Liam Gallagher's tambourine grin and Charli XCX says bye to Brat - Music Photography Awards 2026 shortlist

Liam Gallagher of Oasis with his eyes shaded by the peak of his hat, with a smile-shaped tambourine in his mouth

Striking images of Oasis's reunion tour and Charli XCX bringing Brat to Glastonbury Festival are among the nominees at this year's Abbey Road Music Photography Awards.

The awards, which this year considered works by more than 24,500 submissions from 42 different countries, released a shortlist of 40 finalists across eight categories on Tuesday.

The likes of Kendrick Lamar, Fontaines DC, Tame Impala and Sombr also feature in the shots, while other images of stars including FKA Twigs have been selected - out of competition - for judges' awards.

All of the finalist photographs will go on display in the LED tunnel at entertainment complex Outernet London from 8 to 14 September.

These will include the five pieces picked out for consideration in the fan-voted music moment of the year award.

Voting is available online via the official website, and in person at the exhibition.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the London studios - made famous by the 1969 Beatles album of the same name - on 24 September.

Charli XCX performing on stage at Glastonbury Festival 2025 in front of a firey backdrop and beneath a sign bearing the name of her biggest album, Brat

Head judge, British photographer and director Rankin, said 2026 "feels like the strongest year yet" for the awards, which began five years ago.

"The quality of the work entered was genuinely exceptional - not just technically brilliant, but full of energy, emotion and a real point of view."

He added: "Music photography is in a really exciting place right now, and these awards are a brilliant snapshot of that."

This year's guest category celebrates 50 years of punk.

It was previously announced that photographers Roberta Bayley and Masayoshi Sukita will both receive special recognition on the night.

Here are some more of the eye-catching nominees:

Liam and Noel (left) Gallagher enjoy a moment on stage together during their best-selling reunion tour

Image: Liam (right) and Noel Gallagher of Oasis sharing a moment on stage but off mic during their band's penultimate Wembley Stadium show of their 2025 comeback tour

Award category: Music moment of the year

Photographer: Harriet T K Bols

A man in a classic light blue Oasis t-shirt (centre) surveys the scene as all hell breaks loose around him during one of the band's reunion concerts

Image: A single Oasis fan caught in the middle of the swirling, chaotic movement of the River Plate stadium crowd in Buenos Aries, Argentina

The New York band Geese pictured backstage. Black and white image.

Image: The New York band Geese pictured clearing out their studio space ahead of a photo shoot

The OGM from New York rap duo HO99O9, grinning while showing off his grills

Image: A fisheye portrait of The OGM, one half of the group HO99O9, smiling while displaying his custom grill

Rapper Kendrick Lamar standing with his arms crossed in the middle of a large group of dancers wearing red, white and blue in the formation of the US flag, during one of his gigs

Image: Surrounded by performers in red, white and blue, forming the US flag, Kendrick Lamar takes centre stage at the Super Bowl halftime show

Singer-songwriter Billie Marten riding a white horse

Image: Yorkshire singer-songwriter Billie Marten riding a white horse in Aotearoa, New Zealand at sunset

Category: Emerging photographer of the year

Festival-goers form a human pyramid at their campsite

Image: Metal fans at Download Festival form a human pyramid on the campsite

A black and white image of one member of Fontaines DC rocking out at a festival in their native Ireland, opposite a ferris wheel

Image: Fontaines DC rocking out at a festival in their native Ireland, opposite a ferris wheel. What a ride it has been for the band, who also headlined Reading and Leeds this year

A suited Phoebe Lunny of Lambrini Girls jumping backwards into a sea of hands held aloft in the crowd at a gig

Image: Phoebe Lunny of Brighton band Lambrini Girls jumping backwards from the top of speakers and down into a sea of hands held aloft in the crowd to catch her

A black and white image of US singer-songwriter Sombr playing a piano backwards while looking directly into the camera

Image: US singer-songwriter Sombr playing (or should that be resting his hands on) a piano backwards while looking directly into the camera

A black and white image of leather-clad members of various punk bands posing with two smiling older women, called Dolly and Harriet, in Leicester in 1979

Image: Punks with Dolly and Harriet, featuring Ian Anderson who became the singer with Crazyhead, and Robber Byker who went on to be the bass player with Gaye Bykers on Acid. Taken in Leicester in 1979

Kevin Parker of Tame Impala has a moment of solitude on the low-lit set of the music video for his track Loser

Image: Kevin Parker of Tame Impala has a moment of blissful solitude on the low-lit set of the music video for his track Loser

Private function at Gold Street, a crowd of people hold up Chris Penney

Image: Australian punk rock band Private Function playing one of their last gigs at a party on Gold Street, Melbourne. Chris Penney can be seen diving into the backyard crowd

A black and white, upside down shot of Amyl and the Sniffers frontwoman Amy Taylor crowd surfing the very low ceilings of Soda Bar in San Diego in 2019

Image: An upside down shot of Amyl and the Sniffers frontwoman Amy Taylor crowd surfing the very low ceilings of Soda Bar in San Diego in 2019

FKA Twigs and her dancers letting out a collective primal scream while together on stage

Image: FKA Twigs and her dancers letting out a collective primal scream while headlining the LadyLand Festival at Under the K Bridge Park in Brooklyn. The photo was taken as part of Rolling Stone magazine's coverage of the festival, which celebrates queer talent and gay icons

Original source Liam Gallagher's tambourine grin and Charli XCX says bye to Brat - Music Photography Awards 2026 shortlist

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