Adam Levine is coming back to coach The Voice Season 27, and that’s the biggest win that The Voice has had in years. It’s emotional, exciting and challenging. It’s what many fans have wanted. It’s what the show needs to be thrilling again. And it’s what Adam needs, too.
NBC has announced that Adam will rejoin the The Voice coaches’ panel in Spring 2025, which is a little under six years since he stepped down from his big red chair. At the time, his departure made perfect sense. 16 seasons is a long time to do any TV show not named NCIS, and Adam’s last few cycles just didn’t feel the same. He was subject to increasing amounts of criticism from fans and media critics, while it was apparent that he was over the show. Both sides needed to move on, and they did so amicably. But they also never really let go of each other.
Adam returned to The Voice with Maroon 5 to perform and promote new music, and fans never forgot him, either. His name still came up in conversations now and then, like an old friend. There’s a huge reason for that: Adam Levine was a fundamental part of The Voice, and the show wouldn’t have become a hit without him. He gave so much of himself to the NBC singing competition, and he’s coming back when it needs someone to light a fire under it—someone who’s found a new fire in himself.
Why The Voice Needs Adam Levine
The Voice was never better than it was with its original coaches. Adam, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera set the tone for what the show was going to be, and the dynamics they had with each other created a natural hook for audiences. NBC didn’t need to manufacture drama or come up with gimmicks; the coaches were naturally competitive with one another, and different enough from each other that they appealed to a wide range of people. When fans picked a team to support, there was genuine enthusiasm. And both viewers and the coaches knew that they were part of something unique.
That was over a decade and more than two dozen seasons ago. The Voice has gone from breaking the mold to feeling stuck in it. The choice to expand to two seasons a year has caught up with it, while NBC has implemented various gimmicks to try and refresh the format, including the oft-questioned Instant Save, the Cross Battles and the choice to lower the minimum age requirement. There’s no difference now between The Voice and its one-time rival American Idol. It’s particularly evident in the near-constant turnover of the coaching lineup, which has increasingly felt like artists are there to boost their own careers rather than wanting to uplift others.
Adam Levine absolutely got a career break from coaching on The Voice—the show led to one of Maroon 5’s biggest hits, a collaboration with Christina Aguilera called “Moves Like Jagger.” But there was never any doubt that he was there to help the aspiring stars on Team Adam. He got himself in trouble more than once because he cared too much about his artists. Love him or hate him, audiences know that he’s going to shake the show up, and not because he’s going to make it about himself. In fact, one of the best things about his original tenure was how he purposefully took a back seat in team performances and coach duets so that the contestants could shine.
The Voice needs to show that it’s not a reality TV machine churning out would-be celebrities that everyone forgets a few months later. Part of that is finding the right artists, and part of it is having the right coaches. There are a lot of people who can sing well, but who don’t have the experience (or the life experience). Adam has a very sharp eye for talent, and among the Voice coaches, offered some of the most detailed advice and critiques. Re-energized and re-invested, he’s going to elevate the level of coaching. And because he doesn’t hold his tongue or his wit, he’ll also raise up the show’s entertainment value. Adam Levine is everything that The Voice has been missing.
Adam Levine Needs The Voice, Too
Adam’s return to The Voice isn’t just bolstering NBC—it’s also a very good move for him with where he is in his life and career. He’s changed and grown significantly in the years since he exited the show. He’s gotten married and started a family, which makes a stable gig filming in Los Angeles a prudent choice. There’s also been talk of getting Maroon 5 back to the band’s roots and away from the collaborations that they’ve leaned too much on over their last few albums. They need to hone back in on their own talents, particularly Adam’s as a songwriter, and The Voice has been a creative place for him in the past. He can reinvigorate himself by coaching others and learning from them.
The show is also an opportunity for the audience to connect with Adam on an individual level. That was what made him a fan-favorite all those years ago; the viewers saw how genuine, charming and astute he was, and they could identify with the brotherly relationship he developed with Blake. They were interested in him and the other coaches beyond just whoever won. That’s the key to coaching: viewers are only as invested as the coaches are, and both Adam and Blake were all in.
As someone who covered The Voice for its first ten seasons, I had the opportunity to get to know Adam well, and so I can personally vouch for how much he cared and how down to earth he was. I credit his support and mentorship, as well as the friendship of many of the contestants in those first few years, with getting me through a major surgery and the depression and suicidal thoughts that followed. I not only healed but started on the road to self-acceptance because of them. Adam was one of the first people to encourage me and continued to do so numerous times over the years; one of the last major things I did for the show was getting to share the stage with him at an L.A. bar. I know how much he used to love this show and these people. Coming back will be good for him as he can move past the burnout and just be himself again.
Adam Levine will benefit from a second opportunity on The Voice, and The Voice unequivocally needs Adam Levine to make it magical again. With him back in the big red chair where it all started, plus an impressive lineup of John Legend, Michael Buble and Kelsea Ballerini, The Voice Season 27 could be one of the best seasons ever.
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. on NBC, with Season 27 premiering in Spring 2025.
