Abbey Road Studios Pronounces Finalists For Music Photography Awards 2026

Abbey Road Studios has introduced the finalists for the fifth version of its Music Photography Awards (MPAs), with this yr’s shortlisted photographs capturing all the pieces from main competition moments and intimate artist portraits to underground scenes and the enduring spirit of punk.

Yungblud (Tom Pallant)

The winners will probably be revealed on the Music Photography Awards ceremony on twenty fourth September, with 5 finalists chosen throughout every of the competitors’s open classes. Among the artists and occasions represented on this yr’s shortlist are Yungblud, Lambrini Girls, Amyl And The Sniffers, Oasis, Kendrick Lamar, Fontaines D.C. and Download Festival.

Lambrini Girls (Jessie Morgan)

The 2026 MPAs characteristic seven open classes: Portrait, Festivals, Emerging Photographer of the Year, Behind The Scenes, Underground Scenes, Live Music and Music Moment of the Year. The competitors additionally introduces a visitor class celebrating 50 years of punk, marking 5 many years for the reason that motion reworked music, vogue and youth tradition all over the world.

The breadth of this yr’s shortlist demonstrates the numerous alternative ways music images can doc an artist and their world. From rigorously composed portraits and explosive reside performances to candid backstage encounters and pictures from scenes away from the mainstream, the finalists mirror the range of latest music images.

The Portrait class sees Frances Carter shortlisted for her picture of Billie Marten, alongside Jamie-Lee Culver’s portrait of Aynjel, Wanda Martin’s picture of Billy Idol, Daniel Rojas’ portrait of The OGM and Ho99o9, and Manuel Vazquez’s {photograph} of Warren Ellis.

Billy Idol (Wanda Martin)

Festival images is represented by Viktória Erdős’ picture of Palaye Royale, Danny North’s work from Download Festival, Giulia Spadafora’s viewers picture from Glastonbury, Ian Zandi’s {photograph} of The Killing Floors and Jake Zaoutis’ picture of Hey, Nothing.

Download Festival, Humans of Download (Danny North)

The Music Moment of the Year class, supported by Outernet London, consists of two photographs of Oasis, photographed by Harriet T Okay Bols and Joshua Halling, alongside Jenn Devereaux’s Kendrick Lamar image, Jessie Morgan’s {photograph} of Lambrini Girls and Jack Oliver’s picture of Charli xcx. Unlike the opposite classes, the winner of Music Moment of the Year will probably be determined by a public vote. Voting is now open, giving music followers the chance to pick out their favorite picture from the 5 finalists. The shortlisted photographs are additionally being exhibited at Outernet London, with the exhibition opening at 1.30pm on eighth September and operating till 14th September. Visitors can solid their votes utilizing on-screen voting on the exhibition.

Kendrick Lamar (Jenn Devereaux)

The Emerging Photographer of the Year shortlist, supported by adidas, highlights Frances Carter’s {photograph} of Gin Wigmore, Bryce Glenn’s picture of Sombr, Natalia Peralta’s work that includes Nicholas y los fumadores, Dara Petrova’s {photograph} from the Techno rave Laboratorium and Isaac Wheatley’s picture of Mikael.

Gin Wigmore (Frances Carter)

Behind-the-scenes images takes a unique perspective on the connection between musicians and their audiences. The finalists are Olly Bromidge for Matt Molotov, Sophie Buckley for Black Honey, Lewis Evans for Geese, Caity Krone for Kevin Parker of Tame Impala and Gabrielle Ravet for a picture of My Chemical Romance followers.

Kevin Parker – Tame Impala (Caity Krone)

The Underground Scenes class brings collectively AF Cortes’ viewers {photograph} at a Kartel present, Andrea Gonar’s Ruido en casa, Geoffrey Nicholson’s Spunk, Suzanne Phoenix’s picture of Private Function at Gold Street and James Streiker’s {photograph} of Rosanna.

Live music is represented by Charlie Barclay Harris’ picture of Fontaines D.C., Rhys Bennett’s {photograph} of Battlesnake, Lewis Evans’ Oasis picture, Tom Pallant’s {photograph} of Yungblud and Rico Suhr’s picture of Dr.VENUS.

Fontaines D.C. (Charlie Barclay Harris)

For the visitor class, 50 Years of Punk, the finalists flip their cameras in direction of the motion’s historical past and persevering with affect. Joe Hughes’ picture of Sonic Youth, Wayne Large’s {photograph} that includes members of varied punk bands, Keith Marlowe’s picture of The Black Halos, Gerard McNamara’s images of Bauhaus and Peter Murphy, and Jamie Wdziekonski’s picture of Amyl And The Sniffers make up the shortlist.

Punks with Dolly & Harriet (Wayne Spike Large)

Head Judge Rankin describes 2026 because the strongest version of the MPAs up to now, highlighting the standard, power, emotion and particular person views represented among the many entries. He additionally factors to the issue of lowering the sector to only 5 finalists in every class, reflecting the energy of this yr’s submissions.

Abbey Road Studios Managing Director Sally Davies equally highlights the expansion of the music images neighborhood across the awards and the significance of making alternatives for photographers to have their work seen and celebrated. The MPAs have more and more developed into a global celebration of music images, with Abbey Road Studios additionally increasing its exercise across the self-discipline by its first Music Photography Festival in New York.

Alongside the competitors’s publicly entered classes, the 2026 awards additionally characteristic two beforehand introduced invited honours. Roberta Bayley will obtain the ICON award, whereas Masayoshi Sukita is that this yr’s recipient of the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT award.

Sex Pistols reside @ Cain’s Ballroom 1978 (Roberta Bayley)

With the finalists now revealed, consideration turns to the twenty fourth September ceremony, when the winners throughout the competing classes will probably be introduced. Until then, the Music Moment of the Year shortlist offers audiences the chance to have their say, whereas the broader choice gives a snapshot of the artists, audiences, venues and scenes presently being captured by the lens.

Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2026 – Finalists

Portrait
Frances Carter – Billie Marten
Jamie-Lee Culver – Aynjel
Wanda Martin – Billy Idol
Daniel Rojas – The OGM – Ho99o9
Manuel Vazquez – Warren Ellis

Festivals
Viktória Erdős – Palaye Royale
Danny North – Download Festival, Humans of Download
Giulia Spadafora – Glastonbury Festival – Audience
Ian Zandi – The Killing Floors
Jake Zaoutis – Hey, Nothing

Music Moment of the Year
Harriet T Okay Bols – Oasis
Jenn Devereaux – Kendrick Lamar
Joshua Halling – Oasis
Jessie Morgan – Lambrini Girls
Jack Oliver – Charli xcx

Emerging Photographer of the Year
Frances Carter – Gin Wigmore
Bryce Glenn – Sombr
Natalia Peralta – Nicholas y los fumadores
Dara Petrova – Techno rave Laboratorium
Isaac Wheatley – Mikael

Behind The Scenes (BTS)
Olly Bromidge – Matt Molotov
Sophie Buckley – Black Honey
Lewis Evans – Geese
Caity Krone – Kevin Parker / Tame Impala
Gabrielle Ravet – My Chemical Romance followers

Underground Scenes
AF Cortes – Audience at Kartel Show
Andrea Gonar – Ruido en casa
Geoffrey Nicholson – Spunk
Suzanne Phoenix – Private Function at Gold Street
James Streiker – Rosanna

Live Music
Charlie Barclay Harris – Fontaines D.C.
Rhys Bennett – Battlesnake
Lewis Evans – Oasis
Tom Pallant – Yungblud
Rico Suhr – Dr.VENUS

Oasis (Lewis Evans)

Guest Category: 50 Years of Punk
Joe Hughes – Sonic Youth
Wayne Large – Members of varied punk bands
Keith Marlowe – The Black Halos
Gerard McNamara – Bauhaus, Peter Murphy
Jamie Wdziekonski – Amyl and the Sniffers

Invited Categories

ICON – Roberta Bayley

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT – Masayoshi Sukita

Judges Choice
Matt Auger – Substandards
Carlos Avendano – Lisa Alvarado
Scarlett Carlos Clarke – Self Esteem
Autumn de Wilde – Florence + The Machine
Angus Jenner – Oasis
Sacha Lecca – FKA Twigs
Tom Pallant – Yungblud

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