Soul Train was much more than a music and dance program. To many, it was the pinnacle of African-American popular culture in the 1970s. Its host, Don Cornelius was nothing short of a King Maker in the music industry.
American Soul is a dramatic re-telling of the minds behind Soul Train, as well as the behind the scenes drama including the show’s crew, musicians, and wannabe superstars in 1970s Hollywood. Cornelius, is featured, but so are the acts that made the show great including Tina Turner, Gladys Knight, and of course, Little Richard.
Here’s everything you need to know to stream American Soul.
Best Shows on BET
What is American Soul?
Executive producers Jesse Collins, Jonathan Prince and Devon Greggory. Tony Cornelius were given a series order for the show in April 2018. In 2019, the show was picked up for a second season which will premiere in late May 2020.
- Launched: February 2019
- Airtime: Season 2 premiers Wednesday, May 27 at 10 pm ET/PT. New episodes will air following Wednesdays at the same time.
- Channel: BET
- Genre: Drama
- Starring: Sinqua Walls as Don Cornelius, Jason Dirden as Gerald Aims, Jelani Winston as Kendall Clarke, Christopher Jefferson as Julius “JT” Tucker, Iantha Richardson as Tessa Lorraine, Kelly Price as Brianne Clarke, Katlyn Nichol as Simone Clarke, Christopher B. Duncan as Ray Bradley
- Seasons: 2
- Status: Pending
American Soul Reviews
- Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
- Metacritic score: 70
What the critics are saying
- “Corny in its broad strokes, with narrative twists that will shock no viewer familiar with television, it is often appealing in its particulars; the dialogue has a natural, twisty flow when it’s not bent under the weight of exposition or stretching too far toward profundity.” –Robert Lloyd, LA Times
- “The true fascination of American Soul, however, lies with the institution of the youth-oriented dance show, which is a fine mental space to inhabit—one of the healthier strains of nostalgia for bygone spots of pop community.” Troy Patterson, The New Yorker
How to stream American Soul
BET is available on a few of the major live TV streaming services. When trying to decide which one is best for you, you’ll want to weigh the cost, the other channels you’ll receive, and the compatible devices for streaming.
American Soul on Philo
Philo is a budget-minded streaming service, and depending on what channels you want, it might be right for you. The 59 Philo channels lean decidedly toward entertainment; the Philo channel list includes AMC, Discovery, IFC, Lifetime, and the Paramount Network, all for $20 a month. so if you want to stream American Soul you’re in luck: You can find it on Philo. Philo also comes with free cloud DVR, but shows recorded are deleted after 30 days, so binge responsibly.
| Monthly | $25 |
American Soul on Sling TV
If you’re looking for a streamlined, cost-effective streaming package, check out Sling TV. It offers two basic cable packages, Sling Orange and Sling Blue, each of which costs $30 per month. There’s also the third option of getting Sling Orange + Blue for just $45 per month. You’ll get more Sling TV channels by choosing Sling Blue, with its 40 channels including sports favorites like FS1 and NBCSN and cable mainstays like Food Network and Discovery Channel. But Sling Orange brings must-haves Disney Channel and ESPN as part of its package. To gain access to American Soul, you’ll either need Sling Blue or Sling Orange + Blue. Sling also has a number of add-ons, including robust international packages organized by languages all over the globe.
| Orange | $35 |
| Blue | $35 |
| Orange + Blue | $50 |
American Soul on FuboTV
FuboTV started as a streaming service geared toward sports fans, but it’s evolved into a broadly-appealing option with entertainment and news options alongside its robust sports choices. Depending on the package, you can access as many as 180+ FuboTV channels. If you’re looking to be entertained, Bravo, IFC, MTV, and VH1 are options even at Fubo’s most basic tier. The Fubo channel list still includes plenty of sports, including the Fubo Sports Network, which has original programming mixing sports and humor. The FuboTV cost starts at $54.99 a month, and with Disney Media favorites like ABC, ESPN, and the Disney Channel now on board, some who were on the fence about Fubo are giving it another look.
To watch BET, you’ll want to dock in at the FuboTV Standard level.
| Pro | $69.99 |
| Elite | $79.99 |
| Ultimate | $99.99 |
American Soul on Vidgo
Vidgo offers a package for under $40 a month that pulls together more than 60 English-language channels into its National English Package. Vidgo channels include ABC, Fox, the ESPN family of channels (including ESPN Deportes), and it’s one of the few streaming services that carries BeIN Sports. But it’s like Fubo in that, even though it started out for streaming sports, it carries a lot more now. You might be surprised to know that Vidgo’s an option to stream BET—and then you chat about it online via Vidgo’s Social TV platform.
| English Premium Package | $66.33/ 3 months |
| English Plus Package | $53/ 3 months |
| Spanish Mas Package | $25/ 3 months |
BET on AT&T TV Now
If you’re already looking to AT&T for your wireless needs, you might consider AT&T TV Now to cover streaming for you. AT&T TV Now channels start with Plus and Max, which even include HBO. Then, AT&T plans expand from there, approaching cable selection and pricing with AT&T TV Now’s biggest packages. AT&T streaming also comes with Cloud DVR, letting you record up to 20 hours of TV per month. If you’re looking for BET, get in at the AT&T TV Now Plus tier to stream it.
BET on YouTube TV
The YouTube TV channel list includes local channels, sports options including ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, and NBA TV, and plenty to keep kids (and kids at heart) occupied, including Disney Channel and its companion channels, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network—all in one easy-to-access package. It even comes with a few Spanish-language channels like Telemundo and NBC Universo. YouTube add-ons include HBO Max, Showtime, and Starz. YouTube TV packages have some advantages over their competitors, including a generous DVR and multiple screens package. From one account, each user can create an individual profile to track favorite shows.
| 1 Month | $64.99 |