Adam Levine is reportedly missing out on a major payday since his decision to leave NBC’s The Voice. The Maroon 5 frontman announced last week that he would not be returning for the singing competition’s 17th season, which came as a shock to fans because he had already been announced as a coach. Sources recently told The Hollywood Reporter that Levine had actually been signed for not one but two more seasons. Had he stuck around, he reportedly would have been looking at a decent paycheck.
“Sources paint Levine’s most recent per-season salary for The Voice at north of $14 million, meaning the deal would have given him close to another $30 million,” THR’s report read.
According to the source, however, the pay is still on the lower end of the scale for stars on reality television shows, especially considering the length of time it takes to record several blind auditions plus weeks of live episodes.
“Stars like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson ( Titan Games ) or Alec Baldwin ( Match Game ) can make more than $1 million in a day, knocking out multiple episodes, for as much as $450,000 a pop,” the report continued.
Levine’s departure comes just two weeks after NBC announced the return of all four Season 16 coaches — Levine, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Blake Shelton, according to Billboard . Levine and Shelton had both been coaches since Season 1 in 2011, while Season 17 will mark Clarkson’s third round and Legend’s second.
Carson Daily, host of The Voice , announced via the Today show last Friday that Levine would be exiting the series, with Gwen Stefani coming on as his replacement. The pop star previously served as a judge in Seasons 7, 9, and 12.
Later, Levine took to Instagram to confirm the news with a touching tribute. He shared a photo of himself with Season 1 coaches Shelton, Cee Lo Green, and Christina Aguilera.
“Thank you to everyone who supported this long strange and amazing left turn into a place I never thought I’d go,” he wrote. “For me, it was time to move on. Your support has meant EVERYTHING.”
Levine is still working within the network, though. He now serves as executive producer for NBC’s newest reality series Songland , in which songwriters work with a team of music producers for a chance to have their song recorded by a major artist. Each episode features fresh talent and different stars. The first episode aired on Tuesday, May 28, at 10 p.m., featuring Legend. Other upcoming musicians include Charlie Puth, will.i.am, the Jonas Brothers, and more.