‘The Voice’ Sets Joe Walsh, Zac Brown as Season 28 Mega Mentors

NBC's long-running hit "The Voice" is shaking up its 28th season by bringing in two musical powerhouses as mentors. Zac Brown, the frontman of the multi-platinum Zac Brown Band, joins the show for the first time to advise the teams of Michael Bublé and Snoop Dogg. At the same time, rock legend Joe Walsh will lend his expertise to the artists on Niall Horan and Reba McEntire's teams. Their arrival coincides with the start of the high-stakes Knockouts round, which premieres on October 27th.

Joe Walsh's inclusion brings a wealth of rock history to the coaching panel. He is celebrated for iconic solo tracks like "Life's Been Good" and "Rocky Mountain Way," but his legacy is cemented by his tenure with The Eagles. The Eagles, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, are one of the world's best-selling bands of all time, with over 150 million records sold. Walsh earned five of his six Grammy Awards during his time with the group. On the country side, Zac Brown is a three-time Grammy winner who has led his band to a remarkable chart record. The Zac Brown Band has achieved six consecutive Billboard Top 10 albums, with five of them—including 'You Get What You Give' and 'Uncaged'—debuting at the number one spot on the Billboard Country Albums chart, contributing to total album sales surpassing 10.8 million units.

This season's Knockouts introduce a new level of drama, as coaches' decisions are now final. Beginning with eight artists per team, each coach must choose just one winner to advance to the Playoffs, with no possibility for steals or saves to reverse the outcome. A fresh strategic element is the "Mic Drop" button, a one-time-per-coach power that allows them to highlight an exceptional performance from their own team. This move is seen as a way to keep the format fresh; as music industry analyst David Foster noted, "This new feature not only gives a powerful spotlight to a deserving artist but also actively involves the audience in the outcome, which is a smart evolution for a long-running show."

The four artists who receive the "Mic Drop" honor will then be placed into a public vote. The winner of this popular vote secures a major career opportunity: a performance slot at the 2026 Rose Parade. This provides a massive national platform completely separate from the competition itself, offering exposure to millions of viewers of the iconic New Year's Day event. Such a high-profile gig can be a transformative launchpad for an emerging artist's career. Fans can catch "The Voice" every Monday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, with episodes available for streaming the following day on Peacock.