Abbey Road Studios announces winners of Music Photography Awards 2023

Abbey Road Studios has announced the winners from the second Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards this evening at the studios. Celebrating unforgettable and unique music photographs, the winners include portraits and dynamic images of Harry Styles, Yungblud, and more.

The panel of judges were also star-studded with the likes of Rankin, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Cat Burns deciding this year’s winners. We share the winners below…

From Abbey Road Studios, 21 September 2023:

Abbey Road Studios, the world’s most celebrated recording studio has tonight confirmed the winners from the Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards 2023, following a glittering awards ceremony at the studios. As well as a celebration of the shortlisted and winning imagery, hosted by Lauren Laverne, the evening saw a series of fantastic live performances from The Clockworks, LoneLady and Somadina. The 2023 competition has witnessed more than 480% increase in entries since the MPAs launched in 2022, with over 14,000 images from 30 countries being submitted for consideration across the open categories.

Speaking about the winners of the 2023 MPAs, Abbey Road’s Managing Director Sally Davies says: ‘The standard of all the images submitted for this year’s MPAs was incredibly high across the board and we are particularly proud of this year’s winners. The growth that the MPAs has already achieved in only its second year is testament to the overall quality of the awards and the way in which it has been embraced and celebrated across the artistic landscape. Recognising and promoting talent in this important field is something that we at Abbey Road are committed to and we are already looking forward to 2024!’

 MPAs co-founder and head judge Rankin adds: “The quality and standard of imagery for the 2023 entries is as strong across the board as the 2022 winners – there really wasn’t a bad picture. I’m beyond thrilled with the winning images.”

 In the award’s open categories, the winner of Undiscovered Photographer of the Year supported by adidas is Chris Allmeid for his Lil Uzi Vert picture, while Anthony Pham wins a public vote in the Music Moment of the Year category, supported by Outernet London for his fantastic Harry Styles shot. The winner of the Underground Scenes category, supported by Abbey Road Studios is Alex Amorós for their Margate Mod Weekender picture, while Carlo Cavaluzzi’s JPEGMAFIA shot wins the Live Music category, supported by Phillips Ambilight TV. Victoria Sanders’ Benjamin Earl Turner picture is the In The Studio winner with Clay Patrick McBride’s image of Jay-Z and Kanye West winning the Hip Hop 50 category, supported by Hennessy. In the invited categories, Aidan Zamiri wins Editorial with a picture of Caroline Polachek, Samuel Ibram’s Shygirl picture wins Portrait and Tom Pallant’s Yungblud shot wins Artist at Work.

Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards Winners

Undiscovered Photographer of the Year supported by adidas

Chris Allmeid (Lil Uzi Vert)

Music Moment of the Year supported by Outernet London

Anthony Pham (Harry Styles)

Underground Scenes supported by Abbey Road Studios

Alex Amorós (Margate Mod Weekender)

Live Music supported by Philips Ambilight TV

Carlo Cavaluzzi (JPEGMAFIA)

 

In The Studio

Victoria Sanders (Benjamin Earl Turner)

Hip Hop 50 supported by Hennessy

Clay Patrick McBride (Jay-Z & Kanye West, 2005)

2023 marks 50 years of Hip-Hop: five decades of captivating beats, powerful lyrics, and groundbreaking artistry that have left an indelible mark on popular culture. This category serves as a vibrant homage to 50 years of photography.

Editorial

Aidan Zamiri (Caroline Polachek)

Portrait

Samuel Ibram (Shygirl) 

Artist at Work

Tom Pallant (Yungblud)

Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards: Icon Award

Henry Diltz

Last month, the MPAs announced that the legendary US photographer Henry Diltz is the recipient of this year’s Icon Award. Diltz has shot over 250 album covers including the Morrison Hotel cover for The Doors and photographed musical legends such as the Eagles, Neil Young, Crosby Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, Debbie Harry, James Taylor, Jimi Hendrix, The Monkees and David Cassidy. He was also the official photographer at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, Woodstock Music festival in 1969, 1994, and 1999 and continues to photograph festivals to this day.

The judging panel for the MPAs 2023 comprises world-famous photographer, publisher and film director Rankin, platinum-selling singer-songwriter Cat Burns and street culture photographer Vicky Grout. Pop sensation Mae Muller is also on the judging panel alongside singer-songwriter, broadcaster and presenter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, creative director and fashion consultant Karen Binns and photographer Eric Johnson, who was the recipient of the 2022 Icon Award. Completing the panel is fashion stylist ​​Matthew Josephs and The New York Times Deputy Photo Editor Nakyung Han. Joining the panel as a guest judge for the Underground Scenes category is acclaimed documentary photographer Simon Wheatley.

For more information on this year’s MPAs, please visit.

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Further reading:

Best music photography recognised at inaugural awards

Photographing BST Hyde Park with the Nikon Z8

How to photograph events and music – beginners guide

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