Oasis, Leicester punks and Ukraine techno: Abbey Road music photography awards 2026 – in pictures
Emerging photographer of the year winner – Dara Petrova
Petrova won this category for her images from a techno rave in Kyiv, Ukraine, in May 2025. ‘Techno raves have quotas of free tickets for military personnel and veterans and have become a place for informal socialisation among the population,’ Petrova said. ‘It is a place where military personnel can socialise and civilians can relieve stress’Photograph: Dara Petrova/Abbey Road music photography awards
Live music winner – Tom Pallant
An image of Yungblud and his bassist, Silke Blansjaar, engulfed in fog while performing in Luxembourg. Yungblud sent a video message to Pallant congratulating him on his win, saying: ‘You’re the best there is at the minute’Photograph: Tom Pallant/Abbey Road music photography awards
50 years of punk winner – Wayne Large
Members of various punk bands in 1979, including Crazyhead and Gaye Bykers on Acid, pictured with Dolly and Harriet in Castle Gardens, Leicester, a meeting place for punks at the timePhotograph: Wayne Large/Abbey Road music photography awards
Underground scenes winner – AF Cortés
An audience shot at a secret show by hardcore punk band Kartel, on abandoned train tracks in Brooklyn, July 2025Photograph: AF Cortés/Abbey Road music photography awards
Behind the scenes winner – Gabrielle Ravet
My Chemical Romance fans ready themselves for the first show of the Long Live the Black Parade tour in SeattlePhotograph: Gabrielle Ravet/Abbey Road music photography awards
Judge’s choice winner – Angus Jenner
Liam Gallagher with his arm around brother Noel, as they walk on stage for the opening night of Oasis’s reunion tour in CardiffPhotograph: Angus Jenner/Abbey Road music photography awards
Music moment of the year winner – Joshua Halling
Oasis’s 2025 tour reaches Buenos Aires, which Noel Gallagher singled out as the best show of the entire run, saying: ‘Those people from that country, in that stadium … they’re heaven-sent people’Photograph: Joshua Halling/Abbey Road music photography awards
Portrait winner – Frances Carter
British singer-songwriter Billie Marten on horseback during her first trip to New Zealand. ‘We’d only just met about an hour before this photo was taken, but her calm presence was so easy to connect with,’ Carter saidPhotograph: Frances Carter/Abbey Road music photography awards
Festivals winner – Giulia Spadafora
The audience at Glastonbury festival, taken at the Stone Circle opening ceremony in June 2025. Pop singer Raye, one of the judges, particularly liked this image and said: ‘Art is subjective, it’s not logic, it’s not one plus one equals two. It’s about seeing something that moves you. This photograph moved me, it made me want to be the girl on the rock, her face slightly sullen is such a beautiful contrast to the rest of the scene’Photograph: Giulia Spadafora/Abbey Road music photography awards
Portrait finalist – Manuel Vázquez
Warren Ellis of Dirty Three and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, with his dogs Larry and Piglet, at the Flask Tavern in north LondonPhotograph: Manuel Vazquez/Abbey Road music photography awards
Live music finalist – Charlie Barclay Harris
Carlos O’Connell of Fontaines DC performing in Ireland at the close of their Romance tour. ‘Catching Carlos’s energy from a spot that is usually completely hidden from the public felt incredibly special,’ Harris saidPhotograph: Charlie Barclay Harris/Abbey Road music photography awards
Emerging photographer of the year finalist – Isaac Wheatley
Ghanaian vocalist KiDi at Leavers’ Party in the Park in Accra, GhanaPhotograph: Isaac Wheatley/Abbey Road music photography awards
Festivals finalist – Ian Zandi
Rock’n’roll band the Killing Floors at Echo Park Rising, a free neighbourhood festival in Los AngelesPhotograph: Ian Zandi/Abbey Road music photography awards
Underground scenes finalist – Suzanne Phoenix
Australian punk band Private Function playing a gig at a party on Gold Street, Melbourne. ‘The house was soon to be demolished, and Chris Penney screamed the neighbourhood down,’ Phoenix saidPhotograph: Suzanne Phoenix/Abbey Road music photography awards
Behind the scenes finalist – Sophie Buckley
Izzy Baxter Phillips of UK indie band Black Honey, captured before a July 2025 gig. ‘As she practised the new set before showtime, I quietly took this photo, careful not to disturb her,’ Buckley saidPhotograph: Sophie Buckley/Abbey Road music photography awards
Music moment of the year finalist – Jack Oliver
Charli xcx marks the end of her Brat era at Glastonbury festivalPhotograph: Jack OliverKioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.