Roberta Bayley

Roberta Bayley, originally from Pasadena, California, is a key figure in the history of punk rock photography. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, she developed a deep passion for music from an early age, attending concerts by legendary artists such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. In 1971, she moved to London, where she briefly worked with Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood at their iconic Let It Rock shop on Kings Road.

By 1974, Bayley had settled in New York, working at the legendary CBGB club—the epicenter of the punk scene. She soon became the chief photographer for Punk Magazine, documenting the rise of the movement and capturing now-iconic images of artists such as The Ramones, Blondie, Iggy Pop, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols, among many others.

Her work has been featured in prestigious books and magazines dedicated to punk and contemporary music. Beyond photography, she has co-authored Patti Smith: An Unauthorized Biography and published Blondie Unseen. Her images have been exhibited in major cities such as New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, Berlin, and Buenos Aires, solidifying her status as one of the most influential photographers of her generation.

The Music Photo Gallery is honored to exclusively represent Roberta Bayley’s work worldwide, offering collectors both vintage prints from her personal archive and limited-edition contemporary reproductions. For nearly a decade, we have curated exhibitions of her work across South America and the United States, as well as presented her photography at Photo London. Currently, TMPG is developing the Ramones 50th Anniversary touring exhibition, celebrating Bayley’s unparalleled photograph that became the cover of their groundbreaking debut album.