The Weeknd, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars lead the nominations for the Soul Train Music Awards with five nominations each. They are followed by Beyonce, Chris Brown, Jidenna and Tyrese with four.
Common (born Che Smith) received three nominations for Song of the Year, the Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award and Best Collaboration, all for the song Freedom from the movie Selma. D'Angelo is up for two, R&B/Soul Male Artists and Album of the Year (for Black Messiah). Janet Jackson is up for R&B/Soul Female Artist while Fred Hammond, Kirk Franklin and Marvin Sapp are all up for Gospel and/or Inspirational Song.
In the realm of the Soul Train Awards, "Song" refers to the single or track unlike in other awards where it is the prize for songwriting. The Soul Train Awards have a separate category for songwriting.
The Soul Train Awards will be given out on November 29 from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
The nominees:
BEST NEW ARTIST
Alessia Cara
DeJ Loaf
Jidenna
Jussie Smollett
Tinashe
BEST R&B/SOUL MALE ARTIST
Chris Brown
D'Angelo
The Weeknd
Trey Songz
Tyrese
BEST R&B/SOUL FEMALE ARTIST
Beyoncé
Janelle Monáe
Janet Jackson
Jill Scott
Tamar Braxton
CENTRIC CERTIFIED AWARD
Avant
Chrisette Michele
The Internet
Tyrese
Vivian Green
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
7/11 – Beyoncé
Classic Man – Jidenna ft. Roman Gianarthur
Alright – Kendrick Lamar
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Earned It (from the Fifty Shades Of Grey soundtrack) – The Weeknd
BEST GOSPEL AND/OR INSPIRATIONAL SONG
More Love – Erica Campbell
I Will Trust – Fred Hammond ft. Breeann Hammond
Wanna Be Happy? – Kirk Franklin
All I Need Is You – Lecrae
Yes You Can – Marvin Sapp
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
X – Chris Brown
Black Messiah – D'Angelo and The Vanguard
Woman – Jill Scott
Beauty Behind The Madness – The Weeknd
Black Rose – Tyrese
BEST HIP-HOP SONG OF THE YEAR
Blessings – Big Sean ft. Drake & Kanye West
IDFWU – Big Sean ft. E-40
Trap Queen – Fetty Wap
Alright – Kendrick Lamar
Truffle Butter – Nicki Minaj ft. Drake & Lil Wayne
SONG OF THE YEAR
Glory (from the motion picture Selma) – Common & John Legend
Classic Man – Jidenna ft. Roman Gianarthur
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
B***h Better Have My Money – Rihanna
Earned It (from the Fifty Shades Of Grey soundtrack) – The Weeknd
THE ASHFORD & SIMPSON SONGWRITER'S AWARD
Glory (from the motion picture Selma) – Written by: Lonnie Rashid Lynn, John Roger Stephens and Che Smith (Common & John Legend)
Apparently: – Written by: Jermaine L. Cole, Damon Coleman, Filippo Trecca (J. Cole)
Uptown Funk – Written by: Mark Ronson, Rudolph Taylor, Lonnie Simmons, Philip Martin Lawrence Ii, Peter Gene Hernandez, Jeffrey Nath Bhasker, Nicholaus Joseph Williams, Devon Christopher Gallaspy, Robert Lynn Wilson, Charles K. Wilson, Ronnie Wilson (Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars)
Earned It (from the Fifty Shades Of Grey soundtrack) – Written by: Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, Ahmad "Belly" Balshe, Jason Quenneville, Stephan Moccio (The Weeknd)
Shame – Written by: Warryn S. Campbell Ii, Sam Dees, Tyrese Darnell Gibson, Ron Kersey, De Wayne Julius Rogers (Tyrese)
BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE
7/11 – Beyoncé
Ayo – Chris Brown & Tyga
Yoga – Janelle Monáe & Jidenna
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) – Silento
BEST COLLABORATION
Blessings – Big Sean ft. Drake & Kanye West
Glory (from the motion picture Selma) – Common & John Legend
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Feeling Myself – Nicki Minaj ft. Beyoncé
Post To Be – Omarion ft. Chris Brown & Jhené Aiko