Blake Shelton finished in second place as a coach again on season 16 of The Voice. I have a theory. It could be Blake’s success as a coach that is hurting his ability to win the show lately.

Before I get into my theory, I want to make something clear. I am NOT saying that any artist that has won the show is not deserving of the win. Let’s be honest, by the time the artists are revealed that will be in the finals any of them are good enough to be the winner of the show. That being said, on to my theory.

Most people know I have watched the show since season one. They also know I am a Blake Shelton fan. A few people have asked me why I thought Blake seems to only be able to finish in the runner-up spot lately.

First of all there really is no arguing that Blake is the most successful coach in The Voice history. Blake has been the winning coach six times out of the 16 seasons. The next closest is Adam Levine with three wins. Kelly Clarkson has two wins. Usher, Pharrell Williams, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys and John Legend has a single win each.

Blake is the only coach to have won three seasons in a row (seasons two, three and four). He has also scored a second place finish nine of the 16 seasons. He has only failed to get at least one artist in the finals in one season, the fifth season. Blake has had multiple artists in the finals in half of the 16 seasons. That last fact is where my theory comes into play.

In the past five seasons of the competition Blake has gotten multiple artists in the finals. He was the winning coach in one of those five seasons. Here are his finishing places in those seasons: season 12, 2nd & 3rd; season 13, 1st & 4th; season 14, 3rd & 4th; season 15, 2nd & 3rd; season 16, 2nd, 3rd & 4th. In those season no other coach had more than one artist in the finals.

There are three factors as I see it in voting for the finals. The performance/song the artist sings. The fans of the specific artist. The fans of the coach for the artist. That third factor could be hurting Blake in the voting for the finals.

While the fans of the other coaches can focus their voting on just one artist, the fans of Blake are splitting their votes and voting time between multiple artists. That possibly gives the single artist coaches the edge needed to win.

I am not saying that Blake should tank any of his artists to go into the finals with just one artist. It is just a theory I have as to why the most successful coach on The Voice seems to be recently struggling to finish any higher than runner-up.

We will have to see how season 17 plays out when Blake. Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson and John Legend return as the coaches on The Voice.

Do you agree with my theory?

By: Buck Stevens