When I first clicked over to NBC on that fateful April night in 2011, I never could have imagined that today, as The Voice’s 26th season hits the 2024 TV schedule, the singing competition would remain such a prominent feature in my life. Yet, here we are, 13 years later, and I’ve been there for every Four-Chair turn, every live finale and every Adam Levine controversy. Heck, I’ve even made watching The Voice part of my job. So whether you’re a longtime fan or newcomer, hopefully I can provide you with everything you want to know, from how to watch The Voice to the winner of each season.
What drew me to the show initially was its intriguing premise — The Voice coaches pick singers for their teams sight unseen, based on their singing alone. I also liked the emphasis of “coaching” over “judging,” having grown tired of Simon Cowell’s rudeness on American Idol. There have been some ups and downs, but those qualities remain, and therefore so do I. Let’s get into everything you need to know about The Voice.
How To Watch The Voice Season 26 Premiere
The Voice Season 26 premieres at 8 p.m. ET Monday, September 23, on NBC. While episodes typically air on Mondays and Tuesdays, the upcoming presidential election is affecting the TV schedule this year, and NBC has chosen not to start Tuesday episodes until after the October 1 vice presidential debate. There will also not be a new episode on Election Day, which is Tuesday, November 5.
The Blind Auditions will air as follows:
- Monday, September 23: Blind Auditions 1 (premiere)
- Monday, September 30: Blind Auditions 2
- Monday, October 7: Blind Auditions 3
- Tuesday, October 8: Blind Auditions 4
- Monday, October 14: Blind Auditions 5
- Tuesday, October 15: Blind Auditions 6
Episodes of the current season are available to stream the next day with a Peacock subscription; however, past seasons are not available due to licensing restrictions on the music performed, per NBC.
Who Are The Voice Coaches For Season 26?
Snoop Dogg and Michael Bublé will make their coaching debuts in Season 26 after serving as advisors in previous years. They will be joined by reigning champion Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani, who is returning for her eighth season.
Adam Levine Returning For Season 27
NBC got a jump on announcing who would be in the Big Red Chairs for Season 27, announcing that Adam Levine was returning in 2025. The Maroon 5 singer initially left the show after Season 16, and longtime fans surely have strong opinions about his eventual return, given his controversies both on the show (like throwing his team member under the bus in Season 15) and in his personal life (Levine’s 2022 sexting scandal).
Adam Levine will join veteran coach John Legend, Michael Bublé in his sophomore season and newcomer Kelsea Ballerini.
Past Coaches Of The Voice
Almost from the beginning, The Voice allowed its coaches to come and go as their schedules allow, and all told, 20 big names in the music business have mentored hopeful artists, with three others making their debuts in Seasons 26 and 27.
Theoretically any coach could return at any point — just look at Adam Levine — but there do seem to be a few we’re unlikely to see again. Blake Shelton hung up his hat after a record 23 seasons on the show and has said the only way he’d return would be to get the original four back. Kelly Clarkson seemingly stepped away for good when she relocated her family and daytime talk show to New York City. Finally, Christina Aguilera was critical of The Voice following her exit in Season 10, which makes me think she has no interest in coming back.
Carson Daly Has Hosted Every Season Of The Voice
The coaches may come and go, but the host always remains the same. Carson Daly has been the one keeping everything running smoothly since Day 1.
Who Won The Voice Season 25?
Asher HaVon, a 31-year-old from Selma, Alabama, won The Voice Season 25 on May 21, 2024, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ contestant to win. Not all finales end the way the audience thinks they should, but this time even the opposing coaches agreed that HaVon consistently gave the best performance week after week.
Every Winner Of The Voice
What Famous Singers Competed On The Voice?
There are a number of well-known singers who you may not know once competed for chair turns. Melanie Martinez, for example, competed on Adam Levine’s team in Season 3, and before Morgan Wallen (pictured above) became one of the hottest country music singers, he was singing pop on Team Usher in Season 6.
Several celebrity relatives have also been on The Voice, including Candace Cameron Bure’s daughter Natasha and Kaley Cuoco’s sister Briana.
The Voice Has Always Been Friendly To Country Artists
Thanks to Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire, the NBC singing competition has always had at least one coach with expertise in country music, and they’ve attracted a good number of artists in that genre who hope to learn from the best. Despite public perception, however, fewer than half of the winners have been country music artists.
How The Voice Competition Works
The Voice tends to change its format slightly from season to season, adjusting the size of the teams and giving coaches additional tools like Saves and Steals to use during the different rounds. Here’s a quick breakdown of how Season 26 will work (according to NBC):
Blind Auditions
This is the round that separates The Voice from other singing competitions. Each singer takes the stage to audition, with the coaches’ chairs facing backward. If a coach likes what they hear, they hit the button to turn their chair around, signaling that they want that person (or duo or trio) on their team. If more than one coach turns around, the power goes back to the performer, who can then pick which team they join. For Season 26, each team will consist of 14 artists, and each coach will have one Block to use against another coach.
Battles
Once each coach’s team is full, contestants face off against another member of their own team in the Battle rounds. Two singers are assigned a duet by their coach, who afterward chooses which artist they want to continue working with. The other is eliminated. This season each coach will have two Steals, which they can use to bring the losing member of another coach’s Battle to their own team. Each team will go from 14 to 9 in this round.
Knockouts
Three-way Knockouts are back in Season 26, with each singer going against two teammates. Each contestant will sing a song of their own choosing, and after the three performances, their coach will pick one to move on. Coaches will have one Steal in this round, as well as a Save to keep an additional member of their own team from being eliminated. Teams will be 5 members strong leaving this round.
Playoffs
I was hoping that The Voice would go back to live Playoffs for Season 26, but NBC has confirmed it was pre-recorded. In this round all five members of each team perform, with their coach choosing just two to advance to the live shows. In previous iterations, America’s vote determined the two who moved on, and each coach was allowed to save a third. There are no Saves or Steals in this round, with 8 overall moving onto the Semifinals.
Live Semifinals And Finale
We’re only getting two weeks of live shows this season. All eight contestants will perform on the Monday of Semifinals week, with America’s vote determining who makes it to the live finale. The artists who are revealed on Tuesday to have the lowest number of votes will perform for one Instant Save, which is voted on by the home audience during the episode. Fans will vote again in the following Monday's live finale, with a winner being announced the next night.
How To Vote On The Voice
Voting will only be available to viewers for the Semifinals and Finals of Season 26. If voting works the same way as last season, fans will be allowed one vote per email address, per voting method. There are two ways to vote: 1) At NBC.com or 2) The Voice official app. The voting window will open at the start of the episode (8 p.m. ET) and remain open until 7 a.m. ET. Instant Saves are voted on through the app.
What Prize Does The Voice Winner Get?
Every winner of The Voice has received $100,000 and a record deal, though Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and many winners have bashed the recording contract, saying artists are not taken care of after the show.
Does The Winning Coach Receive Anything?
The coaches themselves don’t win anything except for bragging rights, but a banner was raised for Blake Shelton, who holds the record for most wins with 9, during his farewell episode.
The Best Things About Being A Fan Of The Voice
- The dynamic between the different combinations of coaches has always been almost as important as the musical talent on The Voice. Over the years there have been some fiery rivalries (Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera), bizarre matchups (Reba McEntire and Snoop Dogg) and even romance (Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani).
- It’s also amazing to watch the artists grow under the tutelage of their coaches. Getting to see them work with today’s most successful musicians over the weeks really gives fans a peek behind the music industry curtain, and when the finalists take the stage for the live episodes — which feature full productions with choreography, backup dancers and huge set pieces — it’s amazing to see how they’ve transitioned into stars.
The Worst Thing About Being A Fan Of The Voice
- The Voice’s Achilles heel has been its failure to produce any big superstars. While there are some recognizable names coming out of the show, it falls way short of American Idol when you consider the celebrities who started there (Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, etc.). It does get frustrating to invest in The Voice’s artists and then never hear of them again once the season’s over.
Hopefully this guide helped you answer any and every question you have about The Voice, and I wish for all of us to enjoy a season of inspiring performances and newfound success for the show’s contestants.