The nominees for the 2026 Abbey Road Music Photography Awards have been announced, and they include shots of Oasis, Charli XCX, Fontaines D.C., Geese.
This year’s ceremony will take place on September 24, and marks the fifth edition of the awards, which celebrate the art of music photography while elevating and empowering the talents behind the lens.
Over 24,500 images were submitted from across 42 countries for the 2026 edition, and included shots of Oasis, Charli xcx, Florence + The Machine, FKA Twigs, Fontaines D.C., Ho99o9, Yungblud, Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala, Billy Idol, Lambrini Girls, Warren Ellis, Sombr, Billie Marten, Amyl and the Sniffers, and Geese.
Previously announced winners so far include New York-based Roberta Bayley, who is receiving the ICON award, having captured shots from across the iconic ‘70s punk movement – including Iggy Pop, the Ramones, Debbie Harry and Blondie, Richard Hell, the Sex Pistols and more.
It has also already been announced that Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award – having worked with David Bowie over 44-years, shooting the cover of his ‘Heroes’ album, and creating era-defining images of Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan, Joe Strummer, Yellow Magic Orchestra and David Sylvian.
Categories include Music Moment of the Year, with nominees including Harriet T K Bols, who caught Oasis backstage at their ‘Live ‘25’ shows at Wembley, Jenn Devereaux, who shot Kendrick Lamar at the Superbowl, Jack Oliver, who got a snapshot of Charli XCX burning down the ‘brat’ flag at Glastonbury Festival, and more.
That is the only category voted for by the public, and the vote is open now here.
Other nominees include Lewis Evans, who is nominated for his behind the scenes shot of Geese, Tom Pallant for his images of Yungblud, Charlie Barclay Harris for his live shots of Fontaines D.C., Jamie Wdziekonski for his images of Amyl and the Sniffers and more.
Head Judge Rankin says: “2026 feels like the strongest year yet for the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards. The quality of the work entered was genuinely exceptional – not just technically brilliant, but full of energy, emotion and a real point of view.
“Judging was incredibly tough. Getting down to just five finalists in each category meant leaving out so many images that deserved to be recognised, which says everything about the standard this year. Music photography is in a really exciting place right now, and these awards are a brilliant snapshot of that.”
Music Moment of the Year finalists’ photos are on display at Outernet London from 1.30pm today (September 8) until September 14, with on-screen voting available at the exhibition.
Nominees for Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2026 are:
Portrait
Frances Carter – Billie Marten
Jamie-Lee Culver – Aynjel
Wanda Martin – Billy Idol
Daniel Rojas – The OGM – Ho99o9
Manuel Vazquez – Warren Ellis
Festivals – supported by DHL (Headline Partner)
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 – supported by Outernet London
Harriet T K Bols – Oasis
Jenn Devereaux – Kendrick Lamar
Joshua Halling – Oasis
Jessie Morgan – Lambrini Girls
Jack Oliver – Charli xcx
Emerging Photographer of the Year – supported by adidas
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) – supported by Abbey Road
Olly Bromidge – Matt Molotov
Sophie Buckley – Black Honey
Lewis Evans – Geese
Caity Krone – Kevin Parker / Tame Impala
Gabrielle Ravet – My Chemical Romance fans
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 – supported by Hydro Flask
Charlie Barclay Harris – Fontaines D.C.
Rhys Bennett – Battlesnake
Lewis Evans – Oasis
Tom Pallant – Yungblud
Rico Suhr – Dr.VENUS
Guest category: 50 Years of Punk
Joe Hughes – Sonic Youth
Wayne Large – Members of various punk bands
Keith Marlowe – The Black Halos
Gerard McNamara – Bauhaus, Peter Murphy
Jamie Wdziekonski – Amyl and the Sniffers
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
ICON (previously announced)
Roberta Bayley
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT (previously announced)
Masayoshi Sukita
Those nominated at the 2025 awards included those who caught eye-catching shots of artists including Nile Rodgers, Djo/Joe Keery and Sunflower Bean‘s Julia Cumming.
In 2024, over two million visitors attended the Outernet exhibition of MPA photography, and several of the winners have since secured high-profile shoots and opportunities following nominations.
Among the winners at the first-ever instalment of the MPAs in 2022 was Eric Johnson – who won the Icon Award for his legendary photographs of the late ’90s and early ’00s New York hip-hop scene, including famous shots of Biggie Smalls, Aaliyah, Nas, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill and many more. Visit here for a full list of that year’s winners.
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