Electronic music icon deadmau5 is celebrating 25 years in the industry with the announcement of his first-ever coffee table book. Titled ‘book_title_goes_here: 25 years of deadmau5’, the 320-page hardcover publication offers an extensive visual retrospective of Joel Zimmerman’s career, featuring more than 1,000 color photographs, including previously unpublished images from his personal archive.
Published by Soi Books, the large-format release is available to order through the official mau5hop store, with selected independent bookshops set to carry the Classic Edition from December 8, 2026. Spanning early performances, international tours, landmark collaborations and groundbreaking stage productions, the book documents the evolution of one of electronic music’s most recognizable artists.
More than a collection of photographs, the project provides an intimate look at the creative vision, technology and experiences that have shaped deadmau5’s career over the past quarter-century.
deadmau5 Celebrates 25 Years in Electronic Music With First-Ever Book
The new publication takes readers through Joel Zimmerman’s journey from his early performances to becoming an internationally recognized electronic music artist.
Its collection of more than 1,000 photographs combines personal archive material, live performance images and behind-the-scenes moments. Several photographs have never been published before, offering fans a rare opportunity to explore previously unseen chapters of his career.
The book also features appearances from several of Zimmerman’s friends and collaborators, including Tommy Lee, DJ Aero, Steve Duda and SOFI. Their inclusion adds another dimension to the retrospective, highlighting some of the creative relationships developed throughout his time in the industry.
Reflecting on the project, deadmau5 described his 25 years in music as a remarkable journey and welcomed the opportunity to share material captured throughout his career with fans in a different format.
For longtime followers, the publication offers a chance to revisit important moments. Meanwhile, newer listeners can discover the history behind an artist whose influence extends well beyond music production.
From the Iconic Cube to Kx5: Exploring deadmau5’s Live Productions
A significant part of the book focuses on the technology, engineering and visual design behind deadmau5’s live performances.
Throughout his career, Zimmerman has established a reputation for approaching electronic music shows as complete audiovisual productions. Rather than relying solely on traditional DJ setups, he has consistently explored innovative stage concepts, custom-built structures and advanced lighting systems.
One of the most recognizable examples is the Cube, the distinctive LED stage design that debuted at Coachella in 2010.
The Cube and the Evolution of Electronic Music Stage Design
The Cube became an important part of deadmau5’s visual identity, combining electronic music with synchronized lighting and immersive digital imagery. Its distinctive structure helped establish a different approach to large-scale DJ performances, placing stage design at the center of the experience.
The publication also explores the technology and creative decisions behind other major productions, including the Kx5 show featuring Kaskade at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
These projects demonstrate Zimmerman’s ongoing interest in combining music, technology and visual storytelling. The book provides additional insight into the concepts and production work behind performances that have helped distinguish deadmau5 within the global electronic music scene.
deadmau5 Book Available in Two Exclusive Editions
Published by Soi Books, ‘book_title_goes_here: 25 years of deadmau5’ will be released in two editions: a limited mau5hop Edition and a Classic Edition.
Both versions feature the central 320-page photographic collection, although the collector-focused release includes several exclusive physical details.
mau5hop Edition: Limited to 1,200 Copies
Price: $200 / £150
The mau5hop Edition is limited to 1,200 copies and will not be reprinted, making it the more exclusive option for collectors.
Its special features include:
- A custom die-cut slipcase.
- Red metallic foil logo detailing.
- Black metallic page edges.
- Cube schematics printed on architectural tracing paper.
- Two vinyl sticker sheets personally selected by deadmau5.
The additional elements reflect the visual identity associated with Zimmerman’s career, particularly his distinctive stage designs and recognizable artistic branding.
Orders are scheduled to ship on November 28, 2026.
Classic Edition: Available December 8
The Classic Edition will be limited to 800 copies and distributed through selected independent retailers beginning December 8, 2026.
This version does not include the exclusive sticker sheets found in the mau5hop Edition. However, it retains the main photographic collection, offering readers the same extensive retrospective of Zimmerman’s career.
The publication represents more than two years of work by the Soi Books team. Ryo Sanada, Design Director at the publisher, explained that Zimmerman entrusted the team with 25 years of archival material. Organizing and presenting the collection required extensive work across numerous hard drives before the final book came together.
The Release Follows deadmau5’s ‘retro5pective’ Anniversary Shows
The coffee table book announcement arrives following deadmau5’s ‘retro5pective: 25 years of deadmau5’ celebration, which brought sold-out performances to three major North American venues: the Hollywood Bowl, Brooklyn Mirage and Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
The anniversary shows celebrated different stages of Zimmerman’s musical journey, bringing together fans who have followed his career across multiple generations of electronic music.
The new publication continues that celebration in a different format. While the live performances revisit his musical catalogue, the book preserves the photographs, personal memories and production details that document the development of his artistic identity.
Together, these projects offer fans two distinct ways to explore the legacy of an artist who has continually pushed the boundaries of electronic music performance.
Where to Buy the deadmau5 25th Anniversary Book
Both editions have dedicated distribution channels, depending on the buyer’s location.
North American fans can order through the official mau5hop website, while customers in the United Kingdom and European Union can purchase the publication through Soi Books.
The limited mau5hop Edition is priced at $200 / £150, with orders scheduled to ship on November 28. The Classic Edition will become available through selected independent bookshops on December 8.
With just 1,200 copies allocated to the collector edition and no planned reprint, fans interested in its exclusive features may want to consider ordering early.
A Career-Spanning Tribute to deadmau5’s Creative Legacy
With ‘book_title_goes_here: 25 years of deadmau5’, Joel Zimmerman is offering fans a closer look at the people, performances and creative ideas behind his remarkable career.
Featuring more than 1,000 photographs, previously unpublished archive material and insights into the technology behind his most recognizable productions, the book captures an important chapter in electronic music history.
From the early gigs that shaped his beginnings to the iconic Cube and large-scale Kx5 productions, the publication highlights how deadmau5 has continually explored the relationship between sound, technology and visual art.
Following the success of his ‘retro5pective’ anniversary performances, this release provides another opportunity to celebrate 25 years of artistic evolution.
For longtime fans and electronic music collectors alike, it offers a unique visual record of the journey behind one of dance music’s most distinctive names.