Entertainment
Soul Train Awards to return in November after three-year hiatus
The revived ceremony will be taped in Chicago and simulcast across CBS, BET, and cable networks.
The short version
- BET announced the return of the Soul Train Awards, scheduled to air on Friday, November 27, 2026, following a three-year hiatus.
- The telecast will be taped in Chicago—marking the first time the ceremony is held in the city where Don Cornelius created the franchise—and will air simultaneously on CBS, BET, and several cable networks.
- Performers, honorees, and hosts have not yet been announced and will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Key facts
- The Soul Train Awards will air on Friday, November 27, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/PT after being paused following the 2023 edition.[Billboard · Variety]
- The broadcast will mark the first time the awards show airs on CBS, alongside a simulcast on BET, BET Her, VH1, MTV2, and Logo.[Billboard · Variety]
- The ceremony will be taped in Chicago, the birthplace of the original 1971 television series.[Billboard · Variety]
- Jesse Collins Entertainment will produce the show, with Spotify serving as the exclusive music streaming partner and Toyota acting as automotive sponsor.[Billboard · Variety]
- BET suspended the Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip-Hop Awards in 2025 to restructure the formats for changing media environments.[Billboard · Variety]