Jul 12 - For the Record - Episode 8

I've mentioned this web series before. It's produced by the Cosmic Shambles Network, and presented by Charlotte Ritchie. 

It promises to tell the history of music. Early reviews have been very positive. 

I'm posting links to the episodes here to increase exposure.

Part Eight: Sing to Me 

What makes some music more popular and why do we all have different taste in music? We dig into this via a case study of two pop music juggernauts, The Beatles and Taylor Swift before exploring the behind the scenes process of crafting a memorable song. Finally we take a look at music for children.

Part Eight includes exclusive interviews, rare archive and performances from Paul Kelly, Kelley Jakle. Murray Cook, Sophie Galpin, Jim Bob, Philip Ball, Charlotte Church, Dua Lipa, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Sonny Tennet, Natalie Haynes, Dean Burnett and more.

This series is an entirely independent production made possible by fan support on Patreon and Substack. 

Episode 8 is here:

 

 Episode 9 - the final episode - is coming up next 

I will post a review of the series when I've had the chance to watch and also add links to the episodes.

Mar 14: Taylor Swift's ERAS tour

In 2025, Taylor Swift brought her record-breaking ERAS tour to an end, having visited most of the world - with a few large geographical exceptions.... you can perhaps guess which they were.

 The ERAS tour visited the UK, and there's plenty of geography to be had in exploring the economic and environmental impact of the tour and associated music as well as the interesting cultural implications of the event: the demographics of a typical crowd etc. 

The tour was said to have a major impact on an entire country's economy when it comes into town.

Liverpool rebranded itself as Taylor Town.

The University of Liverpool hosted Tay Day, which was described as a "symposium for fans, students and academics to engage with the cultural phenomenon that is Taylor Swift".

Here's a resource I created at the time, and which may still be of interest...

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There were some other stories that made it into the news as well, including a perceived issue with homeless people in Edinburgh.

Now the tour is over, the legacy is worth exploring perhaps.

What will be the next big tour?

Feb 2: Tube Map of Music

The classic Underground map of Harry Beck has been appropriated for all sorts of things over the years. 

One of the first high profile examples was a project called 'The Great Bear' which was produced in 1992 by Simon Patterson.

A copy is in the Tate collection.

In February 2006, Guardian Music writer Dorian Lynskey reimagined each Tube line as a musical genre, and each station as an artist.

Every intersection provides an opportunity to celebrate those who mix and transcend musical styles.

For example, where the Pop (Circle), Rock (District) and Reggae (Central) lines intersect, you find The Specials (at Notting Hill Gate). Or at the junction of Funk (Victoria) and Blues & Country (Piccadilly), one finds James Brown (at Finsbury Park).

Dorian Lynskey said: "The different character of each line lent itself to a certain genre.

"Pop, for example, intersects with everything else so that had to be the Circle line. On the other hand, classical music tends to occupy its own sphere, which made it perfect for the Docklands Light Railway."

Source

A version of this: Going Underground is available online from 'The Northern Line'

In May 2025, this was brought up to date, with a new map which was produced by Transport for London (TfL) to help celebrate its 25th anniversary, and described as follows.

Introducing the Grassroots Music Tube Map, a one-of-a-kind visual celebration of the venues, artists, genres, and communities that make London one of the greatest music cities in the world.

This campaign is part of London Creates MUSIC, a powerful initiative bringing together music industry leaders, artists and cultural partners to shine a light on grassroots music and the vital role it plays in our city’s creative and economic life.

Designed to resemble a network of electric cables with a sleek black background, each line has been rebranded to celebrate a different part of the capital’s vibrant music culture:

Bakerloo line: Iconic songs
Central line: Genres that define the city
District line: 25 artists to watch in 2025
Jubilee line: Groundbreaking albums
Metropolitan line: Independent record labels
Northern line: Legendary artists
Piccadilly line: Rising stars
Victoria line: Music subcultures that shaped scenes

Alongside this are 25 grassroots music venues, 25 legendary nightclubs, and 25 beloved record shops. These are all mapped out and celebrated as essential landmarks in London’s music journey.

It was displayed at Outernet for a while...

And another version was made to commemorate Taylor Swift's visit to London on her ERAS tour.

Have I missed any other similar projects?

Has this been done for the metro / tube / underground lines in other cities, whether in the UK or elsewhere? I'm guessing it has been...