Since the inception of The Voice in 2011, country crooner Blake Shelton had served as coach for 23 seasons. Since he was such a beloved character on the show, fans were absolutely heartbroken when they learned of his retirement.

After he exited, fans have since witnessed a new era of The Voice. Some were, however, still missing Shelton while others believe that it was the right decision to step away from his duties on the music competition show. Nonetheless, would it be worth it for Shelton to return to The Voice?

Blake Shelton Stayed on The Voice for Straight 23 Seasons

As the self-proclaimed G.O.A.T. of The Voice, Shelton served as the king of his own red chair for over a decade. He was part of the original panel alongside coaches Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and CeeLo Green.

The “Honey Bee” singer (still to this day) has the most wins in the competition show’s history, claiming nine wins for Team Blake. Specifically, he won season two (Jermaine Paul); season three (Cassadee Pope); season four (Danielle Bradbery); season seven (Craig Wayne Boyd; season 11 (Sundance Head); season 13 (Chloe Kohanski); season 18 (Todd Tilghman); season 20 (Cam Anthony); and season 22 (Bryce Leatherwood).

As Shelton offered his musical expertise on the show, people saw the rise of his career. The country star acknowledged this fact as he left The Voice, stating that the music competition show twisted his life for the best.

“The Voice, it connected everything. I was having a country music career, but then they asked me to be on The Voice and it literally changed my life in so many ways. I mean, look at the family right there. It’s like all of the sudden, I’m The Brady Bunch,” he said.

It’s also worth noting that Shelton met his wife, Gwen Stefani on the show. The two became friends in 2014 amid working with each other during season seven of the show. They proceeded to date in 2016, got engaged in 2020, and married each other in 2021.

Should He Come Back on the Music Competition?

It’s no secret that Shelton’s departure from The Voice was the end of an era. That said, it also became the beginning of another one. Since Shelton’s departure, fans have seen other celebrities, like Snoop Dogg, Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Bublé, Reba McEntire, and more, take the big red chairs.

Immediately after Shelton left the show, fans saw a slight decrease in ratings as compared to the previous season. Nonetheless, data provides that The Voice remained excellent in ratings since Shelton’s departure.

In my personal perspective, The Voice can survive and thrive even without Shelton. For years, fans have been aching to see other A-list stars serve as coaches like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, and many others. Like what Shelton said, he had stayed more than he should on the show.

“I think the only way for me to really do that right is to step away from being committed to something like The Voice that demands a lot of your time,” he continued. “There’s no way around it. If you’re going to do it and do it right, you have to be 150 percent in. And I just feel like those days are behind me for now. I got a more important job.”

We’re grateful for the years that Shelton had been on The Voice, but it’s time for other artists to sit on the red chair.