On Thursday 24 September, opened its doors to celebrate the photographers behind some of the most striking images in music. The fifth edition of the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards brought together photographers, artists, industry figures and music fans at the legendary London studios, with more than 24500 images submitted from 42 countries.
The evening began with a red-carpet-style entrance, where nominees stopped to have their photographs taken against the official awards backdrop. Inside, the corridors of Abbey Road offered their own reminder of the building’s history, lined with photographs celebrating some of the many artists whose music has been recorded within its walls.
Entering Studio One, the nominated photographs were displayed around the edge of the room, turning the space into an exhibition as much as an awards ceremony. Guests were treated to complimentary drinks and circulating food, alongside a Wingstop stand, before Scottish indie, electronic and acid-house group took to the stage. Bringing an immediate burst of energy to the room, KuleeAngee set the tone for the evening before took over as host. Later in the ceremony, Tom A. Smith delivered the second live performance of the night, keeping the focus firmly on the musicians and photographers whose work the evening was celebrating.
, Managing Director of Abbey Road Studios, took to the stage to reflect on the relationship between music and photography. Speaking about the work submitted this year, she emphasised the role of photography in preserving the life of music beyond the recording itself. “Music making doesn’t end when the sound is recorded. It’s how it’s remembered,” she proclaimed, highlighting Abbey Road’s efforts to create more opportunities for photographers, describing this year’s work as “astonishing” and noting that the standard continues to improve year on year.
The ceremony then moved through eleven categories, spanning underground scenes, festivals, behind-the-scenes photography, live music and portraiture, as well as awards recognising emerging and established photographers. The category, presented by Simon Wheatley, celebrated independent venues and the communities that create their own cultures around music. took the award for his photograph of an audience at a secret KARTEL show on abandoned train tracks in Brooklyn.
For , won for her photograph of the audience at Glastonbury’s Stone Circle opening ceremony, capturing the anticipation of the festival before it had even begun. The Behind the Scenes award went to , whose photograph documents My Chemical Romance fans preparing for the first show of the band’s Long Live The Black Parade tour in Seattle. Ravet reflected on the connection between photographer and subject, saying: “Before photographers, we’re all fans of music,” while thanking My Chemical Romance for inspiring her work.
Marking five decades of punk, the guest category 50 Years of Punk was presented by legendary photographer Dennis Morris and won by . His winning image depicts members of different punk bands gathered in Leicester’s Castle Gardens Park in 1979, a local meeting point for the city’s punk community.
The evening also honoured two major figures in music photography. received the , presented by Nile Rodgers. Best known for his longstanding collaboration with David Bowie, Sukita photographed the cover of ‘Heroes’ as well as artists including Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan and Joe Strummer. Unable to attend in person, he sent a video message from Japan thanking Abbey Road and promising to “keep photographing as ever.”
The Emerging Photographer of the Year award went to for a photograph of the Laboratorium techno rave in Ukraine, where civilians found relief from the pressures of war. Meanwhile, the award went to , a tour manager whose winning photograph captured Oasis on the opening night of their reunion tour.
In the category, won for her photograph of on horseback during the singer’s first trip to New Zealand. Marten was also in attendance at the ceremony, making the win a particularly personal moment. The award went to for his photograph of Yungblud and bassist Silke Blansjaar performing through a cloud of fog in Luxembourg. Yungblud was unable to attend but sent Pallant a video message congratulating him, describing their photographic relationship as something rare and expressing his gratitude for their continued creative collaboration.
The only award decided by the public, Music Moment of the Year, went to for his photograph of an Oasis fan caught in the middle of the crowd during the band’s 2025 tour in Buenos Aires. The result was particularly close, with only seven votes separating the top two images.
The ceremony concluded with the , awarded to American photographer , whose photographs helped document New York’s early punk scene. Her archive includes images of Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Debbie Harry and Blondie, The Sex Pistols, The Clash and many others. Bayley sent a video message from New York in which she described herself as “just a lowly punk rock photographer” and encouraged the photographers in the room to “have fun and pursue your careers.”
Across the evening, the winning photographs demonstrated just how expansive music photography can be. The awards moved beyond the traditional image of the performer on stage, instead celebrating fans, communities, fleeting moments, backstage spaces and the people who exist around music as much as the artists themselves.
That feels particularly fitting for an institution like Abbey Road. While its name remains inseparable from some of the most important recordings in music history, the Music Photography Awards recognise another way in which music survives: through the images that allow a moment, a scene or an era to be remembered long after the sound has stopped.