Abbey Road Studios has revealed the winners of the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2026, delivered by DHL.
The celebration was held across the iconic Studios One and Two, and hosted by Lauren Laverne. The ceremony included performances by Kuleeangee and Tom A. Smith.
The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards (MPAs) is Abbey Road’s flagship competition, celebrating the art of music photography, as part of the studios’ mission to create opportunity, and spotlight creativity at all levels.
Over 24,500 images were submitted from across 42 different countries for this year’s awards.
Music Moment Of The Year, supported by Outernet London, is the only category voted for by the public. Joshua Halling won for his image of an Oasis fan caught in the middle of the crowd.
Halling captured the image during Oasis’ 2025 tour in Buenos Aires, which Noel Gallagher singled out as the best show of the entire run.
The award was presented by previous ICON winner Jill Furmanovsky, who has documented Oasis since 1994 and published Oasis: Trying To Find A Way Out Of Nowhere with Noel Gallagher in October 2025.
Meanwhile, in the Judges’ Choice category, Angus Jenner won for his image of Oasis, on the opening night of their reunion tour.
Gabrielle Ravet won the Behind The Scenes category (supported by Abbey Road), with her photo of My Chemical Romance fans readying themselves for the first show of the Long Live The Black Parade tour in Seattle.
In Live Music, two-time winner Tom Pallant won with his image of Yungblud and his bassist, Silke Blansjaar, engulfed in fog performing in Luxembourg, while Frances Carter wins the Portrait category, capturing Billie Marten on horseback during her first trip to New Zealand.
In the Festivals category, Giulia Spadafora triumphed with a Glastonbury Festival photo, which was taken at the Stone Circle opening ceremony.
This year’s guest category, 50 Years Of Punk, was won by Wayne Large, for his photo of members of various punk bands in 1979, taken in Castle Gardens Park, Leicester.
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
Sally Davies
California native and New York City resident Roberta Bayley received this year’s ICON award. She chronicled the early punk rock scene, capturing artists including Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Debbie Harry and Blondie, Richard Hell, The Sex Pistols, The Damned, The Clash, Squeeze, a reunited New York Dolls, and more.
Legendary Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita received the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2026. Best known for his long-term 44-year collaboration with David Bowie, Sukita took the iconic cover shoot for Bowie’s Heroes album, released in 1977. Sukita sent a video message from his home in Japan.
He is also known for era-defining images of Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan, Joe Strummer, Yellow Magic Orchestra and David Sylvian. The award was presented by Nile Rodgers, who produced David Bowie’s album Let’s Dance.
Sally Davies, managing director of Abbey Road Studios, said: “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.”
Abbey Road has also announced that Ethan Parker will be their new photographer in residence, with a brief to document the creativity and innovation taking place both within and beyond its walls.
PHOTO: Joshua Halling/Abbey Road Music Photography Awards
Abbey Road Music Photography Awards Winners 2026:
Behind The Scenes (supported by Abbey Road) - Gabrielle Ravet – My Chemical Romance Fans
Portrait – Frances Carter – Billie Marten
Live Music (supported by Hydro Flask) – Tom Pallant – Yungblud
Underground Scenes – AF Cortés – Audience at Kartel Show
Music Moment Of The Year (supported by Outernet London) – Joshua Halling – Oasis
Emerging Photographer Of The Year (supported by Adidas) – Dara Petrova –Techno rave Laboratorium
Festivals (supported by DHL, headline partner) – Giulia Spadafora – Glastonbury Festival – Audience
Guest Category: 50 Years Of Punk – Wayne Large – Members of various punk bands
Judges' Choice – Angus Jenner – Oasis
