THE AWARDS CEREMONY WILL TAKE PLACE AT ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS ON THURSDAY 2 OCTOBER 2025  

THIS YEAR’S JUDGING PANEL: RANKIN, NILE RODGERS, DJO/JOE KEERY, SCARLET PAGE, DIMITRI FROM PARIS, ERIC BURTON (BLACK PUMAS), BOLADE BANJO, JANETTE BECKMAN, TOM PALLANT, SHOT BY NEE, JULIA CUMMING (SUNFLOWER BEAN) AND SIMON WHEATLEY 

Today (Thursday 29 May), London’s iconic Abbey Road announces their prestigious annual Music Photography Awards is open for submissions. Now in its fourth year the MPAs is the only global music photography awards - championing, empowering and showcasing the worldwide community of music photographers. The MPAs is a free to enter competition and open to all levels of experience, with the winners to be unveiled and celebrated at the official awards ceremony on 2 October at Abbey Road.

Last year, the Awards attracted over 22,000 entries from 30 different countries – a 50% increase from 2023. As a result, two new categories have been introduced for 2025 – Portrait and Festivals, while this year’s guest category is Club Culture, which celebrates images from any year.

The judging panel for this year's Awards is packed full of talent at the top of their game from across the creative industries. Lead by MPA co-founder, British photographer, publisher and film director Rankin (Madonna, Bjork, Miley Cyrus), the panel includes special guest judge and musical icon Nile Rodgers, actor, producer and songwriter Djo/Joe Keery, Black Pumas’ frontman Eric Burton, producer/DJ Dimitri From Paris and Sunflower Bean’s frontwoman Julia Cumming. British photographer Scarlet Page (Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Placebo), two-time MPA winner Tom Pallant (YUNGBLUD, Blur), MPA nominee Bolade Banjo (Louis Vuitton / Pharrell, Burberry, Gucci, Drake), Shot by Nee (Burna Boy), legendary photographer Janette Beckman (Run DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Slick Rick) and category judge Simon Wheatley (Don’t Call Me Urban) complete the storied line up of judges for 2025. 

Ahead of the judging day, a shortlist is created by a panel of photography experts. The shortlisting panel is headed up by MPA Chief Shortlister & Global Ambassador Sacha Lecca (Rolling Stone U.S.) and includes photographer Todd Owyoung (Rolling Stone U.S., Billboard, Vanity Fair) and MPA alumni Yasi, Jennifer McCord and CJ Harvey.  

Head judge Rankin said: "I’m thrilled to be back for year four of the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards. Each year, the standard of entries gets more impressive, and it’s been a real joy to watch so many of the photographers we’ve spotlighted go on to carve out real careers in the industry. The launch of the Music Photography Accelerator marks a new chapter, one that goes beyond recognition to real investment in the next wave of talent. Abbey Road is building a global platform that not only showcases emerging photographers but supports their journey, offering them opportunities to learn, collaborate and gain real world experience."

Founded in 2022 the Music Photography Awards has been embraced by the photography community and has since grown into a year-round, multi-layered platform for growth and opportunity. It now encompasses events, exhibitions, workshops, learning resources and much more, all designed to champion and empower photography talent. To supercharge this ambition and deliver on it in the most meaningful and impactful way, the Awards now form the cornerstone of the Abbey Road Music Photography Accelerator.  

While the Awards recognise excellence and creativity, the Accelerator will support, elevate and invest in the next generation of music photographers, shifting from a single moment in the calendar to an ongoing commitment to development, mentorship and opportunities. The Accelerator is about creating real impact, providing photographers with tools, experiences and networks to take their craft to the next level. It's a launchpad designed not just to spotlight talent, but to nurture it. 

The Abbey Road Music Photography Accelerator touched down in New York City this week for a series of curated events, celebrating the legends behind the lens and the next generation of visual storytellers. These include an ‘In Conversation’ with acclaimed photographer Danny Clinch (Bruce Springsteen, Tupac Shakur, Pearl Jam) and Sacha Lecca at the Leica Gallery and launch of a public exhibition at the Morrison Hotel Gallery to honour MPA ICON Award winners Jill Furmanovsky and Henry Diltz alongside MPA nominee Christaan Felber (Lil Nas, Mac Miller) and Sacha Lecca. Ahead of the Oasis reunion tour, 2024 ICON winner Jill Furmanovsky has chosen a selection of her era-defining images of the band, including photos captured in the U.S. and at Abbey Road. The exhibition runsfrom 28 May to 2 June and is free to enter. On Friday 30 May, Rolling Stone magazine’s studio hosts a panel talk and free portfolio reviews for emerging photographers. To celebrate the launch of this year’s competition in true NYC style, the iconic Times Square billboard was lit up in MPA colours for two days. Head to mpa.photo for the schedule. 

Sally Davies, Managing Director at Abbey Road says: "Music photography doesn’t just document culture — it plays a vital role in shaping it. With the Music Photography Awards we're proud to champion the image-makers capturing music’s most powerful moments and pushing the boundaries of visual creativity. And as the awards evolve into the cornerstone of our Music Photography Accelerator, it's exciting to not only spotlight talent, but continue to nurture it, helping it connect and thrive. It's about opening doors for the next generation of music photographers, and we can’t wait to see the incredible work they will submit this year."

Over two million visitors attended last year’s exhibition of MPA photography at Outernet London, while several of the winners have gone on to secure high profile shoots and opportunities as a result of being nominated. 

Entry for the MPAs 2025 is free via the website and is open now until 28 July. This year’s prizes include mentoring with established photographers, including Rankin, Sacha Lecca, Simon Wheatley and more to be announced, an exhibition in the Pop Two space at Outernet London, and a tailored photography development prize from adidas. In addition, each category winner will receive a unique MPA winners’ trophy.

There are eight categories open to all and two categories with the winners nominated and chosen by the judging panel. Images entered for the regular categories must be taken in 2024, while entries to Club Culture, this year’s guest category, can be taken in any year.

The categories are: 

Open for submissions: 

• Portrait (new for 2025)
• Festivals (new for 2025)
• Music Moment of the Year sponsored by Outernet
• Emerging Photographer of the Year sponsored by adidas
• Making Music
• Underground Scenes
• Live Music
• Guest category: Club Culture 

Invited Categories (nominated and chosen by the judging panel):

• Judges Choice 
• ICON

THE AWARDS

EIGHT OPEN CATEGORIES 
Portrait 
You spoke; we listened. Due to popular demand, we have added a Portrait category to this year’s line up! Some of the most powerful images in music history are those that capture artists up close - revealing their personality, passion and presence in a single frame. We want to see portraits that tell the story beyond the music. Enter your best music portraits from 2024 in this category now. 

Festivals
Our new Festivals category celebrates the energy, emotion and atmosphere that make festivals so unforgettable. We want to see the images that bring festival culture to life. Show us the connection between artist and audience. The stories unfolding in the crowd. The raw, unscripted beauty that defines festival season. If your photo captures the spirit of festivals in 2024, this is your category! 

Music Moment of the Year sponsored by Outernet
Defining the undefinable. This category celebrates THE image that defined music in 2024. THE picture that makes you stop. Makes you think. Makes you feel. A visual statement of music in 2024. We look through the lens to celebrate the photograph that captured a moment in time, the mood, the spirit of the year. An image that could be remembered for generations to come.

Emerging Photographer of the Year sponsored by Adidas
Are you an emerging music photographer, ready to showcase your portfolio? Countless legends took their first steps at Abbey Road. It’s a spirit that continues today with sessions designed to inspire the next generation of artists. We want to find and recognise the emerging talent that exists in music photography, to shine a light on the best burgeoning photographers of all backgrounds forging a path in music photography.

Making Music
Where music creation and the art of photography combine. Dive into the heart of the music making process as we immortalise the raw emotions and artistic energy that first bring a track to life. Whether it’s an intimate writing session in your home studio or a snapshot into an enduring mix session, our new category for 2024, Making Music, will showcase the vibrant tapestry of visual stories that encapsulate the passion, dedication and creativity within the world of music making.

Underground Scenes
Shining a light on grassroots movements & the photographers documenting subcultural music scenes around the world. Did you take a shot that champions music subculture in 2024? Then take a shot at the Underground Music Scenes Award.

Live Music
Did you take the shot that defined live music in 2024? Then take a shot at the Live Music Award. From the undeniable electricity of a small venue and the euphoria of a festival to the intimate connection between artist and audience, these are the photographs that show us what live music means to you.

Guest category: Club Culture 
Each year, we introduce a guest category to celebrate a different music scene and this year, it’s all about Club Culture. From the sweat-drenched energy of the dance floor at Studio 54 to the raw emotion of a DJ lost in the music at The Warehouse Project. We want to see images that capture the essence of nightlife, the scenes, and the community that makes club culture so electric. Show us what club culture means to you.

TWO INVITED CATEGORIES
Entries to the invited categories will be nominated by our judging panel, showcasingglobal music photographers and the image which made a serious impression on them.

Judges’ Choice 
A new addition for 2025: Judges' Choice spotlights an image that stands out for its creativity, impact and storytelling - personally selected by our expert panel of judges from across music photography and the wider creative community. This award reflects their unique perspective and celebrates an image that captures the true essence of a music moment in a powerful and unforgettable way.

ICON
A special honour in recognition of an individual (photographer) whose impact and contribution to the art of music photography is unparalleled. The recipient of the 2024 Icon Award was legendary rock photographer, Jill Furmanovsky. Best known for her images of Oasis, Pink Floyd, Joy Division, Amy Winehouse, Nile Rodgers, Debbie Harry and many more, Jill’s award was presented by Noel Gallagher.