The Soul Train Awards are coming home. BET will tape the 2026 ceremony at Chicago’s Harris Theater on Thursday, November 5, and broadcast it Friday, November 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS. Chicago-born Chaka Khan will receive the Classic Soul Honor in the city where Don Cornelius started Soul Train more than five decades ago.
Key Takeaways
- It’s the first time the awards ceremony is staged in Chicago, the birthplace of the Soul Train franchise.
- Anthony Anderson hosts, returning to the role he first held in 2013.
- Durand Bernarr will receive the Soul Personified Honor and Elmiene the New Soul Honor, and both will perform.
- The broadcast airs on CBS for the first time, alongside BET, BET Her, VH1, MTV2 and LOGO.
- Fans will vote in two categories for the first time, including R&B/soul song of the year.
- It’s the first Soul Train Awards ceremony since 2023.
Soul Train Started in Chicago
The story begins on Chicago’s South Side. Don Cornelius grew up in Bronzeville, graduated from DuSable High School and got his start in media at WVON radio and WCIU-TV. In 1970, he launched Soul Train on WCIU as a local dance and music program. The show went into national syndication the next year.
Soul Train became one of the most important stages for Black music and culture on American television. For many viewers, it was where they first saw artists who would go on to define R&B, soul and funk, and the Soul Train Line became part of the culture in its own right. The show grew out of a city transformed by the Great Migration that reshaped Black America and built cities like Chicago, where Black radio, music and business were already thriving when Cornelius got his start.
The Soul Train Awards came later, in 1987. Over the years the ceremony moved between cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York. Now it’s finally coming to Chicago.
Louis Carr and Anthony Anderson Call It a Full-Circle Moment
The homecoming carries personal weight for the people behind it. BET President Louis Carr is a Chicago native. “Chicago is where the ‘Soul Train’ story began, and bringing the awards back to my hometown is a full-circle moment,” Carr said. He added that Soul Train helped shape how the world experienced Black music and culture.
Anthony Anderson, who hosted the Soul Train Awards in 2013, returns as host. He said he’s thrilled to be back with BET and especially excited to host in Chicago, where the Soul Train legacy began. BET’s Connie Orlando, who oversees the network’s specials and music programming, pointed to Anderson’s comedic timing, musical knowledge and love for the culture.
Chaka Khan Receives the Classic Soul Honor in Her Hometown
The ceremony’s centerpiece honor goes to a Chicagoan. Chaka Khan will receive the Classic Soul Honor, which BET gives to a legacy artist whose influence and decades of work have shaped the sound and soul of R&B. The honor caps a year that also brought her a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a new album, Chakzilla, released in September.
Before she was the Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan was a young singer coming up in Chicago. Receiving the Classic Soul Honor in the same city where Soul Train began connects two parts of Chicago’s music history.
Durand Bernarr and Elmiene Represent What Comes Next
The other honorees span younger generations. Durand Bernarr, a singer, songwriter and producer, will receive the Soul Personified Honor, which BET gives to an artist who represents the essence and spirit of R&B. He comes in after his first Grammy win and the release of his fourth studio album, BERNARR. He’ll perform at the ceremony and host the Soul Train Awards digital red carpet show.
Elmiene will receive the New Soul Honor, which recognizes a rising artist whose voice and artistry are helping shape the future of R&B. He’ll also perform. Together with Chaka Khan, the honorees span decades of R&B, from a legacy artist to a new voice.
A Reimagined Show With Fans in the Voting Booth
BET has called this year’s show a reimagined celebration. Connie Orlando described a two-hour production honoring four to five musical icons, with performances from artists who have shaped and continue to redefine R&B and soul. Jesse Collins Entertainment is producing the show.
For the first time, fans will decide two categories, including R&B/soul song of the year. Wider distribution is also new: the ceremony will air on CBS for the first time, alongside BET and its sister networks, giving the show a larger broadcast audience than it has had before. It’s taped on November 5 and airs on November 27, the day after Thanksgiving, at 8 p.m. Eastern and 7 p.m. Central.
Performers beyond the honorees haven’t been announced yet.
FAQs
When are the Soul Train Awards 2026?
The ceremony tapes at Chicago’s Harris Theater on November 5, 2026. It airs Friday, November 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS.
Where are the 2026 Soul Train Awards being held?
The awards are being held at the Harris Theater in Chicago’s Millennium Park, the first time the ceremony is staged in the city where Soul Train began.
Who is hosting the 2026 Soul Train Awards?
Anthony Anderson hosts. He previously hosted the Soul Train Awards in 2013.
Who is receiving honors at the 2026 Soul Train Awards?
Chaka Khan receives the Classic Soul Honor, Durand Bernarr the Soul Personified Honor and Elmiene the New Soul Honor.
Where did Soul Train start?
Don Cornelius launched Soul Train on Chicago’s WCIU in 1970, and the show went into national syndication in 1971.
Can fans vote in the Soul Train Awards?
Yes. For the first time, fans vote in two categories, including R&B/soul song of the year.
