Which Team Are You Choosing? We Rank Our Favorite Coaches From ‘The Voice’
Trae Patton/NBC Reading Time: 6 minutes
There have been over a dozen coaches on The Voice since the show first began in 2011. With the changing of coaches and addition of Ariana Grande, let’s take a look at the past, present, and future The Voice coaches. We ranked our favorites and want to hear from you!
14. CeeLo Green
Green was one of the first coaches on The Voice. He began in the first season alongside Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Christina Aguilera. Green did not win the show in the first three seasons, but always provided insight from a different end of the music world. I didn’t want to rate Green this low because he was extremely personable with contestants and was always a blast to watch, sadly there are just too many amazing coaches to choose from!
13. Shakira
When Shakira was on the show, most of the entertainment was between her and Levine bantering. I saw Shakira as a coach who was sweet, but never quite found her footing as a coach. Bringing Shakira to The Voice created a safe atmosphere for someone who was trying to get noticed at a young age since she had done it herself, but her short time on the show didn’t create any major impact.
12. Nick Jonas
He was an interesting coach because he not only brought solo career experience, but also had band and Broadway experience. Jonas did a good job connecting with his teams, I still think he’s a strong coach because of all of the experience he has in the music industry. Nick, if you’re reading this, give The Voice another shot.
11. Usher
I actually always really enjoyed watching when Usher was on the show. Usher was super nice to his team, extremely motivational, and always could figure out what his team members needed. He really just had a way of knowing exactly what to say to uplift his team. Usher is one of those artists who gained popularity at a young age, so it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that he’s able to connect so well with the members of his team.
10. Christina Aguilera
I thought Aguilera was a very strong coach. Although she only won the competition once, I really liked the way she interacted with her team. She always showed her team how to do riffs by singing them herself, even if they weren’t in the register she normally sings in. It was almost like they would get a personalized Aguilera concert in every rehearsal with her!
9. Gwen Stefani
I ranked Stefani (or Shelton?) here because she left and then rejoined the show multiple times. Whenever I watch her as a coach, I want to like her, but for some reason I just can’t. Really, I just think there are better options. If a contestant is going on to The Voice to sing pop music, I think she’s the perfect coach for them. The problem is, there are usually multiple pop coaches each season.
8. Jennifer Hudson
Hudson gained her fame by being a contestant on American Idol in 2004, so she knows what her team is going through mentally while competing on the show. Hudson coached on both The Voice U.S. and The Voice U.K. She won the sixth season of The Voice U.K. with Mo Jamil. I think two seasons on The Voice (USA) wasn’t enough for her.
7. Pharrell Williams
Williams won the show in season eight with Sawyer Fredricks. He was a good coach because he was able to help his team members that might not have been interested in performing his genre. There’s a lot to be said about someone who can coach well, even when it’s not their primary genre. I really think he would’ve had more wins if he would’ve stayed for more than four seasons.
6. Alicia Keys
People loved her as a coach. She was always seen smiling and laughing in her seat throughout the three seasons she coached. Keys coached Chris Blue to victory in season 12. Keys not only taught him how to improve his voice, she also taught him how to put on a cultivating show for the audience.
5. Adam Levine
Levine always brought humor to the show, whether it was him making fun of the other coaches, writing a poem to talk one of the contestants into choosing his team…or bantering with Shelton. He was always a spot of sunshine in the show and has won the series three times. Not only does he make the show more interesting with his humor, he also knows how to get the talent out of someone. He just seems so nice as a coach, and has plenty of experience winning the competition.
4. Blake Shelton
I’m not a country fan, never have been. But, I always enjoy watching The Voice for what Blake Shelton has to say about the contestants. No matter how I feel about country music, it’s not a secret that Blake knows what he’s doing when he’s coaching. Maybe it’s because he’s one of the original coaches left, or maybe he just has a knack for coaching people. Regardless, Shelton has won the show the most and remains as the only original coach. I do have to admit though, the seasons with Adam and Blake bickering were some of my favorites because they were really entertaining. Blake knows how to play the game the best out of everyone, so there’s not doubt in my mind that more wins are in his future.
3. John Legend
In season 16, John Legend was overshadowed by the bantering between Adam and Blake. It wasn’t anything other than Legend was new, and it was practically the Adam and Blake show at the time. But, he managed to win the show on his first try. His win shows that he is good when it comes to coaching. Usually people need a season or two before they win, but Legend came in and stole the whole show.
2. Miley Cyrus
Cyrus joined The Voice in 2016, three years after her ‘Wrecking Ball’ phase. Cyrus was a great coach because she has such a wide vocal register, but also knows what it’s like to get famous at a young age. I think she is a very versatile coach based off of all of the things she has done musically. With a dad who’s a country artist, an upbringing in pop, and a quick hip-hop phase after Disney, she really brings many things to the table.
1. Kelly Clarkson
To me, Clarkson is one of those people who are just soft and sweet as soon as you meet them. Clarkson knows what it’s like to be a contestant on a talent show, being that she is the original winner of American Idol. She knows the stress, the excitement and the fears, because of that I think she’s able to really connect with her team on a different level than any of the other coaches.
She is so personable with every contestant, whether they choose her team or not. She’s the person who will comment constructive, yet nice, responses on each act, whether they’re on her team or not. I think there’s a lot to be said about a coach who cheers on all of the contestants. Would I choose to be on Team Kelly? Absolutely.
Season 21 With Ariana Grande
We’re super excited for the upcoming season of The Voice and our new coach, Ariana Grande! Grande brings the same type of energy that Jonas had for the show. Grande is a household name at this point for her hits such as “The Way,” “Break Free,” and “Positions.” It will be interesting to see what Grande has to bring to the table in the upcoming season of The Voice. Who knows, maybe she’ll find herself at the top of this list after this season!
