 | ||
First awarded March 23, 1987; 30 years ago (1987-03-23) Network WGN America (1987–2007)First Run Syndication (1987–2007)BET (2009–present)Centric (2009–present) Ceremony date November 6, 2016, 6:00 PM PST Winners Brandy, Brandy, Lady of Soul Award, Lady of Soul Award, Chance The Rapper, Chance The Rapper, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Beyoncé, Beyoncé, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, All the Way UpFrench Montana - Remy Ma - Fat Joe -, All the Way Up, Rhythm & Bars Award, Rhythm & Bars Award, Teyana TaylorFade, Teyana Taylor, Best Dance Performance, Best Dance Performance, Kanye WestFade, Kanye West, Best Dance Performance, Best Dance Performance, Anderson Paak, Anderson Paak, Centric Certified Award, Centric Certified Award, Maxwell, Maxwell, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, LemonadeBeyoncé, Lemonade, Album of the Year, Album of the Year, Teddy Riley, Teddy Riley, Legend Award, Legend Award, All the Way UpFrench Montana - Remy Ma - Fat Joe -, All the Way Up, Best Collaboration, Best Collaboration, Kirk Franklin123 Victory, Kirk Franklin, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, FormationBeyoncé, Formation, Song of the Year, Song of the Year, FormationBeyoncé, Formation, Video of the Year, Video of the Year, Rise UpAndra Day, Rise Up, Record of the Year, Record of the Year, Jill Scott, Jill Scott, Lady of Soul Award, Lady of Soul Award, Jidenna, Jidenna, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Jill Scott, Jill Scott, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Alright [Explicit]Kendrick Lamar, Alright [Explicit], Rhythm & Bars Award, Rhythm & Bars Award, SilentóWatch Me (Whip / Nae Nae), Silentó, Best Dance Performance, Best Dance Performance, Tyrese Gibson, Tyrese Gibson, Centric Certified Award, Centric Certified Award, The Weeknd, The Weeknd, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Beauty Behind the MadnessThe Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness, Album of the Year, Album of the Year, Babyface, Babyface, Legend Award, Legend Award, Post To Be (feat Chris Brown & Jhene Aiko)Chris Brown - Jhené Aiko - Omarion, Post To Be (feat Chris Brown & Jhene Aiko), Best Collaboration, Best Collaboration, LecraeAll I Need Is You, Lecrae, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Uptown FunkBruno Mars - Mark Ronson, Uptown Funk, Song of the Year, Song of the Year, Uptown FunkBruno Mars - Mark Ronson, Uptown Funk, Video of the Year, Video of the Year, GloryJohn Legend - Common, Glory, Record of the Year, Record of the Year, Nico & Vinz, Nico & Vinz, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Beyoncé, Beyoncé, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, LoyalChris Brown - Lil Wayne - Tyga, Loyal, Rhythm & Bars Award, Rhythm & Bars Award, Lil WayneLoyal, Lil Wayne, Best Dance Performance, Best Dance Performance, Chris BrownLoyal, Chris Brown, Best Dance Performance, Best Dance Performance, TygaLoyal, Tyga, Best Dance Performance, Best Dance Performance, Leela James, Leela James, Centric Certified Award, Centric Certified Award, Trey Songz, Trey Songz, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, BeyoncéBeyoncé, Beyoncé, Album of the Year, Album of the Year, Kool & The Gang, Kool & The Gang, Legend Award, Legend Award, Machel MontanoMinistry of Road (MOR), Machel Montano, Best International Performance, Best International Performance, LoyalChris Brown - Lil Wayne - Tyga, Loyal, Best Collaboration, Best Collaboration, Wynton MarsalisFlee as a Bird to the Mountain, Wynton Marsalis, Best Traditional Jazz Performance, Best Traditional Jazz Performance, LecraeHelp, Lecrae, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Erica CampbellHelp, Erica Campbell, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, HappyPharrell Williams, Happy, Song of the Year, Song of the Year, Liv WarfieldStay - Soul Lifted, Liv Warfield, Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, Kelly RowlandLove & Sex Pt 2 (feat Kelly Rowland), Kelly Rowland, Best Independent R&B/Soul Performance, Best Independent R&B/Soul Performance, JoeLove & Sex Pt 2 (feat Kelly Rowland), Joe, Best Independent R&B/Soul Performance, Best Independent R&B/Soul Performance, HappyPharrell Williams, Happy, Video of the Year, Video of the Year, K Michelle, K Michelle, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Tamar Braxton, Tamar Braxton, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Bad featuring Tiara ThomasWale - Tiara Thomas, Bad featuring Tiara Thomas, Rhythm & Bars Award, Rhythm & Bars Award, CiaraBody Party, Ciara, Best Dance Performance, Best Dance Performance, Luke James, Luke James, Centric Certified Award, Centric Certified Award, Miguel, Miguel, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Good Kid - MAAD CityKendrick Lamar, Good Kid - MAAD City, Album of the Year, Album of the Year, Bunji GarlinDifferentology, Bunji Garlin, Best International Performance, Best International Performance, Blurred LinesRobin Thicke - TI - Pharrell Williams, Blurred Lines, Best Collaboration, Best Collaboration, Nicole HenryWaiting in Vain, Nicole Henry, Best Traditional Jazz Performance, Best Traditional Jazz Performance, Tye TribbettIf He Did It Before / Same God, Tye Tribbett, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Blurred LinesRobin Thicke - TI - Pharrell Williams, Blurred Lines, Song of the Year, Song of the Year, George DukeMissing You, George Duke, Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, AshantiNever Should Have, Ashanti, Best Independent R&B/Soul Performance, Best Independent R&B/Soul Performance, QUEENErykah Badu - Janelle Monáe - Alan Ferguson, QUEEN, Video of the Year, Video of the Year, Love and WarTamar Braxton - LaShawn Daniels - Makeba Riddick -, Love and War, Record of the Year, Record of the Year, Keith Sweat, Keith Sweat, Soul Train Special Lifetime Achievement Award, Soul Train Special Lifetime Achievement Award, Elle Varner, Elle Varner, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Beyoncé, Beyoncé, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, MercyKanye West - Big Sean - 2 Chainz -, Mercy, Rhythm & Bars Award, Rhythm & Bars Award, BeyoncéLove on Top, Beyoncé, Best Dance Performance, Best Dance Performance, Leah LaBelle, Leah LaBelle, Centric Certified Award, Centric Certified Award, Miguel, Miguel, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Channel OrangeFrank Ocean, Channel Orange, Album of the Year, Album of the Year, EstelleThank You, Estelle, Best International Performance, Best International Performance, Tony BennettIsn’t It Romantic, Tony Bennett, Best Traditional Jazz Performance, Best Traditional Jazz Performance, Robert Glasper ExperimentBlack Radio, Robert Glasper Experiment, Best Traditional Jazz Performance, Best Traditional Jazz Performance, Whitney HoustonCelebrate, Whitney Houston, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Jordin SparksCelebrate, Jordin Sparks, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance, StayTyrese Gibson, Stay, Song of the Year, Song of the Year, Esperanza SpaldingRadio Music Society, Esperanza Spalding, Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, Sean PaulTomahawk Technique, Sean Paul, Best Caribbean Performance, Best Caribbean Performance, Tonight (Best You Ever Had)John Legend - Ludacris, Tonight (Best You Ever Had), Record of the Year, Record of the Year, New Edition, New Edition, Soul Train Special Lifetime Achievement Award, Soul Train Special Lifetime Achievement Award | ||
The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual award show which previously aired in national television syndication, and honors the best in Black 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 R&B and Soul 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).
Contents
The Soul Train Music Awards voting body 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.
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 New York firm Society Awards.
Hilarious 2016 soul train music awards takeover
History
The 2008 ceremonies were not held due to several factors, including the 2007-2008 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 Company 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 Centric. 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 Los Angeles area. The 2010 awards was held on November 10 just outside Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, and aired on BET and Centric on November 28. The 2011 show was once again held in Atlanta and aired on BET November 27. The 2012 ceremony was held on November 25 at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, airing on BET & Centric.
Most awards
Beyoncé is the most-awarded artist at the Soul Train Music Awards, winning a total of 25 awards (including those won with Destiny's Child).
Trophy
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.