Don Cornelius’ cultural creation gets a major 2026 revival as BET brings Soul Train Awards to Chicago with an unprecedented CBS broadcast.
The show will go back to where the iconic show was created in Chicago. The network announced Thursday that the 2026 “Soul Train Awards” will air on BET with simultaneous broadcasts on CBS, BET HER, VH1, MTV2 and LOGO. Spotify will serve as the exclusive music streaming partner while Toyota returns as the exclusive automotive partner.
The Chicago homecoming carries considerable history. Don Cornelius created “Soul Train” in the city before the program grew into one of television’s most enduring showcases for Black artists, dancers and culture. In 2025, the Soul Train Awards were suspended by BET, never truly cancelled, due to declining television ratings, lower profitability, and a shrinking cable ecosystem, though network executives emphasized the show was put on hold to be reimagined for a digital-first and streaming media landscape rather than permanently canceled.
BET has not revealed the host, performers or honorees. Those announcements are expected in the coming weeks. The network is promising more than a nostalgic trip down the Soul Train line. Executives say the revived ceremony will connect established figures who helped define R&B and soul with contemporary performers moving those sounds into another generation. The return also gives BET another opportunity to leverage one of the most recognizable properties in Black entertainment. The company acquired the “Soul Train” brand in 2016.
Cornelius created “Soul Train” in 1971. The television series became a destination for R&B, soul, pop, funk, jazz, disco, gospel and Hip-Hop performers during its 35-year run. It also turned its dancers and signature Soul Train line into pieces of American popular culture.
The original series ended in 2006 after becoming the longest-running first-run nationally syndicated television program at the time.