Anton Corbijn has been announced as the recipient of the Icon Award at this year’s Abbey Road Music Photography Awards.
With the ceremony due to take place at Abbey Road on October 2, the Dutch photographer joins previous winners including Jill Furmanovsky (2024), Henry Diltz (2023) and Eric Johnson (2022).
Corbijn said that photographing musicians “was a love that became a full-on mission in the early ’70s”.
“From hanging around the front of the stage to being 100% in charge, it’s been an exciting place to be,” he added. “I like to think I evolved over the years, but I am still excited by music and photographing musicians now and then. To receive recognition from a body that contains the name of Abbey Road and with some of my peers as judges, I can only be grateful! Thank you!”
To receive recognition from a body that contains the name of Abbey Road and with some of my peers as judges, I can only be grateful
Anton Corbijn
Well-known for his long-term associations with U2 (above) and Depeche Mode, Anton Corbijn has also photographed a huge range of musicians including Tom Waits, David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, Ian Curtis, Bryan Adams, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra and more, while his other famous subjects include Cameron Diaz, William S Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Joni Mitchell, Robert De Niro, Gerhard Richter, Ai Weiwei and Lucian Freud.
He has made music videos for the likes of U2, Depeche Mode, Nirvana, Metallica, Nick Cave, Johnny Cash, Arcade Fire, Coldplay and The Killers.
Abbey Road’s director of marketing & creative, Mark Robertson, said: “Anton Corbijn’s work has been part of the cultural fabric of modern music for over five decades. His photography doesn’t just document - it defines, it innovates, and it inspires artists, fans and photographers alike. At Abbey Road, we’re thrilled to celebrate a true icon whose artistry continues to influence.”
Launched in 2022, the Music Photography Awards welcomes two new categories for 2025 – Portrait and Festivals, while this year’s guest category is Club Culture.
The full list of categories open for submissions is as follows:
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Portrait (new for 2025)
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Festivals (new for 2025)
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Music Moment of the Year sponsored by Outernet
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Emerging Photographer of the Year sponsored by adidas
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Making Music
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Underground Scenes
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Live Music
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Guest category: Club Culture
The Icon and Judges Choice categories are nominated and chosen by the judging panel.
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