Nick Jonas returning to #TheVoice as coach for Season 20 https://t.co/CqjAf09Dyb pic.twitter.com/CpnfH6QVqe
— Yahoo Entertainment (@YahooEnt) November 17, 2020
Each season of The Voice is different. Not only do the contestants make each one unique, but the show receives a facelift every time a coach leaves and a new one takes their place. So, the November 2020 news that Gwen Stefani would be stepping away as a coach to be replaced by the coach she herself replaced, Nick Jonas, means that the twentieth season will be given a refresh. What keeps the show so popular twenty seasons in?
Stefani Out, Jonas In
Nick Jonas will be joining longest-serving coach (from season one) Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson (who joined as a fulltime coach in Season 14) and John Legend (who joined in Season 16) for 2021’s first cycle. Fans pointed out that Stefani and Shelton had recently become engaged and joked that they were perhaps avoiding competing against one another on the show.
Others laughed about the revolving door that saw Stefani replace Jonas for the nineteenth season, only to be replaced by him again for the twentieth. But one thing is for certain: the changing coach line-up will help revitalize the show. Shelton even teased about a rivalry with Jonas for taking Stefani’s spot, which would give the show added dynamics.
Why Does The Voice Keeps Us Hooked?
With two cycles every year since its inception in 2011, the show has churned out a huge amount of vocal talent from the USA. Being on the show is a life changer and the fact that it has the power to discover this talent from the shores of America could explain its popularity. The eventual winner could be someone you know.
The diversity of the coaches – Shelton is a country star, while Jonas and Clarkson dabble in pop, and John Legend is known for his ballads – also adds to the popularity. The coaches are genuine stars. Each coach is accomplished and justified to judge and guide others in their talents. The differing styles mean that all kinds of new artists can be discovered.
The show is popular because its stars are everyday people, just like the viewers. They are cleaners and cooks, parents, and teachers, who take a chance to fulfill their dreams. Some make it and have eschewed their old lives for a chance to sing professionally.
The competition aspect of the show also makes it popular. American TV viewers love a competition, whether it’s romantic hopefuls aiming for that rose or budding models fighting for a contract. Reality competition shows have been focused on everything from cookery to the art of drag, dating to business.
How Popular is The Voice?
The Voice is easily the most popular reality TV competition show in the USA – and the statistics reinforce this. Indeed, there is evidence that it is the most popular show of its kind in more than a quarter of all states in the union.
Research by A2Z Casinos into reality TV viewing habits shows that The Voice is particularly popular in states in the south. The show is the favorite in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and both Carolinas based on social media activity and search data, as well as Idaho, New Mexico, and Indiana among others. North of the border, the show is also the most popular in the Yukon and Northwest Territories of Canada.
Testament to the show’s enduring appeal is the fact that it has been retooled in some format for dozens of countries around the world. From Afghanistan to Vietnam, The Voice has helped find hidden vocal talent all around the world. The British version of the show has been fronted since its inception by will.i.am, for instance, proving its ability to attract big stars.
The twentieth season will most likely begin airing again in Spring 2021, following the pattern of a spring and a fall cycle each year. Jonas was a popular coach in the eighteenth season, so will no doubt rejuvenate the line-up for the twentieth. Music styles may change, but The Voice will always remain popular.
