2026 Soul Train Awards nominations and updates

The 2026 Soul Train Awards are returning after a three-year hiatus, introducing new fan-voted categories such as the Spotify RNB X International Artist category.

Nominees for the R&B/Soul Song of the Year category include South African artist Tyla for ‘Chanel’ and Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems for ‘What You Need’. This matchup is noted as a shift for the awards, as African artists are now competing in mainstream R&B categories. Other nominees in this category include artists such as Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, and Kehlani.

BET has clarified that the R&B/Soul Song of the Year voting will be conducted via BET.com, while the International Artist category will be voted for through the Spotify app. Tems is noted as the only artist nominated in both fan-voted categories. The full list of nominees for Song of the Year also includes Bryson Tiller, Daniel Caesar, Brent Faiyaz, Mariah the Scientist, Kali Uchis, and Olivia Dean.

Voting for fan-voted categories is scheduled to open on October 16 and will remain open until that date. The ceremony, hosted by Anthony Anderson, is set to be broadcast on November 27, 2026, on BET and CBS, with additional simulcasts on various Paramount networks.