FAQs
AGE
How old do I need to be to enter?
Entrants to the eight open categories -- (1) *Live Music (2) Underground Scenes (3) Making Music (4) Music Moment of the Year (5) Portrait (6) Festivals (7) Emerging Photographer of the Year *and (8) Club Culture must be over the age of 18.
CATEGORIES & AWARDS
How many categories are there?
There are ten categories in total. The MPAs has eight open-entry categories:*Live Music, Underground Scenes, Making Music, Music Moment of the Year, Portrait, Festivals, Emerging Photographer of the Year *and this year's guest category: Club Culture.
There are also two invited categories which are not open to public entries: Judges Choice and ICON which are chosen by this year's judging panel.
Are there any new categories for 2025
This year due to popular demand we are adding two more categories: Portrait and Festivals.
How many awards are there?
There are ten awards across two areas:
OPEN categories (eight awards) -- we welcome entries from all photographers including undiscovered, emerging & established photographers.
INVITED categories (two awards) -- there are two invited categories which are not open to public entries - these categories are nominated and invited by the judging panel.
What's the difference between open and invited?
Open entries are for everyone over the age of 18 -- whether you're an undiscovered talent, an emerging artist, or an established photographer.
The two invited categories are not open to public entries - these categories are nominated by the judging panel.
COMPETITION
How do I enter a category?
Simply register an account here. Once registered, you can pick the category you want to enter. Please read the category requirements and then hit submit. Easy and exciting!
When does the competition close?
You must submit your entry between 00:01 GMT on 29 May 2025 and 23:59 GMT on 28 July 2025.
How much does it cost to enter?
It's completely free to enter the competition. So why not give it a shot?
How many photographs can I submit?"
For Live Music*, *Underground Scenes, Portrait, Festivals, and Making Music you will need to submit between three (3) and five (5) photographs from 2024. Your choice. All images in your submission will be considered for the category award. If you are successful, the shortlisting panel will choose one of these photographs to go forward to the judging panel.
For Emerging Photographer of the Year, you will need to submit five (5) photographs from 2024. If you are successful the Shortlisting Panel will submit all five photographs to go before the Judging Panel.
For Music Moment of the Year, you will need to submit three (3) photographs from 2024, selecting one (1) image as your Music Moment of the**Year. All images in your submission will be considered for the category award. If you are successful, the shortlisting panel will choose one of these photographs to go forward to the judging panel.
For our guest category Club Culture you will need to submit between three (3) and five (5) photographs. Images in this category are not required to have been taken in 2024 and can be from any year. All images in your submission will be considered for the category award. If you are successful, the shortlisting panel will choose one of these photographs to go forward to the judging panel.
Can I enter more than once?
You can only enter once per category.
You can enter several categories if the photograph(s) you are submitting meet the criteria of that category.
Can I enter multiple categories?
Yes, you can enter multiple categories. You can only enter once per category.
Can I enter the same photograph into multiple categories?
You can enter the same photograph(s) into multiple categories as long as your photo(s) meet the criteria.
Why does my photograph have to be from 2024 in seven (7) out of the eight (8) categories?
The MPAs is an annual competition brought to you by Abbey Road Studios. Each year we celebrate photographs from the previous year. This year we are shining a light on 2024. Your photographs should be taken between 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024. The exception to this is our Guest Category Club Culture, whichis a celebration of club culture across the years, so we will be accepting images from any year.
I entered last year's Music Photography Awards and was shortlisted; can I still enter this year?
Absolutely! We'd love to see your new work.
I entered last year's Music Photography Awards and won an award; can I still enter this year?
Of course! Winners are welcome to enter again.
Can I make changes to my entry after I've submitted?
Unfortunately, no changes can be made after submission. Please review your entry carefully before finalising it.
What happens if I enter the wrong category?
You will not be able to make changes to your entry once it has been submitted. However, as you can enter multiple categories you will be able to enter the correct one. If you need to withdraw an incorrect entry, please contact mpa@abbeyroad.com
How do I know if you've received my entry?
You'll receive a confirmation email shortly after submitting. If you don't see it, check your junk mail and ensure your email address was correct. Any concerns? Reach out to us at mpa@abbeyroad.com
I am not a professional photographer can I still enter?
Yes, photographers of all levels are encouraged to enter the competition!
**Do I retain copyright? **
You must be the sole copyright owner of the photographs and the photographs must not infringe any right of any third party. Ownership of the copyright in any entry submitted to the Competition will remain with the copyright owner. As per the terms of entry, any submitted photographs may be used for the purposes of promoting the competition by Abbey Road or its competition partners and / or sponsors. For more information see the Terms and Conditions.
What happens to my photographs if I win?
Your photographs may be used on the MPA, Abbey Road Studios and competition sponsors websites, social media, PR, broadcast, newsletters, podcasts, publications (and included in any promotional or branded videos related to the competition) and in physical and digital exhibitions, as well as by online, print and broadcast media reporting on the competition and its entrants.
Can I get feedback on my entry?
Due to the number of entries we're unable to provide individual feedback on entries, but we do look at every submission.
Can I enter a computer-generated image?
The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards was created to celebrate and showcase photography and the photographers behind the lens who capture these moments. We continue to support and embrace innovation and the use of innovative techniques, and we recognise that AI tools are used in elements of the photographic process. We're excited about the ways AI can assist creators in moving culture forward and help photographers at all levels improve the quality of their work while extending principles of artistic authenticity. At Abbey Road we are exploring ways to ensure that generative AI rewards the people whose intellectual property is fuelling AI's output. At present, as it is not possible to accurately determine the ownership of the source assets that are used to train AI models, any images that have been created by a generative AI platform are not admissible into this year's Awards.
PHOTOGRAPHY SPECIFICATIONS
Size of photographs & format
Each photograph must be between 1MB and 5MB in file size and should be submitted in JPEG, PNG, or file format only. Promoter shall be entitled to test all Photographs using AI detection software. You must be able to provide a high-resolution print-quality image file if your Photograph is selected for shortlisting or as a winner. This should be either a TIFF or JPEG. Files must not be smaller than 10mb but should not exceed 500MB. It should match the colour and cropping of the image submitted at entry.
ISSUES
My files aren't uploading -- what should I do?
Please check the file size (between 1-5mb), format (.JPEG, .PNG) and that your file name contains only letters and numbers (no special characters). If you're still experiencing problems, contact mpa@abbeyroad.com before the submission deadline.
JUDGING, AWARDS & PRIZES
Who is on this year's Judging Panel?
To find out more about our judging panel head to our competition page.
How is the competition judged?
There are two rounds of judging, by the Shortlisting Panel and the Judging Panel.
What are the judges looking for?
We appoint a panel of judges to review entries.The open competition entries are judged, on an equal basis. The Shortlisting Panel and the Judges will select nominees and winners across the categories according to the judging criteria, including subject matter, technical skills, approach, creativity, relevance to category and narrative.
What are the prizes?
Head to the Categories page to see the prize details listed underneath each.
SHORTLISTED NOMINEES & WINNERS
How will shortlisted nominees and winners be notified?
All open entry nominated photographers will be notified in advance of the Awards Ceremony and will be invited to attend on Thursday 2 October 2025 at Abbey Road Studios. Attendance is optional and will be at the sole cost and expense of the nominee.
When will the winners be announced?
Winners will be announced at the MPAs ceremony hosted at Abbey Road on Thursday 2 October 2025.
THE AWARDS
Can I attend the awards?
Nominees will be invited to the Awards ceremony. However, due to capacity restrictions photographers who have submitted images to the Awards but were not nominated will not be invited.
When is the awards ceremony?
The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2025 takes place on Thursday 2 October 2025 at Abbey Road Studios.
KEEP UP TO DATE
How do I keep up to date with the competition and other events from the MPAs?
Make sure to follow us on Instagram and sign up to our newsletter for essential tips, advice & news on our free networking nights.