| Soul Train Music Awards | |
| Current Awards: | 2023 Soul Train Music Awards |
| Network: | WGN America (1987–2007) First Run Syndication (1987–2007) BET (2009–present) Centric/BET Her (2009–present) |
| Awarded For: | Outstanding achievements in: Soul music, Contemporary R&B, Gospel, Jazz, Reggae and Hip Hop |
| Country: | United States |
| Website: | BET: Soul Train Awards |
The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of Soul Train, the program from which it takes its name, and features musical performances by various contemporary R&B and soul music recording artists interspersed throughout the ceremonies. The special traditionally used to air in either February, March or April, but now airs the last weekend of November (in most years, Thanksgiving weekend).
The Soul Train Music Awards voting body[1] includes active professionals in the fields of radio programming and music retail and management and recording artists with records that have charted in designated music trade publications in the year prior to proceedings. Past hosts for the show include such R&B luminaries as Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle, Will Smith, Vanessa Williams, Taraji P. Henson, and Gladys Knight.[2]
The Soul Train Music Award trophy has featured an African ceremonial mask since its 1987 introduction. A new trophy was designed by Tristan Eaton of Thunderdog Studios in 2009 and is manufactured by the New York firm Society Awards. From 1995 to 2005 a separate award show named Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards was held, honoring female artists.[3]
| Election Name: | Most recent Soul Train Music Awards winners |
| Election Date: | November 26, 2023 |
| Type: | primary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2022 Soul Train Music Awards |
| Previous Year: | 2022 |
| Next Election: | 2024 Soul Train Music Awards |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| 1Blank: | Award |
| 2Blank: | Winner |
| 1Data1: | Album of the Year |
| 2Data1: | SZA SOS |
| 1Data2: | Song of the Year |
| 2Data2: | SZA "Snooze" |
| 1Data4: | Record of the Year |
| 2Data4: | SZA "Snooze" |
| 1Data5: | Best New Artist |
| 2Data5: | Coco Jones |
The 2008 ceremonies were not held due to several factors, including the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike, the ill health of Don Cornelius at the time, and Soul Train distributor Tribune Entertainment terminating operations in the wake of the sale of Tribune Media to Sam Zell. With the rights to Soul Train acquired by MadVision Entertainment, the Soul Train Music Awards were presented on November 24, 2009 on BET Her. MadVision now holds the rerun rights to Soul Train.
The 2009 ceremony was held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, marking the first time in the show's 22-year history it was held outside of the Greater Los Angeles. The 2010 awards was held on November 10 just outside Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, and aired November 28.[4] The 2011 show was once again held in Atlanta and aired November 27.[5] The 2012 ceremony was held live on November 25 at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada. As of 2019, Beyoncé is the most-awarded artist at the Soul Train Music Awards with 16 awards.
The original trophy is a bronze abstract sitting figure known as the Vanguard in 1987. However, the trophy is an African mask which is known as the Heritage Award. Its distinctive design created by an unknown sculptor, but its remains a visual trademark for Soul Train's representation of Black music.
From 1989 to 2007, the Heritage mask remained the trophy for Soul Train Music Awards until 2009 when BET and its sister channel Centric revived the awards. Thunderdog designed a brand new trophy based on the program's mascot, an actual train.
| Date | Host | Venue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 1987 | Dionne Warwick and Luther Vandross | Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California | |
| 02 | 1988 | Dionne Warwick | ||
| 03 | 1989 | Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle and Ahmad Rashad | Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California | |
| 04 | 1990 | Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle and Luther Vandross | ||
| 05 | 1991 | |||
| 06 | 1992 | Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, Will Smith and Vanessa Williams | ||
| 07 | 1993 | Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross and Natalie Cole | ||
| 08 | 1994 | Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Johnny Gill | ||
| 09 | 1995 | Patti LaBelle, Anita Baker and Babyface | ||
| 10 | 1996 | Brandy, LL Cool J and Anita Baker | ||
| 11 | 1997 | Brandy, LL Cool J and Gladys Knight | ||
| 12 | 1998 | Patti LaBelle, Heavy D and Erykah Badu | ||
| 13 | 1999 | Tyra Banks, Monica and Brian McKnight | ||
| 14 | 2000 | Shemar Moore, Lisa "Left-Eye Lopes, Tamia and Eric Benét | ||
| 15 | 2001 | Shemar Moore, Mýa and Queen Latifah | ||
| 16 | 2002 | Shemar Moore, Arsenio Hall, Yolanda Adams and Faith Evans | Los Angeles Memorial Sport Arena, Los Angeles, California | |
| 17 | 2003 | Queen Latifah and Arsenio Hall | Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, California | |
| 18 | 2004 | Alicia Keys and Babyface | International Cultural Center Auditorium, Los Angeles, California | |
| 19 | 2005 | Brian McKnight, Fantasia, Nick Cannon and Nicole Richie | Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, California | |
| 20 | 2006 | Vivica A. Fox and Tyrese | Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, California | |
| 21 | 2007 | LeToya Luckett and Omarion | ||
| 22 | 2009 | Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson | Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta | |
| 23 | 2010 | Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Atlanta | ||
| 24 | 2011 | Cedric the Entertainer | ||
| 25 | 2012 | Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip | ||
| 26 | 2013 | Anthony Anderson | Orleans Arena, Las Vegas | |
| 27 | 2014 | Wendy Williams | ||
| 28 | 2015 | Erykah Badu | ||
| 29 | 2016 | |||
| 30 | 2017 | |||
| 31 | 2018 | Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold | ||
| 32 | 2019 | |||
| 33 | 2020 | Held Virtually | ||
| 34 | 2021 | Apollo Theater, New York City[6] | ||
| 35 | 2022 | Deon Cole | Orleans Arena, Las Vegas | |
| 36 | 2023 | Keke Palmer | House Party, Los Angeles |
In 2015, host Erykah Badu added a new tradition to the award show, the Soul Cypher. Similar to a Hip-Hop cypher, it features a quartet of R&B/Soul/Gospel singers coming together to perform a freestyle. Accompanied by an instrumental beat and a live band, the artists deliver a freestyle arrangement by incorporating lyrics, hooks and/or titles from their popular hits.[7] A UK version of the Soul Cypher was introduced during the 2020 broadcast.
| Year | Artists | Instrumental Beat |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Lalah Hathaway, Eddie Levert, Chrisette Michele & K-Ci | Mobb Deep – "Shook Ones Pt. 1" |
| 2016 | Gladys Knight, Ne-Yo, Angie Stone & Tyrese | Bryson Tiller – "Don't" |
| 2017 | The Isley Brothers – "Footsteps in the Dark (Part 1 & 2)" | |
| 2018 | BJ the Chicago Kid, Luke James, Queen Naija & Kelly Price | Patti LaBelle – "If Only You Knew" |
| 2019 | Keyshia Cole, Anthony Hamilton, Le'Andria Johnson & Carl Thomas | Robert Glasper – "Impromptu Medley" |
| 2020 | Erykah Badu – "Love of My Life" | |
| 2021 | Tone Stith, Koryn Hawthorne, Jac Ross, Elle Varner, & Musiq Soulchild | Aaliyah – "Rock the Boat" |
| Year | Artists | Instrumental Beat |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Hamzaa, Jvck James, Sinéad Harnett & Shae Universe | D'Angelo – "Lady" |
| 2021 | Nao, Ray BLK, SIPHO., Pip Millett, Jamilah Barry & Mnelia | Aaliyah – "Rock the Boat" |
| Artist(s) | No. of wins[8] [9] |
|---|---|
| Beyoncé | 25 |
| Chris Brown | 14 |
| Bruno Mars | |
| Janet Jackson | 13 |
| Babyface | 11 |
| R. Kelly | |
| Michael Jackson | 10 |
| Alicia Keys | 12 |
| Usher | |
| Kirk Franklin | 8 |
| Whitney Houston | |
| Anita Baker | 7 |
| Mary J. Blige | |
| John Legend | |
| Erykah Badu | 6 |
| Mariah Carey[10] | |
| Maxwell | |
| Cardi B[11] | 5 |
| Boyz II Men | |
| Ciara | |
| H.E.R.[12] | |
| Lauryn Hill | |
| The Isley Brothers | |
| TLC | |
| Toni Braxton | 4 |
| Destiny's Child | |
| Drake | |
| Jamie Foxx | |
| Jay Z | |
| Lil Wayne | |
| Pharrell Williams | |
| B2K | 3 |
| Brandy | |
| Natalie Cole | |
| D'Angelo | |
| En Vogue | |
| Lizzo | |
| LL Cool J | |
| Ella Mai | |
| Mary Mary | |
| Miguel | |
| Musiq Soulchild | |
| Missy Elliott | |
| Najee | |
| Nelly | |
| New Edition | |
| OutKast | |
| Rihanna | |
| Jill Scott | |
| Soul II Soul | |
| Tyga | |
| Luther Vandross | |
| Kanye West | |
| Barry White | |
| The Winans | |
| 2Pac | 2 |
| Gregory Abbott | |
| Yolanda Adams | |
| Ashanti | |
| Tamar Braxton | |
| Daniel Caesar | |
| Cameo | |
| Dr. Dre | |
| Faith Evans | |
| Fat Joe | |
| French Montana | |
| Kenny G | |
| Johnny Gill | |
| Dru Hill | |
| Keri Hilson | |
| Jagged Edge | |
| Jodeci | |
| Quincy Jones | |
| Gladys Knight | |
| Lecrae | |
| Ledisi | |
| LeVert | |
| Remy Ma | |
| Donnie McClurkin | |
| Janelle Monáe | |
| The Notorious B.I.G. | |
| Sean Paul | |
| Prince | |
| Puff Daddy | |
| Mark Ronson | |
| Kelly Rowland | |
| Run–D.M.C. | |
| Trey Songz | |
| Jazmine Sullivan | |
| SZA[13] | |
| T.I. | |
| Robin Thicke | |
| The Weeknd | |
| BeBe & CeCe Winans | |
| Wizkid |