Soul Train Awards Are Returning to TV with First-Ever CBS Simulcast
Written by WorldOneFm on September 4, 2026
The Soul Train Awards are coming back to television.
On Thursday, BET announced that the iconic awards show will return later this year, with the ceremony taking place in Chicago, the city where Don Cornelius launched Soul Train more than 50 years ago.
The ceremony will air on BET on November 27 and will be simulcast on CBS for the first time.
“As a Chicago native, I’m proud to bring the Soul Train Awards back to the city where it all originated,” said BET President Louis Carr.
“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.”
Spotify joins the celebration
Spotify will serve as the exclusive music streaming partner for the Soul Train franchise.
“Soul Train has always represented more than music,” said Spotify’s Kimmy Summers.
She described the brand as a cultural force that has given artists a platform to shape music, style and culture across generations.
With R&B and soul continuing to evolve, Spotify says the partnership will help a new generation discover both legendary artists and the voices shaping the future of the genres.
Celebrating legends and new stars
This year’s ceremony will honour legendary acts while also spotlighting emerging artists who are “carrying Black music forward.”
Performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.
The Soul Train Awards have previously been hosted by major stars including Dionne Warwick, Vanessa Williams and Gladys Knight. Keke Palmer hosted the most recent ceremony, which took place in Los Angeles in 2023.
Beyoncé remains the most awarded artist in Soul Train Awards history, with an impressive 25 wins.
A legacy spanning five decades
The first Soul Train Awards ceremony took place in March 1987.
The original Soul Train television show premiered in 1971 and ran for 35 years, becoming one of the most influential music and dance programmes in television history.
Now, more than five decades after Don Cornelius first brought Soul Train to audiences, the legendary franchise is heading back to television — and returning to the city where it all began.
