Liam Gallagher's tambourine grin and Charli XCX says bye to Brat - Music Photography Awards 2026 shortlist — SkimNews
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- The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards released a shortlist of 40 finalists across 8 categories, selected from more than 24,500 submissions from 42 countries.
- Oasis's 2025 reunion tour dominates the nominees, including a fan caught in the swirling River Plate stadium crowd in Buenos Aires and Liam and Noel Gallagher sharing an off-mic moment at Wembley Stadium.
- Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show performance, Charli XCX bringing Brat to Glastonbury, Fontaines DC at an Irish festival, and Tame Impala's Kevin Parker on a low-lit music video set round out the headline-grabbing nominations.
- All 40 finalist photographs will be displayed in the LED tunnel at entertainment complex Outernet London from 8 to 14 September, with public voting available online and in person for the fan-voted music moment of the year.
- Winners will be announced at a ceremony at Abbey Road Studios — made famous by the Beatles' 1969 album — on 24 September.
- Head judge Rankin called 2026 "the strongest year yet," praising work that was "full of energy, emotion and a real point of view."
- This year's guest category celebrates 50 years of punk, with photographers Roberta Bayley and Masayoshi Sukita receiving special recognition, and a judging panel that includes Chic's Nile Rodgers and Brit Award winner Raye.
Why it matters: Now in its fifth year, the awards have grown to 24,500 submissions from 42 countries, cementing music photography as a recognized artistic discipline with fan participation built in. The 50-years-of-punk guest category and dedicated honors for Bayley and Sukita give the ceremony cultural-historical weight beyond standard year-end recaps.
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