What is a Playoff Pass? New format on 'The Voice' Season 23 might break or make the contestants

'The Voice' 2023 coaches have a weapon in their hands that can give any contestant a big advantage
PUBLISHED MAR 28, 2023
'The Voice' Season 23 has introduced a Playoff pass (nbcthevoice/instagram)
'The Voice' Season 23 has introduced a Playoff pass (nbcthevoice/instagram)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'The Voice' Season 23 is officially done with its blind auditions, and whew what a ride it was. Now the competition is turning fierce as coaches Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, Chance the Rapper, and Niall Horan will choose members from their team to battle it out to decide who advances to the next rounds. 

Recently, NBC announced a twist! 'The Voice' Season 23 will feature a new surprise that could give some contestants a significant advantage. The Playoff Pass is a new option that will be available to four contestants and give them a significant advantage. 

RELATED ARTICLES

'The Voice' 2023: Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson's family drama spills on sets of NBC show

'The Voice' 2023: Dasha wows fans despite no chair turns, Niall Horan asks singer to return next season



 

What is a Playoff pass in 'The Voice' Season 23

The format of 'The Voice' is traditional, with Blind Auditions, Battle Rounds, Knockout Rounds, and Live Performance Shows. But this season, each coach will have a Playoff Pass to give to one lucky artist during the Battles. Both artists in that Battle will advance, but the Playoff Pass winner will bypass the Knockouts and go straight to the Playoffs. On the exterior, this appears to be a significant advantage for the person who receives the Playoff Pass. They will avoid the Knockouts, where they would have had to perform and risk elimination. Skipping the Knockouts, on the other hand, could mean missing out on valuable one-on-one time with their coaches. We will have to wait and see how it truly plays out. 


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by NBC's The Voice (@nbcthevoice)


 

'The Voice' fans think a Playoff pass is a way to 'play favorites'

The viewers and fans of the show seem to be of the opinion that the concept of a Playoff pass is not a good idea and believe it will hurt the artist's chances. They have taken to the internet to express their opinions clearly as one user said, "Knockouts is the time where the winner is identified. Why skip knockouts?" Another commented, "Playoff pass is just a way of saving favorite artists. Just saying." One added, "Now they are just adding things because they can lmao."

Some of the fans are really against the idea of playoff passes as they believe knockouts are the most important part of the competition and that is when the artists truly get tested. One fan commented, "This is annoying because I want to hear the artist's own song choice in the knockouts. They should've offered something different like more saves or something." Another added, "This whole playoff thing is stupid compared to the original saves. This competition isn't meant to be easy, it's meant to be challenging. If you think the artists are good enough, then you wouldn't worry about them losing the knockouts! This battle pass will teach the artist that the music business is easy, and there are shortcuts that one can take to make it big!" One more said, "Awful twist."

'The Voice' Season 23 airs every Monday from 8 to 9 pm ET and Tuesday from 9 to 10 pm ET only on NBC. You can also stream 'The Voice' Season 23 the next day on Peacock.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Season 2 of the 'Dexter' spinoff will also feature Brian Cox as 'The New York Ripper' and Dan Stevens as the 'Five Borough Killer.'
3 hours ago
Season 2 of 'Beef' introduces class conflict as a prominent theme, set against the backdrop of an elite Southern California country club.
4 hours ago
Samira Mohan was a senior resident during Season 2 of 'The Pitt,' but she plans to move into geriatrics once her residency at the hospital is over.
7 hours ago
The psychological drama ‘Husband, Father, Killer,’ highlights the troubling crimes of Steven Pladl which culminated in a triple murder and suicide.
8 hours ago
A post-credits moment in ‘The Pitt’ finale swaps tension for chaos as two doctors blow off steam, ending the heavy season on a surprising note.
13 hours ago
A shocking ER C-section in ‘The Pitt’ Season 2 finale pushes doctors to the edge, bringing realism with risk.
15 hours ago
The spin-off show’s fifth season aired a year ago, on April 17, 2025, and ever since there have been no renewal updates.
15 hours ago
A tense finale at ‘The Pitt’ brings shocking reveals, emotional goodbyes, and uncertain futures, leaving fans guessing what lies ahead in Season 3.
18 hours ago
Dr. Mohan’s sudden exit from ‘The Pitt’ sparks backlash as Noah Wyle explains the reason, but fans aren’t convinced and demand answers.
18 hours ago
The network bets big on fresh blood, holding back top performing hits to make room for new content
1 day ago