The fifth Abbey Road Music Photography Awards competition, delivered in partnership with DHL, is now open for entries! Photographers from around the world of all levels are invited to submit their music photos from 2025, for free, into a range of categories judged by the likes of Rankin, Nile Rodgers, Raye, Dean Chalkley, Dennis Morris and Simon Wheatley. The deadline for entries is Tuesday 30 June at midnight UK time.
The MPAs is the only global music photography competition – championing, empowering and showcasing the worldwide community of music photographers, and is supported by headline partner DHL. Winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony at Abbey Road Studios in September. The awards now form the leading element of the Abbey Road Music Photography Accelerator, which encompasses events, exhibitions, workshops, learning resources and much more; all designed to champion and empower photography talent.
This year’s MPAs categories include eight open entry categories and two invited, in which the winners are nominated and chosen by this year’s judging panel and Abbey Road. Images entered for the open categories must have been taken in 2025, while entries to this year’s guest category, 50 Years of Punk, can be taken in any year. Prizes up for grabs in each category include mentoring, £5,000 worth of camera gear, exhibitions, features in publications such as Hunger Magazine and more.
This year’s open categories:
- Festivals – supported by DHL (Headline Partner)
- Emerging Photographer of the Year – supported by adidas
- Music Moment of the Year – supported by Outernet London
- Live Music – supported by Hydro Flask
- Behind The Scenes (BTS) – supported by Abbey Road
- Portrait
- Underground Scenes
- Guest Category – 50 Years of Punk
This year’s Invited Categories:
- Judges Choice
- ICON
Abbey Road Studios Managing Director Sally Davies, says: “There’s something incredibly powerful about music photography, it captures a feeling, a moment, a piece of culture that might otherwise be lost. 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. It’s a platform to celebrate talent at every level, and to create opportunities for photographers to develop, connect and be seen.”
MPA head judge Rankin says: “It’s a brilliant milestone for the MPAs to reach its fifth year, celebrating the year’s defining music images and championing exceptional photographers from across the global music photography community. With another stellar judging panel joining us, I can’t wait to get stuck in and review the 2026 submissions. What are you waiting for?!”
Roberta Bayley named ICON in prestigious award
California native and New York City resident Roberta Bayley (Iggy Pop, Blondie/Debbie Harry, The Ramones) has been confirmed as the recipient of this year’s ICON award. Arriving in New York in the spring of 1974, Bayley soon began working the door at New York’s legendary punk club, CBGBs. She started photographing the musicians who played there and soon went to work as chief photographer for Punk magazine, which gave the movement its name. She is one of the main photographers to visually chronicle the early punk rock scene, from 1975 through the ‘80s.
Among the artists Bayley has photographed are Iggy Pop, the Ramones, Debbie Harry and Blondie, Richard Hell, Elvis Costello, the Sex Pistols, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, Ian Dury, Brian Eno, Nick Lowe, The Damned, The Clash, The Dead Boys, X-Ray Spex, Squeeze, and a reunited New York Dolls. Bayley’s photographs are featured in countless books and magazines on punk. She co-wrote Patti Smith: An Unauthorized Biography (Simon & Schuster, 1996) and published her own book on Blondie titled Blondie Unseen (Plexus, 2006).
Speaking about receiving this year’s ICON award, Roberta says: “I am very honored to be receiving the Abbey Road ICON award, especially to be in the company of such great photographers as David Bailey, Anton Corbijn and Jill Furmanovsky. This New York punk has come a long way!!”
Abbey Road Music Photography Festival
New York, 25 – 30 May
New for 2026 is the Abbey Road Music Photography Festival which will take place in New York for its inaugural edition from Monday 25 to Saturday 30 May.
The Music Photography Festival is free to access and will include professional development opportunities, ranging from conversations, masterclasses and practical workshops, to mentoring, portfolio reviews, mixers and more, all designed to equip photographers with tools, inspiration & knowledge to fuel their craft, and connect the NYC community. Plus, a free exhibition will showcase standout images from the past four years of the Awards, offering music and photography fans the opportunity to discover the stories behind this incredible body of work.
Director of Marketing & Creative Mark Robertson says: “What a thrill to be able to launch our first ever Music Photography Festival in New York! It’s part of our wider mission to give back and create opportunity for photographers, artists and creatives of all levels. Thanks to our partners at DHL we can deliver an exhibition of some of the most awe-inspiring images that the MPAs has discovered over the last four years, as well as present workshops, conversations and experiences to inspire and empower the photography community.”
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