Soul Train Awards Return After Three-Year Hiatus

BET has announced the return of the Soul Train Awards, following a three-year absence.

Why it matters:

• Founded by Don Cornelius in 1971, Soul Train became the longest-running first-run nationally syndicated program in television history.

• A cultural institution, the music and dance series was a celebration of R&B and soul, and shaped Black music and culture across generations.

The details:

• The ceremony will be taped in Chicago, where Soul Train was first launched.

• Spotify is the exclusive streaming partner, with Toyota a key sponsor.

• BET describes this year’s telecast as featuring a mix of “honorees who defined the sound with the artists carrying it forward, celebrating a legacy that has influenced American music since ‘Soul Train’ first went on the air in 1971.”

• The Soul Train Awards will air Friday, November 27 at 8pm on both BET and CBS.

• It will also air on VH1, MTV2, Logo and BET Her.

• Performances, honorees and host details will be announced in the coming weeks.

What they said:

• Louis Carr, BET President: “As a Chicago native, I’m proud to bring the ‘Soul Train Awards’ back to the city where it all originated. 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.”