BET Revives Soul Train Awards After Three-Year Hiatus, Moves Show to Chicago: ‘Bringing Our Community Together’
The Soul Train Awards are back!
On Thursday, BET announced it was reviving the awards show, which was last held in 2023. This year, the celebration of music, artists, and the legacy of Soul Train will air Friday, November 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET (presented by Spotify and Toyota). And for the first time ever, the awards will also be simulcast on CBS, as well as on BET HER, VH1, MTV2, and LOGO.
In addition to making their CBS debut in 2026, the Soul Train Awards are also moving to a new city. Chicago will host the ceremony for the first time – a fitting move, given that the influential, culture-shaping music show got its start on Chicago TV 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,” said Louis Carr, President, BET. “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.”
Details about performers, honorees, and the host will be revealed in the coming weeks. But viewers can expect a reimagined event “with a bold new format,” Connie Orlando, EVP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, BET, said. “It’s about honoring the artists who shaped the genre while reinventing the night for where the music is headed.”
Soul Train premiered in 1971 and aired through 2006. The Soul Train Awards began in 1987. The ceremony has typically been held in Los Angeles, though over the years it’s also taken place in Las Vegas, Atlanta, and New York City.
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