Key Takeaways
- The event will debut a reimagined format and mark a Chicago homecoming after a three-year hiatus.
- BET and Spotify are collaborating to create new opportunities for artists to connect with global fans.
- The Soul Train Awards broadcast will celebrate the show’s history and air across BET, CBS, and several Paramount Skydance cable networks.
The Soul Train Awards are so back. On Thursday (Sept. 3), BET announced that the culture-defining awards show will return on Nov. 27 for the first time in three years.
Even better, the comeback will include a pre-taped ceremony recorded in Chicago, where the late and legendary Don Cornelius first launched “Soul Train” more than 50 years ago. “As a Chicago native, I’m proud to bring the Soul Train Awards back to the city where it all originated,” BET President Louis Carr said in a press statement, according to Variety.
He added, “Coming off a landmark year for BET, this return reaffirms what we do best: bringing our community together around the culture and connecting the artists who built this sound to the ones carrying it forward.” Jesse Collins Entertainment is set to produce the event, while Spotify will serve as its “exclusive music streaming partner.”
See the announcement below, then keep scrolling for more information.
Where to watch the 2026 Soul Train Awards
While we’ll be waiting on the edge of our seats for the performers, honorees, and host to be announced in the coming weeks, we fortunately already know when and where the Soul Train Awards will air. The show is set for 8 p.m. ET on BET and CBS — marking a first for the latter — as well as Paramount Skydance cable networks VH1, MTV2, Logo, and BET Her.
The last Soul Train Awards were hosted by Keke Palmer, so there’s obviously a lot to catch up on and, from the looks of it, event organizers are planning to do exactly that. BET said the upcoming broadcast will honor those “who defined the sound with the artists carrying it forward, celebrating a legacy that has influenced American music since ‘Soul Train’ first went on the air in 1971.”
Considering how triumphant the 2026 BET Awards’ return was back in June, we’re more than excited to see what comes of the next Soul Train Awards ceremony.
BET and Spotify tease a “reimagined” Soul Train Awards with new format
For anyone curious about who else is helping bring the 2026 Soul Train Awards to life, BET’s Connie Orlando, executive vice president of specials, music programming, and music strategy, teased that the show will be “reimagined” with a “bold new format.” Meanwhile, Spotify Global Head of Music Content & Partnerships Joe Hadley called the return a “significant moment” for R&B and soul.
He added, “Bringing Spotify and BET together allows us to extend the impact beyond the awards themselves, creating more opportunities for artists and their music to reach fans around the world.” Toyota is also sponsoring the event.