BET Revives Soul Train Awards in Chicago
The reimagined ceremony was taped at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance and returns to BET and CBS on November 27.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in R&B
BET held the Soul Train Awards at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago, the first time the ceremony was taped in the city. The show had gone dark after 2023 and returns in a reimagined format, with Anthony Anderson hosting and the full ceremony premiering on BET and CBS.
Why it matters
The revival restores a long-running R&B and soul awards show to television and ties it back to its Chicago roots. BET said the reboot balances honoring industry architects with spotlighting current artists.
The ceremony went dark after 2023 and returns this year as a simulcast on BET and CBS, with a new R&B/Soul Song of the Year category added. Viewership figures for the revived broadcast have not been reported.
The players
Anthony Anderson
Actor and comedian who hosted the revived Soul Train Awards, known for his work on television sitcoms and film.
Chaka Khan
Grammy-winning singer who received the Classic Soul Honor and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and who released her 13th album, Chakzilla, this year.
BET
Black Entertainment Television, the cable network that produced and premieres the revived Soul Train Awards.
The details
Chaka Khan received the Classic Soul Honor and collected a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in January, the same month she released her 13th album, Chakzilla. Jesse Collins Entertainment produced the show, with Spotify and Toyota as partners.
Timeline
Nov. 4: Free Soul in the City party at the Chicago Cultural Center, hosted with the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, alongside a Queen Latifah documentary screening.
Nov. 5: Soul Train Awards taped at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago.
Nov. 27, 8 p.m. ET/PT: Full ceremony premieres on BET and CBS.
Roadmap
The revival extends the original Soul Train Awards, which went dark after 2023, by returning the show to television in a reimagined format. It positions the ceremony against the broader return of legacy music award shows to network television.
The full ceremony airs on BET and CBS on November 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, giving viewers two broadcast options. Those planning to watch can check local CBS listings to confirm the channel in their market.
The takeaway
Viewers who want the ceremony can mark November 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET or CBS. The revival signals that legacy R&B recognition still has a home on network television.
What happens next
The full Soul Train Awards ceremony premieres on BET and CBS on November 27, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Further reading
Explore more R&B coverage on the Chicago music scene.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Rolling Out.
