The 2026 Soul Train Awards are officially back, and the nominations are now rolling out. After a three-year break, the ceremony returns November 27 on BET with Anthony Anderson hosting.
Nominations began arriving October 5, with BET releasing the categories in stages ahead of the ceremony. Since the announcement is still ongoing, this list will be updated as additional nominees are revealed, so fans should check back for the complete 2026 Soul Train Awards nominations.
The return marks the first Soul Train Awards since Keke Palmer hosted the 2023 edition. BET placed the franchise and the BET Hip Hop Awards on hold in 2024 and 2025 as the network reconsidered its approach to its awards programming in an increasingly streaming-focused television environment.
This year’s ceremony is scheduled to air Friday, November 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET, with CBS carrying the show simultaneously for the first time. Additional broadcasts are planned for BET Her, VH1, MTV2 and Logo. The ceremony will be taped November 5 at the Harris Theater in Chicago, the city where Don Cornelius launched Soul Train in 1971.
Anderson returns to the franchise after previously hosting the Soul Train Awards in 2013. The star has also hosted the BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards and the 75th Emmy Awards, bringing another major television-hosting credit to a ceremony built around R&B and Black music culture.
The first nomination slate includes the R&B/soul song of the year category, covering music released between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. Brent Faiyaz’s “Butterflies,” Bruno Mars’ “I Just Might,” Chris Brown and Bryson Tiller’s “It Depends,” Daniel Caesar’s “Who Knows,” Justin Bieber’s “Yukon,” Kehlani’s “Folded,” Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis’ “Is It a Crime,” Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need,” Tems’ “What You Need” and Tyla’s “Chanel” are all nominated.
The Spotify RNB X international artist category also gives fans a say, with Cleo Sol, FLO, kwn, Odeal, Tems and Tiana Major9 competing for the honor. Tems is the only artist currently nominated in both of the fan-voted categories announced so far.
Voting for the two categories runs through October 16. Fans can also participate in The 20 Greatest R&B Songs of the 2020s poll on BET’s website, selecting up to 20 songs every 24 hours.
More nominations are expected as the rollout continues, while performers and lifetime-style honorees had not yet been announced as of early October. A red-carpet special, Back on Track, will stream live on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitch on the night of the taping, giving the returning ceremony an expanded digital presence.
Check back here as BET reveals more categories and nominees, with the full list to be updated throughout the rollout.
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SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2026 NOMINATIONS: FULL LIST
R&B/Soul Song of the Year
- Brent Faiyaz — “Butterflies”
- Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”
- Chris Brown & Bryson Tiller — “It Depends”
- Daniel Caesar — “Who Knows”
- Justin Bieber — “Yukon”
- Kehlani — “Folded”
- Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis — “Is It a Crime”
- Olivia Dean — “Man I Need”
- Tems — “What You Need”
- Tyla — “Chanel”
Spotify RNB X International Artist
- Cleo Sol
- FLO
- kwn
- Odeal
- Tems
- Tiana Major9
More categories and nominees will be added as BET announces them. Check back for updates.
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