The 2026 Soul Train Awards have opened fan voting for two categories for the first time, giving audiences a direct say in the winners of R&B/soul song of the year and Spotify’s RNB X international artist.
BET began announcing nominations on Monday, Oct. 5, with voting now open through Oct. 16. Fans will be able to vote for the R&B/soul song of the year on BET.com, while voting for Spotify’s RNB X international artist will take place through the Spotify app.
Tems is the only artist nominated in both fan-voted categories. Her song “What You Need” has also become a top five hit on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, placing the Nigerian singer among the year’s strongest R&B performers.
The winners will be revealed on Friday, Nov. 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT during the 2026 Soul Train Awards broadcast on BET. The ceremony will also be simulcast on CBS, BET Her, VH1, MTV2 and LOGO.
The R&B/soul song of the year category recognizes songs that have had a defining presence over the past year. Eligible songs must have first been made available to the public between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. Fans can choose from 10 nominees through BET’s official Soul Train Awards voting page.
This year’s other fan-voted category, Spotify’s RNB X international artist, puts the focus on artists taking R&B to audiences outside their home markets. BET said the category recognizes artists who are “pushing the genre beyond borders.”
The category takes its inspiration from RNB X, Spotify’s flagship R&B playlist. The seven nominees were selected using factors including cultural relevance, streaming performance and their overall impact on the genre. Fans can vote through the Spotify app, where they can also listen to the nominated artists and share their selections. Voting remains subject to Spotify’s terms and conditions.
Connie Orlando, BET’s executive vice president of specials, music programming and music strategy, said the decision to introduce fan voting in the two categories reflects the changing reach of R&B and gives audiences a greater role in determining the results.
The Soul Train Awards are also asking fans to take part in a separate vote to determine The 20 Greatest R&B Songs of the 2020s. The poll features 64 songs arranged alphabetically by title, with fans allowed to vote once every 24 hours and select up to 20 songs per ballot.
The final 20 songs will be revealed during the Soul Train Awards red carpet show, “Back on Track,” which will stream live on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitch on Nov. 27.
Actor Anthony Anderson will host the 2026 Soul Train Awards. Orlando is serving as executive producer, while Jesse Collins Entertainment is producing the ceremony. Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay are also executive producers.
BET has not yet announced the full lineup of performers or this year’s honorees. Further details are expected in the coming weeks as additional award categories are announced.
For now, the introduction of fan voting gives audiences a more direct role in two of the night’s awards, while the wider nomination list and performances will shape the rest of the 2026 ceremony.
