The Fifth Annual Abbey Road Music Photography Awards Crown Their 2026 Champions

The fifth annual Abbey Road Music Photography Awards took place in London last night, revealing the 2026 winners.

Joshua Halling claimed the Music Moment of the Year prize for his image of Oasis fans captured during the band’s 2025 concert in Buenos Aires. Gabrielle Ravet secured the Behind the Scenes award, while Tom Pallant took home Live Music. Frances Carter won for Portrait, AF Cortés for Underground Scenes, and Giulia Spadafora for Festivals. Dara Petrova was named Emerging Photographer of the Year for her photograph of a techno rave in Ukraine.

Angus Jenner took the Judges’ Choice award for his image of Oasis, shot on the opening night of their reunion tour. Wayne Large won the 50 Years of Punk category for his 1979 photograph of various punk band members at Castle Gardens Park in Leicester.

Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony. Best known for his 44-year collaboration with David Bowie, Sukita captured the iconic cover shot for Bowie’s 1977 Heroes album. He is also renowned for photographing Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan, Joe Strummer, Yellow Magic Orchestra, and David Sylvian. Nile Rodgers accepted the award on Sukita’s behalf.

American photographer Roberta Bayley was honored with this year’s ICON award. Bayley is celebrated for chronicling the early punk rock scene, capturing artists such as Iggy Pop, the Ramones, Debbie Harry and Blondie, Richard Hell, the Sex Pistols, and the Clash. Platon accepted the award on Bayley’s behalf.

The ceremony was hosted by Lauren Laverne and featured performances by Kuleeangee and Tom A. Smith.

Sally Davies, managing director of Abbey Road Studios, stated, “Last night’s Abbey Road Music Photography Awards was a wonderful celebration of the extraordinary talent, creativity, and craft of music photography. The standard of work was exceptional, and it was inspiring to see such a rich mix of perspectives and voices from photographers across the globe. Abbey Road has always been a place where music, creativity and culture come together, so it feels very special to have created a platform that celebrates the photographers who capture that world through their own unique lens. Over the past five years, the community has embraced the MPAs with such warmth, generosity and passion, so we’re incredibly grateful for that. The greatest music photography does so much more than document a moment—it captures something of the artist, the audience and the time we’re living in. These are the images that become part of our shared cultural memory, and it’s a privilege for Abbey Road to celebrate the people who create them.”

The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards, which have been running since 2022, received over 24,500 submissions from 40 countries in 2026—a 25 percent increase from the previous year. Sacha Lecca, Rolling Stone’s Chief Shortlister and Global Ambassador, was nominated in the Judges’ Choice category for his shots of FKA twigs during her Ladyland Festival performance.

This year’s judging panel was led by British photographer, publisher, and film director Rankin. The panel also included Nile Rodgers, Raye, Damiano David, Platon, Dean Chalkley, Dennis Morris, Kid Harpoon, Lily Fontaine, Jackie Lee Young, Hikaru Utada, and Simon Wheatley.

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