Why Did Adam Levine Leave “The Voice”? All About His 2019 Exit and Season 29 Return
Why Did Adam Levine Leave “The Voice”? All About His 2019 Exit and Season 29 Return
Samantha StutsmanTue, February 24, 2026 at 1:00 AM UTC
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Adam Levine on 'The Voice' season 27.
Tyler Golden/NBC via Getty
Adam Levine exited The Voice in 2019 after coaching for 16 seasons
He returned for season 27 but was absent again for season 28
Levine is back for The Voice season 29, which has a revamped format
Adam Levine is sliding back into the big red chair on The Voice — like he never missed a beat.
The Maroon 5 frontman was one of The Voice’s original coaches, serving for 16 seasons before stepping away in May 2019.
During his original run, Levine didn’t just turn his chair — he also turned artists into champions. He made history in season 1 when his contestant, Javier Colon, became the show’s very first winner. Levine went on to snag two more victories with Tessanne Chin in season 5 and Jordan Smith in season 9.
Levine briefly reclaimed his coaching spot for season 27 in February 2025, then sat out season 28. Now, he’s officially back for season 29, premiering on Feb. 23, and the show has had a glow-up to match. For the first time, there are just three coaches instead of four, and each will build a team of 10 artists.
So, why did Adam Levine leave The Voice? Here's everything to know about his 2019 exit and his season 29 return.
Why did Adam Levine leave The Voice in 2019?
Adam Levine on 'The Voice' season 16.
Trae Patton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
After nearly a decade in the red chair, Levine stepped away from The Voice in May 2019.
"I am truly honored to have been a part of something I’ll always cherish for the rest of my life," he wrote on Instagram at the time. "For me, it was time to move on. What an amazing ride."
Later that year, Levine elaborated on his decision during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, revealing that family was at the heart of it.
"This was the right time for me to go," he shared. "For eight-and-a-half years, I was so busy. I was beyond fortunate to go through all of it because it was a life-altering experience being on that show ... and then it got to the point where I got married, I had two kids, and I wanted to spend time with them."
Why did Adam Levine return for The Voice season 27?
Adam Levine on 'The Voice' season 14.
Trae Patton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Gett
Levine returned to his big red chair in February 2025 for season 27 of The Voice — and he said the timing finally made sense.
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“I honestly feel like the stars aligned,” he told PEOPLE of his return. “It was one of those moments where we started talking about it, and it felt right ... and it hadn’t felt right until now.”
A month earlier, Levine explained that stepping away had given him the space he needed, both personally and creatively.
“It’s really great to be back, because I had plenty of time to not be on the show, and to do my thing, and to not have that define me,” he told PEOPLE. “It was nice to just be with my family and do what I originally intended to do: make music and play music.”
Looking back, Levine described the show’s early years as a blur. "It was such a whirlwind when [The Voice] started that all of a sudden it was eight years in, and it was just nice to be able to take a break," he added.
What has Adam Levine said about returning for The Voice season 29?
Adam Levine on 'The Voice' season 27.
Tyler Golden/NBC via Getty
Levine will serve as a coach on The Voice season 29, dubbed The Voice: Battle of Champions, alongside Kelly Clarkson and John Legend.
His comeback follows a brief hiatus during season 28, when he stepped away to tour with Maroon 5 following the release of their eighth studio album, Love Is Like, in August 2025.
“I’m back for my 18th season, and I haven’t lost my stuff. I’m still crushing it,” Levine told NBC in February 2026. “I am a piece of the show’s long lineage, so therefore, I feel like I always have an advantage.”
The veteran coach added that he’s having a “blast” being back, noting that while the trio is competitive, their long history together creates an easy rhythm.
“We’re all competitive, but we know each other, and so we have a nice flow. I really have been enjoying being back with my old buddies,” Levine said.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
