David Corio
The Music Photo Gallery · Represented Photographer

David Corio

B. B. London, England, 1960 – present
David Corio
Portrait of the photographer
Biography

David Corio was born in London, England, in 1960. He began his professional career in 1978 taking photographs for New Musical Express, followed by The Face, Time Out, and Black Echoes, covering a wide range of music and portraiture. After a stint as a music writer at City Limits, he worked as a freelance photographer for the Daily Telegraph, The Times, Q, Theatre Royal Stratford, and Greensleeves Records, among others.

David’s photographs have been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Photographer’s Gallery, The Hayward Gallery, the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) and the Special Photographers Gallery in London; the Brownwyn Keenan Gallery, The Jack Shainman Gallery and Fotografiska in New York; the Tropen Museum in Amsterdam; Number One Gallery in Dublin and in Italy, Japan, Sweden, France, Malaysia and Hong Kong. A selection of his photographs appeared in 'Diva' at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 2024, which also toured, and in 2023 The Elliott Gallery in Amsterdam held a major retrospective of his music photography.

David has lived and worked in London and New York City, with his work having been published in the New York Times, The Times, the Telegraph, The Face, Rolling Stone, Q and Mojo. He has also worked for the School of Visual Arts, the Swedish Institute, New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Institute for Electronic and Electrical Engineers, Greensleeves Records, VP Records, Heartbeat Records, Universal Music Group, EMI and Island Records.

A comprehensive collection of David's photographs of Black musicians was published in 'The Black Chord' (Universe, 1999, text by Vivien Goldman). A newly redesigned and expanded version of the book was published by Hat & Beard Press in 2024. 'Megaliths', a 14-year project photographing the prehistoric standing stones of England and Wales was published by Jonathan Cape/Random House in 2003 and is set to be published in expanded form in 2026. 'The Couture Accessory' (text by Caroline Rennolds Milbank), a book of haute couture accessories, was published by Abrams in 2002.

In the artist's
own words
“It seemed like a natural thing to combine photography and music, as I wasn’t going to join a band.”
David Corio
Selected Works

From the archive.

View all 32 works →
Johnny Ramone performing with his guitar at Hammersmith Odeon, London, in 1980, photographed by David Corio.
Johnny Ramone,  Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1980
David Corio From$1,000
Nina Simone performing under a single spotlight at Ronnie Scott's, London, in 1984, photographed by David Corio.
Nina Simone,  Ronnie Scott's, London, UK, 1984
David Corio From$1,000
Angus Young of AC/DC performing live with his guitar, arm raised, at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, in 1979, photographed by David Corio.
Angus Young,  Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1979
David Corio From$1,000
Bob Marley singing into a microphone, his locks flying, at the Crystal Palace Bowl, London, in 1980, photographed by David Corio.
Bob Marley,  Crystal Palace Bowl, London, 1980
David Corio From$1,000
Prince performing on stage in a sleeveless outfit at Wembley Arena, London, in 1986, photographed by David Corio.
Prince,  Wembley Arena, London, 1986
David Corio From$1,000
John Lydon looking back over his shoulder as a crowd of press photographers aims their cameras at him, Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, 1983, photographed by David Corio.
John Lydon,  Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, 1983
David Corio From$1,000
Selected career exhibitions & projects

Career Exhibitions & Selected Projects

A selected record of museum and gallery presentations, publications, assignments and significant projects from David Corio's career.

Type
Title
Venue
Year
Publications

Books

Monographs, catalogues and photography books from the archive.

Black Chord

Black Chord

David Corio
Universe · 1999

A visual journey through the history and global influence of Black music, featuring Vivien Goldman’s writing and David Corio’s photography.

View Publication →
The Black Chord (2024 Edition)

The Black Chord (2024 Edition)

David Corio & Vivien Goldman
Hat & Beard Press · 2024

A redesigned and expanded edition of David Corio’s landmark survey of Black music, featuring more than 200 photographs across 200 pages. With text by Vivien Goldman and a foreword by Isaac Hayes.

View Publication →
Institutional Collections

Permanent Collections

Selected museums and institutions whose permanent collections include work by David Corio.

Moving image & archive

Films, Interviews
& Television

Documentaries, recorded interviews and television appearances from the archive.

David Corio on Photographing MC Shan

David Corio on Photographing MC Shan

2023

“I’m low down to capture the shape of the buildings and use the background.”

Selected Press

In the press.

The Guardian

From Nina Simone and Bob Marley to Goldie and Salt-N-Pepa: a who’s who of Black popular music – in pictures

A major survey of David Corio’s photographs of Black musicians. Corio recounts the stories behind images of Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Fela Kuti, Tina Turner, Salt-N-Pepa and others.

Read piece →
The Guardian

David Corio’s best shot

David Corio tells the remarkable story behind his celebrated photograph of Bob Marley’s final London performance, captured while standing chest-deep in the lake at Crystal Palace Bowl.

Read piece →
Professional Photo

Pro Talk: David Corio – Prints with a Purpose

An extensive career interview covering Corio’s beginnings at NME, his photographic process and his experiences photographing Bob Marley, James Brown, Nina Simone and Miles Davis.

Read piece →
ffoto

David Corio’s Hip Hop Chronicles: 1981–1995

Corio discusses documenting the early hip-hop scenes in Britain and the United States and reflects on the formative influence of NME, The Face and Black Echoes.

Read piece →
Time Out London

8 pictures of London’s pirate radio scene in the ’80s

David Corio recalls London’s pirate radio stations, record shops, underground clubs and DJs during the 1980s, illustrated through his documentation of the scene.

Read piece →
Collateral

The R&B Imagery of David Corio

An interview about The Black Chord, Corio’s love of reggae and the connections between African music, jazz, blues, soul, reggae and hip-hop.

Read piece →
Lomography

Behind the Lens: Interview With David Corio

A biographical and technical interview covering Corio’s education, his early assignments for NME and his preference for manual cameras and black-and-white photography.

Read piece →
Camerawork Magazine

Sight and Sound: Music Photography

An important early-career document in which David Corio discusses his work and examines the limitations and conventions of music photography in the popular press.

Read piece →
← All PhotographersBrowse all works →