For aspiring singers looking for their shot at stardom, there are plenty of singing competitions to help them get there. Among them is The Voice, which stands out for its unique blind-audition format, in which the show’s judges listen to auditions with their backs turned. While the judges coach contestants throughout the seasons, weekly eliminations are determined by fan vote. The show premiered in 2011 and recently entered Season 26. It has been nominated for several Emmy Awards.

With 26 seasons behind it, The Voice has hundreds of episodes, from the entertaining blind auditions as the coaches build their teams to the thrilling live shows, where the singers compete for fan votes. While all of them feature the incredible talent the show has become known for showcasing, some stand out from the rest, with impressive performances from contestants and some of the music industry’s biggest stars.

10“The Playoffs Premiere”

Season 25, Episode 14 (2023)

As The Voice Season 25 competition entered the playoff rounds, Team Legend and Team Dan + Shay turned to superstar mentors Maluma and Saweetie to help their singers become the best they could be. The coaches faced some of their toughest decisions yet on who to keep, as each could only have three singers advance to the live shows, meaning two were eliminated from each team—Kamalei Kawa’a, Mafe, Olivia Rubini and Anya True.

The first episode of Season 25’s playoffs is among the highest-rated on IMDb. Both teams’ singers delivered impressive performances as they fought for a place in the live rounds, and the judges offered the opinions on who they felt that should be—and it wasn’t easy for John Legend and Dan + Shay. The episode also included some fun moments between the judges, something the show has become known for.

9“The Blind Auditions, Part 1”

Season 2, Episode 1 (2012)

All four judges from Season 1 returned for Season 2 of The Voice, which kicked off with a total of nine singers vying to impress the judges in the blind auditions. Two, Jesse Campell and Tony Lucca, earned a coveted four-chair turn, and each coach added at least one singer to their teams, with Team Christina picking up two. For the singers who didn’t get any chairs to turn, the judges offered their advice and constructive criticism.

The blind auditions are what make The Voice stand out among other singing competitions, and Season 2 got off to a great start with a strong set of singers—even those who didn’t get a chair to turn displayed great talent and potential. Among those chosen, however, were a few who ultimately made it pretty far into the competition and went on to have successful careers in the music industry after the season ended.

8“The Blind Auditions Premiere, Part 1”

Season 13, Episode 1 (2017)

Season 13 of The Voice kicked off with blind auditions from 11 singers, only two of which didn’t get any coaches to turn their chairs, including one who had auditioned before, back in Season 3. The season’s judges included Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, plus Miley Cyrus, who served as a judge in Season 11, and newcomer Jennifer Hudson, who was a winning coach on The Voice UK. The episode had a few four-chair turns, and each coach added to their team.

The episode was filled with not only immense talent from the singers, but also the competition and bickering fans love as the coaches pressed their buttons and made their case to persuade singers to their teams. Hudson—already familiar with the show thanks to her time on the UK version—fit right in, and her enthusiasm made her a delight to watch, especially as she battled it out with her fellow judges.

7“The Knockouts, Part 1”

Season 4, Episode 11 (2013)

The Knockout rounds of Season 4 kicked off with Team Adam and Team Shakira taking the stage, with each coach choosing two of their own singers to pit against each other for each round, but they’d only find out who they were going up against minutes before performing. A total of eight singers were eliminated—four from both teams—tightening the teams as they moved forward in the competition. The eliminated singers included Tawnya Reynolds and folk duo Midas Whale.

The further into the competition The Voice gets, the more devastating the eliminations get—some great singers are always, unfortunately, let go as the Knockouts begin, and Season 4 was no exception. Levine and Shakira both agonized over their decisions, and for good reason, as each team was stacked with talented singers who deserved to continue. As was often the case in Season 4, fan favorite and frontrunner Judith Hill impressed in particular.

6“The Live Playoffs, Part 2”

Season 4, Episode 15 (2013)

Team Blake and Team Shakira faced off in the live rounds, with performances of a stripped-down song from four singers from each team. The episode also featured an issue with the show’s voting process—a representative from Telescope, who handles voting for reality competitions, found inconsistencies with some votes, meaning they weren’t counted. A total of four contestants were eliminated for the week—one from each team—leaving the Top 12.

With the competition tightening, singers were determined to secure a spot in the show moving forward, and the intention behind limiting them to stripped-down songs was to keep them focused on the competition. But as is the case with any elimination, it was a stressful episode, made worse by the voting issues combined with Levine taking the final seconds of the episode to make his decision. The judges also each chose a contestant to save.

5“The Knockouts, Part 4”

Season 24, Episode 16 (2023)

Singers competed in three-way Knockouts in Season 24, with judges choosing three of their own artists to pit against each other—and although only one would continue, each coach was armed with a save and a steal. Country singer Wynonna Judd served as mega mentor, offering advice and feedback to each team’s singers. In the final moments of the episode, host Carson Daly revealed each coach would have the chance to bring back an eliminated singer.

The Voice has consistently added new elements and twists to keep the competition fresh and interesting, and for Season 24, the three-way Knockout round and coaches’ opportunity to bring back an eliminated contestant were the latest examples. The episode also featured a sweet, emotional moment from Legend as he discussed Lennon Vanderdoes performance of “I Won’t Give Up,” saying he was impressed with Vanderdoes’ passion and felt he was the underdog of the season.

4“The Knockouts, Part 2”

Season 5, Episode 12 (2013)

Season 5’s Knockouts continued for a second night, with two pairings per team for a total of 16 performances, and each artist performed a song of their choice. Two of them, Stephanie Ann Johnson and Will Champlin, were eliminated, but for the first time, coaches had the ability to steal an eliminated singer. Johnson and Champlin were saved by Team Christina and Team Adam, respectively, landing them back on their original teams.

The Knockouts of Season 5 featured the kind of talent typical of The Voice, but some of the singers’ nerves got the better of them, leading to some mistakes and weak moments. Among the highlights, however, was Matthew Schuler’s take on Florence and the Machine’s “Cosmic Love,” a song he chose specifically because he knew it was unexpected—and the choice paid off. Above all, though, the steal presented a new and exciting aspect to the competition.

3“Live Top 12 Performances”

Season 5, Episode 16 (2013)

The top 12 contestants of Season 5 performed in Week 2 of the live shows. Josh Logan performed Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” and was eliminated the following night in the results show. Meanwhile, Team Christina’s Matthew Schuler’s performance of “Hallelujah” made it into the iTunes Top 10 charts, giving him a multiplier and advantage heading into the results. Of the 12, only 10 would advance when the results were announced in the following episode.

The stakes for the Top 12 got even higher as the live rounds continued. Schuler’s multiplier for “Hallelujah” was well-deserved and not exactly a surprise—although the song is performed in singing competitions way too often, Schuler’s performance was among the best of the night, as he more than did the song justice. Meanwhile, Logan’s more subdued performance lacked originality and emotion, making it among the weakest of the evening.

2“Live Finale, Part 2”

Season 16, Episode 23 (2019)

After performances from the Final Four the previous night—which including a stunning rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” from Maelyn Jarmon—Season 16 came to an end with the live results show. Jarmon was crowned the season’s champion, earning a win for Coach John Legend, as well. The finale also included performances from BTS, Halsey, Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers, and the finalists all performed duets with other music superstars.

Jarmon stood out from her audition, and she only got better and better as each week went by—had she not won, it would’ve been a shocking upset. “Hallelujah” has been performed on The Voice, as well as other singing competitions, countless times, but Jarmon’s take on it was gorgeous, the kind of performance viewers and judges alike had come to expect from her. Her duet of “Angel” with Sarah McLachlan was one of the highlights of the finale.

1“The Live Finale”

Season 5, Episode 27 (2013)

Before announcing the winner, the final episode of Season 5 featured a star-studded lineup of performances from Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, OneRepublic and Ne-Yo, plus previously eliminated singers. Tessanne Chin of Team Adam was declared the winner, with Jacquie Lee as runner-up and Will Champlin in third place. After her win, Chin ended the show with a performance of a new song, “Tumbling Down,” written by OneRepublic founding member Ryan Tedder.

The Season 5 finale was packed with amazing performances from pop superstars and the show’s contestants alike. Chin emerged as a fan favorite early in the competition, and for good reason, meaning her win wasn’t much of a surprise. Her win was not just well-deserved, but she also broke Shelton’s three-season winning streak as coach—for the first time since Season 1, which Levine also won, the winner did not come from Team Blake.