A Game-Changing Rule on The Voice Completely Shakes Up the Blind Auditions

The Coaches have a new way to snatch up their favorite Artists early.

For the first time ever on The Voice, the Blind Audition phase comes with a rule tweak known as the Coach Replay button, which allows a Coach to snag an Artist even after initially not turning their chair.

What is the Coach Replay rule change on The Voice?

As Host Carson Daly outlined to the Coaches during the Season 26 premiere, “When the Audition is over, you have a second chance to go back and get that Artist by pressing your button.” Here’s how this will work in practice:

An Artist performs their Blind Audition, and a Coach doesn’t turn for them.
All chairs turn to meet the Artist. The Artist shares a little of their story. If a Coach who didn’t originally turn feels compelled by the Artist after meeting them, they can use their Coach Replay button to try and get them.
Coaches only have one Replay button each during the Blinds.
Unless surprises are in store later this season, the Coach Replay button seems to only be available during Blind Auditions and not later stages of the competition.

Michael Bublé during The Voice Season 26 Episode 1. Photo: Trae Patton/NBC

“Use it carefully!” Daly cautioned the Coaches, though there’s probably no need to pepper Snoop Dogg with advice, since he’s already dialed in on the whole replay formula. “I’m a real Coach in real life, so I like to replay and see what I’ve done right or wrong,” the rapper said. “So the replay makes a lot of sense!”

So, who will win this season? Will Snoop Dogg and fellow first-timer Michael Bublé have some beginners’ luck? Or will returning Coaches Gwen Stefani and Reba McEntire show the boys how it’s done?

The two-hour Season 26 premiere of The Voice airs Monday, September 26 at 8/7c on NBC. It’s followed by the series premiere of the new medical drama Brilliant Minds, starring Zachary Quinto.