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PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO — Wednesday, February 18, 2026 — Soca titan Machel Montano has officially rewritten Trinidad and Tobago Carnival history, clinching his 12th National Road March title—the most by any artiste—after his 2026 anthem “Encore” surged to victory with 171 plays across the official judging points. The results were announced Wednesday by TUCO President Ainsley King, confirming Montano has now moved clear of the late calypso monarch Lord Kitchener (11 titles) to stand alone atop one of Carnival’s most revered leaderboards.

Montano’s victory came with emphatic separation. Aaron “Voice” St. Louis secured second place with “Cyah Behave” on 127 plays, while Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez placed third with “Road Man” on 97 plays—a spread that reflects not just popularity, but the hard mathematics of “road” supremacy: which song the masqueraders, DJs, trucks, bands, and the moving energy of the streets collectively selected most, moment after moment, point after point.

The meaning of Road March: why 171 plays is more than a number

Road March is often described casually as “the song people played the most,” but in practice it is a measured snapshot of mass behaviour—a rare cultural competition where the public’s choices are captured in real time along the parade route and converted into an official national result. In Trinidad and Tobago, the title is determined by a register-and-count system at designated judging points, meaning the award hinges less on hype alone and more on repeat dominance in the exact spaces where Carnival becomes Carnival.

That’s what makes “Encore” significant: 171 plays suggests the song wasn’t merely liked—it was relied upon. It became the dependable emotional engine for bands and trucks, a track repeatedly chosen to keep the road moving, the waistlines rolling, and the frontline energy high. And in a season crowded with contenders and micro-hits, repetition is the ultimate proof of control.

A generational feat: from “Big Truck” to “Encore”

Montano’s 12 titles are not clustered in a single era; they span nearly three decades, which points to something deeper than a single hot season. The arc—from 1997’s “Big Truck” to 2026’s “Encore”—tracks the evolution of soca itself: changes in tempo, production, vocal style, riddim structure, and even how Carnival crowds consume music (from radio-era saturation to digital-first virality, then back to what works loudest on a truck).

Just as importantly, the spread of his wins reveals Montano’s uncommon ability to recalibrate without losing identity. His Road March catalogue contains solo anthems, duet powerhouses, and collaborative super-songs—evidence that his approach has shifted with the culture rather than fighting it.

The competitive landscape: Voice rises, Bunji remains a road force

This year’s placements also tell a wider story about the state of the music.

Voice’s second-place finish (127 plays) confirms his continued climb into the highest tier of road impact—proof that the new(er) generation can convert season momentum into measurable road performance. Meanwhile, Bunji Garlin’s third-place finish shows the veteran remains a fixture in the contest conversation: even when not winning, he stays inside the top tier of road visibility—an indicator of staying power in a crowded, trend-driven space.

Why Montano’s 12th win lands differently

Records in Carnival carry special weight because they are not purely artistic or purely commercial—they are communal. Road March is an award the public “votes” for with movement, repetition, and real-time selection. That makes Montano’s record not only an achievement of songwriting and performance, but an achievement of cultural positioning: he repeatedly delivers music that fits the road’s needs—energy, clarity, chantability, and replay value—while still feeling like the signature of a living legend.

It also reinforces a broader truth about Montano’s career: he has become less an artiste chasing the road, and more a Carnival institution that shapes what the road expects.

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Machel Montano’s Road March Titles (Year + Winning Song)

Below is the full list of Montano’s 12 National Road March victories, including collaborations where credited.

Year	Winning song	Credited artiste(s)
1997	Big Truck	Machel Montano
2006	Band Of De Year	Machel Montano & Patrice Roberts
2007	Jumbie	Machel Montano
2011	Advantage	Machel Montano
2012	Pump Yuh Flag	Machel Montano
2014	Ministry of Road (MOR)	Machel Montano
2015	Like Ah Boss	Machel Montano
2016	Waiting on the Stage	Machel Montano
2018	Soca Kingdom	Machel Montano & Superblue
2019	Famalay	Skinny Fabulous, Machel Montano & Bunji Garlin
2025	Pardy	Machel Montano
2026	Encore	Machel Montano

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What happens next: the legacy question

With the record now settled at 12, the next storyline isn’t simply “can he win again?”—it’s what kind of legacy this record creates for the competition itself. Montano’s dominance raises the bar for what “Road March greatness” looks like: not one golden run, but repeated reinvention across shifting generations, shifting riddims, and shifting road tastes.

And for the wider soca ecosystem, the 2026 results reinforce a hard lesson: the road doesn’t reward noise—it rewards utility. The song that wins is the one that works when the sun is hot, the crowd is thick, and the parade must keep moving.