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How Long Has John Legend Coached on The Voice? Breaking Down His Coaching Tenure

With John Legend set to take a break from The Voice, let's take a look back at his time as a Coach.

By Matthew Jackson

For the second time over the last three seasons, John Legend is taking a step back from The Voice. The celebrated singer-songwriter and Coach will step back from the NBC competition series for Season 26, and while we don't yet know when he'll be back, he's leaving behind quite an impressive tenure stretching back through much of the show's history. 

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Watch The Voice on NBC and Peacock. 

RELATED: Who's Going to The Voice Season 25 Live Shows?

So, now that Legend is taking a break, let's take a closer look at that tenure, his victories, and how his time on The Voice stacks up with other Coaches.

How Long Has John Legend Been a Voice Coach?

John Legend appears in Season 25 Episode 7 of The Voice

Like several other coaches on The Voice, Legend's time with the show actually began a few seasons before his Coaching career. He joined the series as an advisor in Season 12, and it wasn't until Season 16 that he got his own Coaching chair. His Coaching time began with that season in 2019, alongside Coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, and Kelly Clarkson, and it was the beginning of one of the longest tenures on the show so far.

Since becoming a Coach in Season 16, Legend has stayed in the Chair every season but one, skipping the 23rd season before returning for the 24th. With Season 25 mostly under his belt, that makes nine seasons as a Coach so far, tying him with Clarkson for the third-most all time on the show, behind Levine (16) and Shelton (23). When Shelton departed the series at the end of Season 23, Legend became the senior Coach in the group upon his Season 24 return. Should he return to the show after his step back, Legend will become the third Coach in the history of the series to reach 10 seasons.

What Season Did John Legend Win The Voice?

Maelyn Jarmon with her trophy on Season 16 of The Voice

While he's spent his entire time on the show as a beloved figure who's often specifically sought after by contestants, Legend has only managed to win The Voice as a Coach on one occasion. He came out on top at the end of his very first season, Season 16, when his singer Maelyn Jarmon won the crown. That's a far cry from Shelton's nine wins and Clarkson's four, but it's also worth nothing that only four Coaches in the history of the show –– Shelton, Clarkson, Levine, and Niall Horan –– have led multiple singers to victory. 

RELATED: An Official Recap of Team Legend on The Voice Season 25

And of course, Legend has come close to winning more seasons. Over the course of his time on the show, his team has finished third (Season 17), fourth (Seasons 18 and 21), and fifth (Season 19, 20, 21, and 24), while showcasing major talent along the way. Plus, as of this writing we still don't know how Season 25 will wrap up, so there's always a chance Legend will go out on top.

Enjoy the rest of The Voice Season 25 starting with the Live Shows, starting at 8/7c tonight on NBC and airing next day on Peacock.