With the end of the year nearing, it’s about that time that the best of best get their due recognition. By way of this year’s Soul Train Awards, comes the highly anticipated outcome of who will come out on top in R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Gospel and more.

 

Leading the way with five nominations is ‘Climax’ singer Usher. With two nods, R&B Soul crooner R. Kelly became the most nominated artist at the Soul Train Awards with a career total of 21. Other multiple category nominees include Beyonce, Estelle, Tyrese, Nas and John Legend. Gone but not forgotten, both Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse were nominated for awards. As for the Lifetime Achievement Award, with well due respect and rightfully being their time is New Edition.

 

This year’s awards show will take place at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Comedian/Actor Cedric the Entertainer will serve as host. The show will air on BET and Centric November 25th at 9pm EST.

 

 Best New Artist

 Elle Varner

 Emeli Sande

 J. Cole

 Luke James

 Robert Glasper

 

Centric Award

 Daley

 Esperanza Spalding

 Gary Clark Jr.

 Leah Labelle

 Santigold

 

Best Gospel/Inspirational Performance

 BeBe Winans- “America America”

 Fred Hammond- “I Feel Good”

 Marvin Sapp- “My Testimony”

 Mary Mary- “Go Get It”

 Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks- “Celebrate”

 

Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year

 2 Chainz ft. Drake- “No Lie”

 Wale ft. Miguel- “Lotus Flower Bomb”

 Nas- “Daughters”

 Kanye West ft. Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz – “Mercy”

 Young Jeezy ft. Ne-Yo- “Leave You Alone”

 

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist

 Beyoncé

 Estelle

 Keyshia Cole

 Mary J. Blige

 Melanie Fiona

 

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist

 Miguel

 Robin Thicke

 Trey Songz

 Tyrese

 Usher

 

Album of the Year

 The One – Eric Benet

 Channel Orange -Frank Ocean

 Life Is Good -Nas

 Write Me Back -R. Kelly

 Looking For Myself -Usher

 

Song of the Year

 Estelle- “Thank You”

 John Legend ft. Ludacris- “Tonight (Best You Ever Had)”

 Trey Songz- “Heart Attack”

 Tyrese- “Stay”

 Usher- “Climax”

 Wale ft. Miguel- “Lotus Flower Bomb”

 

The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award

 “Thank You”-Estelle

 (Writers: Arden Altino, Akene “The Champ” Dunkley, Jerry Duplessis, Doug F. Edwards, Thomas D. Richardson, Aliaune Thiam)

 “Tonight (Best You Ever Had)” -John Legend ft. Ludacris

 (Writers: Allen Arthur, Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges, Keith Justice, Miguel Pimentel “Miguel”, (Writers: Clayton Reilly, John Stephens)

 “Daughters”-Nas

 (Writers: Nasir Jones, Ernest D. Wilson, Patrick Adams, Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer, Paul Leka)

 “Share My Love”-R. Kelly

 (Writer: Robert Kelly)

 “Climax” -Usher

 (Writers: Usher Raymond IV, Sean “Redd Stylez” Fenton, Thomas “Diplo” Pentz, Ariel Rechtshaid)

  

Best Dance Performance

 Beyoncé- “Love On Top”

 Chris Brown- “Turn Up The Music”

 Nicki Minaj- “Starships”

 Rihanna- “Where Have You Been”

 Usher- “Scream”

 

Best Caribbean Performance

 Cover Drive – “Bajan Style”

 Damien “Junior Gong” Marley- “SuperHeavy”

 Jimmy Cliff- “Rebirth”

 Matisyahu – “Spark Seeker”

 Sean Paul – “Tomahawk Technique”

 

Best International Performance

 Amy Winehouse- “Our Day Will Come”

 Daley ft. Marsha Ambrosius- “Alone Together”

 Emeli Sande- “Next To Me”

 Estelle- “Thank You”

 Gotye ft. Kimbra- “Somebody (That I Used To Know)”

 Rebecca Ferguson- “Nothing’s Real But Love”

  

Best Traditional Jazz Artist/Group

 Chris Botti- Impressions

 Kenny Garrett- Seeds From The Underground

 Melody Gardot- The Absence

 The Robert Glasper Experiment – Black Radio

 Tony Bennett- Isn’t It Romantic

  

Best Contemporary Jazz Artist/Group

 Ben Tankard- Full Tank

 Brian Culbertson- DREAMS

 Cassandra Wilson- Another Country

 Esperanza Spalding- Radio Music Society

 Peter White- Here We Go