Metro launches London Grassroots Music Tube Map to spotlight city’s top venues

Metro is joining forces with the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and top music industry figures to put the capital’s grassroots music scene centre stage.

Many of the world’s favourite musicians, from the Rolling Stones and Iron Maiden to Raye and Chappell Roan, made their names in London’s vibrant grassroots venues.

It’s no exaggeration to say music is a fundamental part of the city’s fabric, inspiring and entertaining millions over the decades.

But with London’s nightlife under threat, the time has come to shine a spotlight on the artists and venues that are at the heart of the city’s music industry.

In tomorrow’s Metro, you will find an exclusive new interpretation of the iconic London Tube map – with the names of stations and interchanges replaced with those of artists and locations that form part of the capital’s music heritage.

That includes new stars like Loyle Carner, Arlo Parks and SAULT filling in the stops on the Piccadilly line, and legends like Billy Bragg, Adele and Madness on the Northern line.

They have been matched with locations close to where they came from, or which formed an important part of their story.
For example, Pink Floyd has a spot on the Northern Line near Battersea Power Station, which famously featured on the cover of the band’s album Animals.

Alongside those much-loved artists are places which have made invaluable contributions to the culture of London, the UK and the world.
Among them are 100 Club on Oxford Street, operating for more than 80 years, and Heaven nightclub, at the heart of the city’s LGBTQ+ community for decades.

Many of London’s most important venues have faced extensive challenges in recent years, following the Covid pandemic with its lockdowns and the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis.

In 2024, around a quarter of the 810 grassroots venues supported by the Music Venue Trust across the UK had to ask for help from the organisation’s Emergency Response Service to avoid permanent closure.

Now, 179 grassroots remain in London. We want that number not only to be protected, but also to grow.

The Tube map coming out tomorrow demonstrates the vital role those sites play in British cultural life, and why they deserve to be championed.

Created with the Music Venue Trust, the Featured Artists Coalition and Universal Music, it forms part of Transport for London’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.