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The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards have revealed their finalists for the 2026 ceremony, celebrating the year’s most compelling musical imagery. The prestigious competition, held annually at the legendary London studios, will host its awards ceremony on September 24th. This year’s edition attracted submissions from photographers across 40 countries, with over 24,500 entries representing a 25 percent increase from the previous year.
Finalists competing across multiple categories include photographers who captured moments from Oasis, Charli XCX, Florence + the Machine, and numerous other artists. The awards recognize excellence across portrait photography, festival coverage, emerging talent, behind-the-scenes work, and live music documentation. A special guest category celebrates punk photography spanning five decades, while invited categories allow the judging panel to highlight additional exceptional work.
Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony. The judging panel for this year’s competition includes musician RAYE and legendary producer Nile Rodgers. Chief Shortlister Sacha Lecca, who also works for Rolling Stone, earned a nomination in the Judges Choice category for his documentation of FKA twigs at Ladyland Festival.
Head judge Rankin praised the caliber of submissions, describing 2026 as the strongest year yet for the awards since their launch in 2022. He highlighted the technical brilliance and emotional depth evident throughout the competition, noting that the selection process proved exceptionally challenging.
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Originally reported by Rollingstone →
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