians who shaped the sound. Once verified, these details are arranged as a living network of connections: albums become “stations,” musicians become “lines,” and together they form a visualised history of creativity.
The Musician Data Project
Behind every print lies an expanding dataset, an ever-growing catalogue of musicians, producers, and engineers spanning decades of recorded music. Each entry links an artist to the albums and sessions they’ve contributed to, forming a unique web of musical collaboration. This dataset isn’t static; it’s continually refined, corrected, and expanded through ongoing research and community feedback.
This research foundation allows me to compare line-ups, trace creative overlaps, and map the invisible studio relationships that shaped modern music. It’s a living record of how artists connect, evolve, and influence one another through time.
Accuracy and Collaboration
Every map is open to feedback from fans, collectors, and musicians themselves. When a correction or addition is suggested, I investigate, verify, and update the data, crediting those who help improve the work. The result is a community-shaped archive of sound and collaboration.
Every name, every note, every date is researched and cared for. That’s what makes these Music Maps more than art: they’re visual histories built on truth, connection, and the joy of discovery. It’s all in the details.
ABOUT MIKE BELL
Mike Bell Maps is my expanding collection of art prints of music maps, film plots line maps and other subjects - from politics to places and F1 too.
Each art print transforms the rich, complex history of bands, films, and more into beautifully designed art prints that combine storytelling, research, and design.
From Live Design to Visual Storytelling Art print Design
I spent years designing live experiences for major brands and cultural events. When the live events industry paused during lockdown, I channelled my creative energy into something new - visualising the music I love. What began as a personal experiment quickly evolved into a full-time project uniting design, research, and cultural storytelling.
Roots in Live Music
Before show design took over, I worked in live sound - hauling flight cases, climbing PA stacks, and working with some very interesting cliche roadies. Those early years gave me an insider’s perspective on music and collaboration. Now, instead of loading speakers, I load up maps of bands and albums, each filled with the same spirit of energy, history, and connection.
The First Music Map Art Print
My first music map, charting The Fall’s album line-ups, went through sixteen versions before it felt complete - refined with input from band member and producer Simon Rodgers. That dedication to accuracy and detail still defines everything I make. Every map blends primary research, fan archives, liner notes, and interviews to uncover stories that even die-hard fans might have missed.
Turning Data into Art
Each Mike Bell Map transforms this research into a tube-style visual journey: albums become stations, musicians form connecting lines, and stories unfold across decades. Whether it’s a band’s discography, a film’s plot, or a political history, my maps turn complexity into clarity - transforming information into art that invites discovery.
A Global Creative Project
What began as a lockdown brain exercise to manage a minor neurological condition has evolved into an international art print business, shipping worldwide. Each piece is made to spark curiosity, inspire conversation, and celebrate legacy - helping people explore the stories behind the music, movies, and cultural moments that shape our lives.
Mike Bell Maps is where research meets design, and every map tells a story worth tracing.
