The Electrifying Finalists of the Music Photography Awards 2026

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A split-screen image showing Liam Gallagher holding a tambourine to his face on the left and a performer crowd-surfing on the right.

Abbey Road Studios has announced the finalists of its Music Photography Awards 2026, a competition shining a light on photographers who capture the energy and artistry of the music scene.

Now in its fifth year, the categories include Portrait, Music Moment of the Year, Emerging Photographer of the Year, Behind the Scenes, Underground Scenes, and Live Music.

This year also sees guest category 50 Years of Punk marking half a century since the underground movement reshaped music, fashion, and youth culture around the world.

A black-and-white concert scene shows a guitarist playing while holding a beer bottle, with another person standing beside them with an arm raised.

A man with a beard sits on the concrete step of a storefront at night, next to a sticker-covered vending machine and a lit studio light.

A group of young women sit together outdoors, applying makeup and preparing for an event.

A person with long hair whipping in motion stands in a room with floral wallpaper, wearing a t-shirt, skirt, and gold boots.

A man with a mustache lies on the ground, playing a keyboard positioned vertically above him, while a crowd watches in the background.

A performer wearing a spiked horned headpiece and costume leans over a stage barrier, holding a microphone and looking upward.

A black-and-white shot of a band performing on stage, with a guitarist shouting while another band member stands nearby.

Two men stand on a concert stage facing each other, with one man wearing a bucket hat and the other placing a hand on his shoulder.

Billy Idol sits in a lounge chair under a patio umbrella, wearing an open black jacket, dark pants, and jewelry, with a cigarette in his mouth.

A crowd of people gathers in an outdoor space, with several individuals sitting on a brick wall while others hold a person aloft in the center.

The Music Moment of the Year category is the only one voted for by the public. People can either vote online or by visiting Outernet London in the West End until September 14.

“2026 feels like the strongest year yet for the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards. The quality of the work entered was genuinely exceptional – not just technically brilliant, but full of energy, emotion and a real point of view,” says head judge Rankin.

“Judging was incredibly tough. Getting down to just five finalists in each category meant leaving out so many images that deserved to be recognised, which says everything about the standard this year. Music photography is in a really exciting place right now, and these awards are a brilliant snapshot of that.”

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