About my North American Rock Music Map

My map of North American Rock Music is a companion piece to my British Rock Music map, painted in 2016. The title of my North American Rock Music painting, “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World”, is from Neil Young’s  1989 anthem. In the spirit of ‘Pop Art’, I’ve used a mixture of watercolours, inks, and homemade transfers to make this painting.

“Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” – a visual soundtrack

There are more than 100 references to bands, artists, songs and cultural icons that reflect the spirit of most genres and styles of rock music. Inevitably I’ve chosen my favourites. I couldn’t possibly include everyone and everything on a hand-painted single sheet of A1. My guiding principles have been are they: influential, iconic, significant, well known, and that I (mostly) like!

If I’ve omitted your favourites, then you’ll have to paint your own North American Rock Music Map and we can compare notes!

Track List

I hope that hardcore music fans will enjoy some of the obscure references, working out who’s who and what’s what. It would have been too easy – and actually not very interesting – to paint logo after logo. But I wanted to make it more participative than that, so that viewers will have to spot and work out what’s represented. For a complete track list, please refer to this epic blog!

Important note for North American customers

Tracked postage to North America is expensive. So, rather than post prints to you across the Atlantic*, I suggest you buy a digital file of this image, which you can then self-print locally using an online printing service such as Shutterfly. The beauty of self-printing is that you can choose which format and size you want, for example, a print on canvas. Read more about self-printing here. The price for a digital file for one-off domestic use is USD$47 | CAN$60. However, this website doesn’t take international orders so you must email me to get a digital file. I take PayPal.

*I can post a print to you, but the cost, including tracked international postage, is USD$66 | CAN$87. Please email me  if you would prefer me to post a print to you.