Abbey Road Studios will present British photographer David Bailey with a Lifetime Achievement Award during its annual Music Photography Awards this week. The award, created as a one-off recognition, highlights Bailey’s six decades of work documenting musicians across genres and generations.

Bailey, 86, is regarded as one of the most influential photographers of the last century, having captured portraits of artists including Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, David Bowie, and Patti Smith. Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Bailey said in a statement: “Everyone is going to take one great picture in their life and hopefully I’ll do two so I’ll have the edge.”

Mark Robertson, Abbey Road’s Director of Marketing & Creative, said the decision to honor Bailey was due to both the breadth and endurance of his career. “Bailey’s photography broke boundaries with a dynamic, visceral and spontaneous style that was both defiant and pioneering,” Robertson said. “He turned his subjects into icons with era-defining pictures forever imprinted in the minds of fans, and yet somehow made them relatable and accessible by revealing their true personality. That his work has remained relevant and inspirational for over six decades is extraordinary.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award is separate from the other prizes presented at the Music Photography Awards and is not expected to become an annual category.

The Music Photography Awards were launched in 2022 by Abbey Road Studios to celebrate work in live performance, artist portraits, and other areas of music-related photography. The awards are open to public entry and have quickly become international in scope. In 2024, more than 22,000 submissions were received from 30 countries.

This year’s ceremony, taking place October 2 in London, will introduce two new categories: Portrait and Festivals. Shortlisted nominees for 2025 were announced earlier this month.

The judging panel for the awards includes a mix of musicians, industry figures, and established photographers. Members for this year include Rankin, Nile Rodgers, Eric Burton, Joe Keery, Scarlet Page, Dimitri From Paris, Julia Cumming, and Simon Wheatley.

As previously announced, Dutch photographer and filmmaker Anton Corbijn will receive the Icon Award during this year’s event. Corbijn is best known for his long-standing collaborations with bands such as Depeche Mode and U2, as well as directing music videos and feature films.

The Icon Award has been presented each year since the event’s inception. Past honorees include Jill Furmanovsky in 2024, Henry Diltz in 2023, and Eric Johnson in 2022.

Bailey became a central figure in London’s cultural scene during the 1960s, producing portraits that helped define the look of the era. While he is perhaps most widely associated with fashion photography, his images of musicians have been equally influential. Over the years, he has worked with artists across jazz, rock, reggae, and punk, producing portraits that remain widely reproduced and studied. Although the Music Photography Awards primarily highlight contemporary work, organizers said Bailey’s recognition this year reflects the importance of historical contributions to the craft.