2026 Soul Train Awards Nominees Revealed, Fans to Vote in Two Categories

BET began rolling out nominations for the 2026 Soul Train Awards on Monday (Oct. 5). For the first time, fans will determine who takes home the awards in two categories: R&B/soul song of the year, with voting on BET.com, and Spotify’s RNB X international artist, with voting in the Spotify app.

Tems , whose “What You Need” is a top five hit on Billboard ’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, is the only artist who is nominated in both categories.

Voting is open now through Oct. 16. Fans can see who takes home the trophies in these and all categories on Friday, Nov. 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET, with a simulcast on CBS, BET Her, VH1, MTV2 and LOGO.

R&B/soul song of the year honors the songs that defined the past year. Songs must have been made initially available to the general public between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. Fans can cast their votes from among 10 nominees at BET’s Soul Train Awards site .

New this year, Spotify’s RNB X international artist category spotlights artists who are “pushing the genre beyond borders,” according to BET. Inspired by RNB X, Spotify’s flagship R&B playlist, the seven nominees were selected based on cultural relevance, streaming performance and overall impact on the genre. Fans can vote in the Spotify app, where they can also stream the nominees and share their pick with friends. Votes are subject to Spotify’s terms and conditions.

“We’re thrilled to put the vote in the fans’ hands for the first time [in these two categories],” Connie Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy, BET, said in a statement. “From the biggest songs of the year to the artists taking R&B global, these categories show how far the genre reaches right now, and we can’t wait to see where the votes land.”

Fans can also vote through Oct. 16 for The 20 Greatest R&B Songs of the 2020s. From a list of 64 songs listed in alphabetical order by title at the Soul Train Awards site , fans can vote once every 24-hour period, selecting up to 20 songs at a time. The top 20 selections will be revealed during The Soul Train Awards red carpet show, Back on Track , which is set to stream live on YouTube, IG, TikTok and Twitch on Nov. 27.

As previously announced, actor Anthony Anderson is hosting the 2026 Soul Train Awards.

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Orlando serves as executive producer of the show for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.

Details of performers and honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.

Here’s a list of the nominees for the 2026 Soul Train Awards in the categories that have been announced so far. This post will be updated as nominees in additional categories are announced.

_Originally reported by [Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/lists/soul-train-awards-2026-nominees/)._