Jill Furmanovsky says: ‘It is an honour to be given such a prestigious award by Abbey Road, a place that holds a special place in heart. I’ve had the privilege of photographing some of the greatest musicians in the world, on the road, in concert on location, and recording in magical places like Abbey Road Studios. Sometimes I still can’t quite believe my luck. Many thanks to the MPAs for championing the Art of Music Photography for a whole new generation.’

The ICON Award is the culmination of a unique and storied history with Abbey Road. Following her move from Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to London in 1965, Jill’s passion for music led her to join The Beatles fan club and she would regularly be seen outside the studios as a teenager. She went on to curate some of Abbey Road’s most famous images including Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ recording session (1975) and Oasis recording ‘Be Here Now’ (1997). Many years later Jill would become the studio's very first ‘Photographer in Residence’ (2017–2018), before joining the judging panel for the inaugural MPAs in 2022, continuing to embrace her lifelong passion for spotting new talent and inspiring the next generation of music photographers.

Throughout an illustrious 50-year career, Jill has worked closely with many iconic musicians including Bob Marley, Eric Clapton, Blondie, The Police, Led Zeppelin, The Pretenders, Bob Dylan, Joy Division, Amy Winehouse and Oasis. Her first rock photograph of Paul McCartney, taken on a Kodak Instamatic, marked the start of her career and after just two weeks of photography training in 1972, she became the official photographer for London's iconic Rainbow Theatre. This role launched her professional career, where she began to shoot for major magazines and weekly music press.
Jill has been honoured with many accolades over the past five decades including the Jane Brown ‘Woman of the Year’ for Music and Related Industries (1988), Observer Portrait Award (1992), Legend of the Year at the So.Co Image of Music Awards (2024) and Amateur Photographer Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2024). She is also the founder of Rockarchive, a Magnum inspired collective of rock photographers. The company, which began in 1998, curates ground-breaking exhibitions and specialises in fine-art rock photography. Jill has published multiple highly acclaimed books across her career including “The Moment: 25 Years of Rock Photography” (1995) and “Oasis - Was There Then: A Photographic Journey” (1997), alongside her recent Sunday Times bestseller “Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever” (2021). She also curated and contributed to Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ 50th anniversary book.

Jill’s extensive archive was celebrated through two major retrospective exhibitions in 2023-4: ‘Photographing the Invisible’ at Manchester Central Library, which had more than 25,000 visitors, and ‘No Music No Life’ at Proud Gallery in London. Some of her most acclaimed work was on show including the award-winning portrait of Charlie Watts, Chic’s performance at the Hammersmith Odeon (1979), Oasis at Maine Road (1996), and Amy Winehouse at the Union Chapel (1996).

Abbey Road’s Managing Director, Sally Davies, says: ‘Jill holds a special place in the heart of rock music photography. Her remarkable talent has gifted us some of the most iconic images that tell the Abbey Road story. From capturing the magic of Pink Floyd’s sessions in the 1970s and Oasis in the 1990s, to becoming our first ‘Photographer in Residence’ in 2017, her journey with us is a beautiful carousel of memories. It is with great joy that we honour her lifetime contribution to the art of music photography with the ICON Award 2024.’

Head judge Rankin adds: ‘This year’s ICON winner is one of my favourite music photographers of all time. I’m very excited that Jill Furmanovsky is the ICON winner because not only is she extraordinary at what she does, but she is extraordinary in the sense that she embeds with the people that she works and is probably one of the nicest people in the music industry. So, Jill, all power to you!’

Also announced today, London-based photographer Sam Rockman is to return to Abbey Road as their ‘Photographer in Residence’ for 2024. A finalist in two categories at the 2023 MPAs, Sam is also on the judging panel for this year's competition, a true testament to his exceptional talent that has seen him become part of the Abbey Road family. Drawing inspiration from his Finnish roots, Sam infuses his work with a profound appreciation for diverse individuals and their stories. His love for music shines through, creating a body of work that is uniquely

Sam Rockman says: ‘I am incredibly excited to begin my role as the resident photographer at Abbey Road Studios. This iconic studio has been home to some of the greatest musical moments in history, and to have the opportunity to document its ongoing legacy is a real honour. Being nominated in two categories for the 2023 MPAs and now stepping into this role feels like a pivotal moment in my career, and I can’t wait to bring my passion and experience to capturing the unique atmosphere and incredible talent that comes through these doors.’

The judging panel for this year's MPAs is a veritable line up of powerhouses from across the creative industries. Lead by founding judge, the renowned British photographer, publisher and film director Rankin (Madonna, Bjork, Miley Cyrus) the panel includes U.S. photographers Raven B Varona (Adele) and Pooneh Ghana (Olivia Rodrigo, Beck, The Strokes), British photographers Ashley Verse (Stormzy, Pusha T, Tom Grennan) and Sam Rockman (Limp Bizkit, English Teacher, Bklava), Vanity Fair’s editor of Creative Development David Friend, Abbey Road’s first ever Artist In Residence Jordan Rakei, Gossip frontwoman and fashion icon Beth Ditto, Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson, Mercury nominated jazz musician Moses Boyd, artist and drag queen Bimini and Decca Records Director of A&R Rachel Holmberg. Acclaimed photographer Simon Wheatley will join the judging panel for the Underground Scenes category. The panel will debate the winners of each category coming to a mutual decision for each award.

There are six categories open to all and three categories with the winners nominated and chosen by the judging panel.

The categories are:

Open for submissions:
● Undiscovered Photographer of the Year (Supported by Adidas)
● Music Moment of the Year (Supported by Outernet and voted for by the public)
● Live Music Award
● Underground Scenes Award
● Making Music Award
● Jazz: The Rebirth of Cool

Invited Categories (nominated and chosen by the judging panel):
● Portrait
● Editorial
● ICON

Ahead of the judging day, a shortlist is created by a committee of photography experts. The shortlisting panel is headed up by Sacha Lecca (Rolling Stone U.S.), photographers Charlotte Patmore (Sam Fender, Clairo, i-D & CRACK), Katy Cummings (You Me At Six, The Hunna & NME), Phoebe Fox (Blur, The Strokes, Madison Beer, BBC) and Anthony Pham, the winner of Music Moment Of The Year Award at the 2023 MPAs.