There are few types of photograph that have had such an impact on our cultural awareness, over the past decades, than music photographs. Live images, (think Johnny Cash giving the finger) album covers, formal and informal portraits were important artifacts in creating music icons. The golden days of the music press, physical music purchases and access to rock stars may be over, but the interest in documenting singers, performers, musicians and bands has not died. Today performers may be controlling their ‘visual brand’ by employing their own photographers, but independent photographers are still out their making images that document the music scene, locally, nationally and internationally. Instagram is the new home for music photography, but here is my list of those worth checking out, which as always is in no specific order.

Further reading
https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2026/06/24/the-photography-canon-and-why-it-is-important-not-the-camera-brand/
https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2026/06/25/the-unp-top-20-photographers-working-with-colour/
https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2026/06/26/the-unp-top-20-landscape-photographers/
https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2026/06/28/the-unp-top-20-wandering-photographers/
https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2026/06/29/the-unp-top-20-portrait-photographers/
https://unitednationsofphotography.com/2026/07/02/the-unp-top-20-urban-photographers/

Penny Smith www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp14251/pennie-smith

David Corio https://davidcorio.com

Herman Leonard https://hermanleonard.com

Mick Rock www.mickrock.com

Neil Zlozower www.instagram.com/neilzlozower/?hl=en

Robert M Knight www.instagram.com/robertmknightphoto/

Graham MacIndoe https://www.instagram.com/GrahamMacIndoe/

Duffy www.duffyarchive.com/portfolio-categories/

Baron Wolman www.instagram.com/baronwolman/

Jim Marshall www.jimmarshallphotographyllc.com

Danny Clinch www.dannyclinch.com

Roger Sargent www.instagram.com/rogersargo/?hl=en

Chris Floyd www.chrisfloyd.com

Elliott Landy www.elliottlandy.com

Alan Messer https://alanmesser.com

Lynn Goldsmith https://lynngoldsmith.com

Don Hunstein www.donhunstein.com

Sacha Lecca www.instagram.com/sachalecca/

Maggie London www.instagram.com/maggielndnphoto/

Todd Owyoung www.toddowyoung.com

Dr.Grant Scott
After fifteen years art directing photography books and magazines such as Elle and Tatler, Scott began to work as a photographer for a number of advertising and editorial clients in 2000. Alongside his photographic career Scott has art directed numerous advertising campaigns, worked as a creative director at Sotheby’s, art directed foto8 magazine, founded his own photographic gallery, edited Professional Photographer magazine and launched his own title for photographers and filmmakers Hungry Eye. He founded the United Nations of Photography in 2012, and is now a Senior Lecturer and Subject Co-ordinator: Photography at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, and a BBC Radio contributor. Scott is the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Routledge 2014), The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Routledge 2015), New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography (Routledge 2019), What Does Photography Mean To You? (Bluecoat Press 2020) and Inside Vogue House: One building, seven magazines, sixty years of stories, (Orphans Publishing 2024). His photography has been published in At Home With The Makers of Style (Thames & Hudson 2006) and Crash Happy: A Night at The Bangers (Cafe Royal Books 2012). His film Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay was premiered in 2018.

© Grant Scott 2026

Image: Johnny Cash by Jim Marshall