Striking images from Oasis’s reunion tour and Charli XCX’s performance of Brat at the Glastonbury Festival are among the nominees for this year’s Abbey Road Music Photography Awards. The awards received over 24,500 submissions from 42 countries, and on Tuesday, a shortlist of 40 finalists was announced across eight categories. Among the nominees are photos of artists like Kendrick Lamar, Fontaines DC, Tame Impala, and Sombr. Other notable images of stars such as FKA Twigs have been selected for special judges’ awards, which are outside the main competition. From 8 to 14 September, all finalist photographs will be displayed in the LED tunnel at Outernet London, an entertainment complex. This display will include the five images shortlisted for the fan-voted "Music Moment of the Year" award, where the public can vote online through the official websites of the Music Photography Awards (MPA) and Abbey Road Studios, or in person at the exhibition. The winners will be announced at a ceremony held at Abbey Road Studios in London on 24 September. The venue is famous for being the location of the 1969 Beatles album of the same name. Head judge, British photographer and director Rankin, called 2026 “the strongest year yet” for the awards, which began five years ago. He praised the high quality of the submissions, noting that the work was not only technically excellent but also full of energy, emotion, and a unique perspective. He added that music photography is currently in a very exciting phase, and the awards provide a snapshot of that creative energy. This year’s guest category celebrates 50 years of punk, and photographers Roberta Bayley and Masayoshi Sukita will be recognized for their contributions. The judging panel includes notable figures from both music and photography, such as Chic guitarist Nile Rogers and Brit Award-winning singer Raye. Here are some standout nominees: A photograph of a single Oasis fan caught in the middle of the chaotic crowd at the River Plate stadium in Buenos Aires during their 2025 comeback tour is nominated for "Music Moment of the Year" by photographer Joshua Halling. Another image captures Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis sharing a quiet moment on stage during their final Wembley show, submitted by Harriet Bols. A behind-the-scenes shot of the New York band Geese preparing for a photoshoot by Lewis Evans is also nominated. A fisheye portrait of The OGM from the group HO99O9, showing off his custom grill, is entered in the "Portrait" category by Daniel Rojos. A striking image of Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl halftime show, surrounded by performers forming the U.S. flag, is nominated for "Music Moment" by Jenn Devereaux. A photo of Yorkshire singer-songwriter Billie Marten riding a white horse at sunset in New Zealand is entered for "Emerging Photographer of the Year" by Frances Carter. A festival image of metal fans creating a human pyramid at Download Festival by Danny North is also nominated. A live music shot of Fontaines DC performing at a festival in Ireland, with a Ferris wheel in the background, is submitted by Charlie Barclay Harris. Other notable entries include a photo of Phoebe Lunny of Lambrini Girls leaping from a speaker into a crowd of hands by Jessie Morgan, and a portrait of US singer-songwriter Sombr playing a piano backwards by Bryce Glenn. A punk photograph from 1979, capturing the early days of the punk scene in Leicester, is entered in the "50 Years of Punk" category by Wayne Spike Large. A behind-the-scenes shot of Kevin Parker of Tame Impala during the filming of his music video "Loser" by Caity Krone is also nominated. A photo of Australian punk band Private Function playing their last gig in Melbourne by Suzanne Phoenix is entered in the "Underground Scenes" category. An upside-down image of Amyl and the Sniffers' frontwoman Amy Taylor crowd-surfing in San Diego by Jamie Wdziekonski is also nominated for "50 Years of Punk." Lastly, a powerful image of FKA Twigs and her dancers at the LadyLand Festival in Brooklyn, taken by Sacha Lecca, has been selected for a judges’ award, highlighting the festival’s celebration of queer talent and gay icons.