Abbey Road Studios has opened entries for the 2026 Abbey Road Music Photography Awards (MPAs), marking the fifth edition of the global competition dedicated to music photography – at which legendary punk photographer Roberta Bayley will be honored.
Free to enter and open to all photographers, the awards will culminate in a ceremony at Abbey Road on September 24 2026 as the studio continues to expand its wider Music Photography Accelerator program.
This year’s competition will be judged by a star-studded panel spanning music, photography and film, led by photographers Rankin and Platon alongside Nile Rodgers, Raye and Måneskin frontman Damiano David.
Since launching in 2022, the MPAs have grown into one of the industry’s most visible platforms for emerging music photographers.
“There’s something incredibly powerful about music photography,” said Abbey Road managing director, Sally Davies. “Those images stay with us and often become part of how we remember music itself.
"For me, the Music Photography Accelerator is about making sure we’re giving equal recognition to the creatives behind the lens.”
The 2026 awards include categories covering live music, portraiture, festivals, behind-the-scenes photography and underground music scenes, alongside a guest category celebrating 50 Years of Punk.
Images entered into the open categories must have been taken during 2025, while the punk category is open to photographs from any year.
Winners will be revealed during the official ceremony at Abbey Road Studios in September, with shortlisted photographers also gaining exposure through exhibitions, workshops and networking opportunities thanks to the Accelerator Programme.
This year’s Icon Award will be presented to Roberta Bayley, whose photographs helped define the visual identity of New York’s punk movement during the 1970s. Bayley, known for documenting artists including Blondie, Iggy Pop and The Ramones, said she was “very honored” to receive the recognition.
Alongside the awards, Abbey Road will also launch its first Music Photography Festival in New York later this month, featuring exhibitions, workshops and portfolio reviews designed to support photographers working across music culture.
Entries for the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2026 are now open until midnight 30 June (UTC+1), with photographers from around the world invited to submit images across eight open categories. Visit the official competition website to enter.
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