Where Iron Maiden, Coldplay & Charli XCX Started Out: London Launches Grassroots Music Tube Map

A new campaign to highlight the grassroots music scene of London, England was launched today, May 13. It consists of a map of London’s underground system, the Tube, reimagined to show the locations of nightclubs, record stores, and grassroots music venues across the capital.

The campaign is a joint effort by the London mayor’s office, Transport for London (TfL), the Music Venue Trust, Featured Artist Coalition, Outernet, the Metro, and Universal Music.

They count a total of 179 grassroots music venues across the capital, which “play a vital role in the capital’s music scene, growing the next generation of talent, boosting the capital’s economy and nightlife,” according to the press release announcing the campaign.

In the last year, these venues have welcomed more than 4.2 million visitors, hosted performances by more than 328,000 artists, employed nearly 7,000 people and contributed £313 million ($414 million) to the economy.

Some of the world’s current superstars, who’ve performed in the capitals grassroots venues at the start of their careers include Chappell Roan, who performed at the Garage, Charli XCX, who performed in a number of East London clubs, Coldplay, who performed at The Dublin Castle, and Noah Kahan, who performed at The Social.

These venues, where the average ticket price is £11, have faced a number of challenges in recent years following the long-lasting impact of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis.

The first-ever special Grassroots Music Tube Map is part of the London Creates music campaign. Aside from the locations of independent record stores and music venues, the map features lines turned into electric cables, and named after key parts of the industry.

The map was first exclusively published in the Metro newspaper, and will be screened for a month at Outernet London.

Ticketing platform DICE has created a listing of 25 grassroots artists to see in 2025 over the next six months, alongside a social media campaign encouraging Londoners and visitors to make the most of London’s music scene.

The Metro is also hosting a series of interviews online with artists and venues in partnership with the Featured Artist Coalition (FAC).

Next month the capital will be welcoming SXSW London for the first time. The United States’ main conference for the creative and tech industries will bring a music program showcasing up and coming talent across more than 20 grassroots music venues for its UK premiere.

London mayor Sadiq Khan also created an independent Nightlife Taskforce to help examine and address the issues facing life at night, and is encouraging councils to support late-night openings during this spring and summer period to boost economy and tourism.

See: Ticket Levy, Found Festival & Other Good News From The UK Grassroots Sector

Comments:

London mayor Sadiq Khan: “London’s grassroots music scene is renowned around the world. From providing opportunities for talented aspiring artists to develop their trade, to giving Londoners a great night out, our venues are an essential part of our life at night and provide a huge boost to our economy. However, they have faced huge challenges in recent years, which is why we’re joining with partners across the capital to champion all parts of London’s grassroots music scene. This special edition Tube map is a great way to highlight what a huge impact the scene has on our capital, as we continue to do all we can to support venues and build a more prosperous London for everyone.”

Mark Davyd, founder & CEO, Music Venue Trust: “London is one of the world’s great music cities, constantly reinventing itself with new sounds, new genres, and incredible new artists. The network of grassroots music venues in London are an essential part of what makes the capital’s music thrive, delivering an extraordinary range of music, community and life changing experiences at affordable prices. In London, there really is something for everyone, every night of the week, right the way across the city.”

Skin from Skunk Anansie: “You don’t get mainstream music without the grassroots and there’s no fast way to becoming a band or an artist. If you want to get on stage and learn you craft, the only way you’re going to get good as a live band is in grassroots venues because they let you be as wild as you want to be. Everyone comes to London to hear music and we have some of the best venues in the world but I think what makes it so vibrant is because we have so much diversity in London. In London you have circles of creativity influencing each other. You have the art world influencing the music world. You have the literary world influencing music world. There’s a lot going on here that can influence music and that’s why London is so vibrant.”

Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden: “It might only be only a short distance from the Cart and Horses pub in Stratford, where Iron Maiden first started out, to the London Stadium where we’re playing in June, but it’s been a 50-year journey that’s taken Maiden there. And it was in Camden at the old Music Machine venue, which went on to become the Camden Palace and is now KOKO, that I first took to the stage with my old band Samson, back in 1979. Iron Maiden, and thousands of other bands through the years, have taken on the world after starting their journey in London’s clubs and venues. Back then, there were places like the Marquee where music fans could watch legends and pub bands, often on the same bill! It was the premier showcase for UK talent in London, for punk, metal and everything that rocked. And today, there are dozens of other venues across the city where young bands can take their first steps on their musical journey. London’s diverse music scene and its grassroots venues are essential to nurture and support new artists, to bring music fans together and create lifelong passions and memories. We need to cherish it, celebrate it and protect it. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world so get out there and enjoy it!!”

Deborah Arthurs, editor-in-chief of Metro: “We’re proud to partner with the Mayor of London, TfL, and fellow music and media voices on this vital campaign to champion London’s grassroots music scene. At Metro, we believe in the power of culture to bring people together and tell the stories of a city—and nowhere is that more alive than in its independent venues and emerging artists. Grassroots music isn’t just where great talent gets its start—it’s where community, creativity, and identity thrive. These spaces keep live music accessible and affordable for audiences. Supporting them means everyone has the chance to experience the energy, connection and inspiration that only live music can offer. By coming together, we’re not only backing the artists and venues that define this city—we’re helping to secure London’s future as a world-leading music capital.”

Sally Fox, The Water Rats Venue: “The Water Rats is proud to be part of the first ever Grassroots Music Tube Map – celebrating all that is vital about London Grassroot venues and literally putting us out there ‘on the map’. Shining a spotlight on such an important part of the music industry which has been at the forefront of providing platforms for emerging bands and artists, is needed now more than ever. We have all been on a turbulent roller coaster ride of financial challenges in recent years and there is little sign of those challenges easing soon. That’s why we welcome this campaign to get Londoners and visitors to support our venue and keep our music program alive. We need to make sure grassroots venues across London have a future. Can you even imagine a world without music? Would we be living or just existing? #KeepMusicLive@TheWaterRats.”

Deputy mayor for culture and creative industries, Justine Simons, OBE: “Grassroots venues are the heart and soul of the music industry – an essential place for artists to hone their talent in front of an intimate audience with a real sense of community. Where else can you witness the music stars of the future up close and for an average ticket price of £11? But we can’t taken them for granted, and we must cherish and support them. So we’re calling on everyone to get behind our grassroots – because grassroots music is the future of music, but only if we show up for it.”

Philip O’Ferrall, CEO, Outernet: “Music has always been central to Outernet with Denmark Street part of the district and two new music venues . Anyone who loves live music knows that grass roots venues are the life blood of the industry so they must be protected and nurtured. The map is a brilliant illustration of what we have in London and we must never lose that.”

David Martin, CEO, Featured Artists Coalition: “The FAC is proud to support the London Creates Music campaign, celebrating the vital role of London’s grassroots and underground scenes. Artists are the lifeblood of the city’s diverse, culturally significant and globally renowned music movements. For those artists to thrive, it is essential they have the backing to perform, innovate and succeed.”

Emma Strain, customer director, TfL: “Live music is an essential part of London’s cultural offering and transport has played a vital role in supporting it to thrive. From Night buses to our licensed busking scheme, Night Tube to Night Overground, London’s transport has brought concert-goers and artists together to enjoy London’s music scene.”

Adem Holness, head of music, SXSW London: “London’s grassroots music venues and promoters often feel like our best-kept secret. These are the places for genre-defying artists before they become international, and where communities create new music scenes. When we started crafting SXSW London, we knew we needed grassroots promoters and collectives to help us present the boldest new music cultures globally. As a Londoner, I’m super proud to see the iconic status of grassroots music culture celebrated as a reminder that some of London’s best bits come to life after dark. Love seeing London uniting to champion the capital’s grassroots music scene.”

Jon Clifford, owner of Dreamhouse Records: “I’m really excited for Dreamhouse to be included in the first ever Grassroots Music Tube Map. Having spent years of my life either playing, watching or promoting gigs in the many grassroots music venues around the capital, it’s safe to say that you can’t put a value on their importance. From developing talent across London’s incredibly varied live music scene, to simply providing some absolutely brilliant nights out, these venues are so very special and deserve the spotlight that projects like this provide.”

Ruby Horton, venue manager, 100 Club: “Music has always been an integral part of London’s nightlife, and the city’s music scene is considered one of the best in the world. This success owes much to grassroots music venues, which provide artists with their first opportunity to perform in front of an audience. These spaces allow artists to hone their craft, make mistakes, and grow. By taking the risk of nurturing talent before it moves on to larger venues, grassroots venues play a key role in the development of the music scene. They are also places where people gather, form lasting friendships, and build broad communities around a shared love of music. For these reasons, these spaces must be protected and supported before it’s too late. This map acknowledges their importance and serves as a reminder to preserve them.”

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