‘The Voice’: The 3 Highest Paid Judges So Far
The Voice, now in its 22nd season, has welcomed more than a dozen judges, a.k.a. coaches, to its red chairs. Famous musicians like Miley Cyrus, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, John Legend, and more have worked with aspiring artists on NBC’s singing competition. But not all coaches are paid equally: Some have walked away with millions of dollars more than others, no matter how long they worked on the show. Here’s a closer look at the highest paid judge on The Voice, plus the stars who take second and third place.
Ariana Grande became the highest paid judge on ‘The Voice’ in 1 season
Surprisingly, tenure seems to have little to do with determining salaries on The Voice. Ariana Grande joined as a coach for the first time in season 21, but her pay surpassed that of longtime coaches Blake Shelton and Adam Levine by a landslide. As OK! Magazine shared, Grande reportedly earned between $20 and $25 million, making her the highest paid judge on The Voice. It’s unclear why her salary was so much higher than other coaches, but it may have something to do with her immense popularity. The Voice likely expected Grande to bring in a massive audience.
Christina Aguilera was the second highest paid judge on ‘The Voice’ before she took a pay cut
Another pop star, Christina Aguilera, was one of the original coaches on The Voice when it began in 2011. As The Wrap reported, by season 3, Aguilera made $17 million per season. However, she took a break from the show in season 4. When she returned in season 5, Aguilera reportedly experienced a pay cut that brought her down to $12.5 million. She had the same pay in seasons 8 and 10, when Aguilera made her final exit from The Voice.
Kelly Clarkson is currently the third highest paid judge
American Idol alum Kelly Clarkson signed on to The Voice as a coach in season 14. At the time, she was paid $15 million, according to OK! Magazine. Clarkson has served in every season since then, with the exception of the current installment. However, she’s set to return in season 23. It’s unclear if she has received a raise since her first season, but with three wins under her belt, including a historic season 21 win, it wouldn’t be surprising if Clarkson received a monetary reward from The Voice.
Blake Shelton’s salary on ‘The Voice’ could be much higher than it seems
Country star Blake Shelton has served on The Voice in every season since its debut. However, he is nowhere near the highest paid judge — as far as we know. In 2016, The Wrap reported that Shelton made $13 million per season on The Voice.
However, as Celebrity Insider dished (per StyleCaster), Shelton and his now-wife, Gwen Stefani, reportedly negotiated bonuses to showcase their relationship on The Voice. Those pay raises apparently gave them “significantly higher” salaries than other coaches. Shelton will exit the show after season 23, so it’s possible he’ll receive a hefty farewell check in his final season.
New episodes of The Voice air on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Next-day streaming is also available on Peacock.
