Below is a synopsis of 2015 albums and EPs released by singers featured on The Voice. If there’s a link, it will take you to a blog — often with an interview of the artist — about the new music.
For music released so far in 2016 — albums, EPs, singles and videos, head here. As soon as that list is long enough, I’ll replace this one.
Head here for a list of singles released by former Voice contestants in 2015. If I’ve missed anyone, please let me know by commenting below or sending an email to [email protected].
For pre-2015 music, follow these links.
Songs You Shouldn’t Miss from 2014 (plus a list of singles released by singers from The Voice)
Music Videos You Shouldn’t Miss from 2014 (plus the others released by singers from The Voice
A List of pre-2014 releases by singers from The Voice.
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“Fire in My Soul”
Released: Dec. 15, 2015
Finish: Top 8, Season 8
An aptly titled debut album for a Texas gal known for her fiery and impassioned performances on The Voice. And she delivers both on top tracks like “Power,” “Mercy” and the country-tinged “Short Days Long Nights.” But the album isn’t all fire. Hannah serves up a lovely ballad called “Will You Stay with Me” and a surprise album-ending violin solo.
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“Clinton” EP
Released: Nov. 24, 2015
Finish: Knockout round, Season 8
A former lead vocalist with Traces of Eden, a modern country cross-over band based in Mechanicsburg, Pa., Clinton reintroduces himself with this pop EP. It begins with the ridiculously catchy “Hearts Beat Loud.” Also check out “Empire,” another fine pop song, and “Burn it Down,” which has more of a rock edge.
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“Made to Shine”
Released: Nov. 20, 2015
Finish: 3rd place, Season 2
Here’s a different sort of album: Nine tunes commissioned by or inspired by Tony’s Kickstarter supporters. The result: A wide array of music, from a rocker called “Colorado” to a lovely ballad called “Quite Like You” to the playful “Love You a Ton” (“I love you more than … / all the wrinkles on Keith Richard’s face”).
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“Seasons” EP
Released: Nov. 13, 2015
Finish: Battle round, Season 7
An impressive five-track singer-songwriter style EP. The title track is superb, and you get two versions of it here. My favorite is stripped-down, live performance. Also check out the more up-tempo opening track, “Don’t Talk to Me.” Pre-Voice, Jordy released a full-length album in 2013.
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“Sawyer Fredericks” EP
Released: Nov. 11, 2015
Finish: Winner, Season 8
This four-track EP marked a triumphant return for Sawyer. The impressive lead single “Take It All” soared to the Top 10 on iTunes’ singer-songwriter chart; the EP did the same on the overall albums chart. The other standout track is “Stranger,” featuring a vocal assist from fellow Season 8 teen Mia Z.
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“Forever Audrey” EP
Released: Nov. 6, 2015
Finish: Knockout round, Season 4
Promising and diverse five-track effort from a young woman who describes her music as “very whimsical and passion driven.” Highlights include the haunting “Ephoria” (video at right), a wonderful ballad called “Lightspeed” and the very poppy and catchy “West Coast.” She helped fund the project through a KickStarter campaign.
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“Surrender and Release”
Released: Oct. 26, 2105
Finish: Battle round, Season 1
Combine amazing vocals and great songs and the result is a must-have EP. You’re not going to find many love songs more lovely than “Honeybee.” Other standouts on this five-track debut are the quirky “Ricochet” and another ballad “Amour.” This represents the post-Voice debut for Angela. Let’s hope for more.
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“Tennessee Honey” EP
Released: Oct. 26, 2015
Finish: Top 20, Season 7
Taylor serves up six tracks of throwback country, including nice covers of Linda Ronstadt’s “Silver Threads and Golden Needles” and Dolly Parton’s “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind.” The standout among the new songs is “Won’t Be Found.” Taylor also released a self-titled EP pre-Voice, back in 2011.
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“Love Hard” EP
Released: Oct. 23, 2015
Finish: Knockout round, Season 4
She was 17 and went by Taylor when this flame-hair singer appeared on The Voice. She released her debut single in early October, on her 20th birthday, then followed up with this six-track EP that she described as “fee-good music” designed to brighten the mood of listeners. The title track and that first single — “Excuses” — are the standout tracks.
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“Back in Time”
Released: Oct. 23, 2015
Finish: Top 8, Season 4
Judith got to work with Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. Now she releases a soul/funk album with Prince as its producer. And you can clearly hear his influence, especially on the first couple of tracks. Judith sounds sensational on a ballad called “Beautiful Life.” Other standouts: “Love Trip,” “Jammin’ in the Basement” and “Angel in the Dark.” On the charts? “Back in Time” was #99 on iTunes 24 hours after its release, but number three among R&B albums.
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“Jake Worthington” EP
Released: Oct. 15, 2015
Finish: Runner-up, Season 6
Jake serves up five tracks of throwback country in his first release since finishing a surprising second behind Josh Kaufman in Season 6. Highlights include a catchy up-tempo EP opener called “Don’t Let the Redneck (Fool Ya),” and Jake sounds great on a ballad called “This Damn Memory.” A day after its release, the EP had cracked the Top 30 on iTunes county albums chart.
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“Trip” EP
Released: Oct. 14, 2015
Finish: Top 20, Season 6
A three-track R&B effort from a guy from St. Petersburg, Fla., who was something of a Season 6 heartthrob. “Ambulance,” with its slow, sexy groove, is the standout track. This marks the third post-Voice EP from Jake and the second featuring original material, following 2014’s “Stage Fright.”
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“The Best”
Released: Oct. 8, 2015
Finish: Top 20, Season 9
Morgan sounds great on a 10-track album that’s half new material and half songs she released on a self-titled EP from her pre-Voice days. Particularly impressive are three of the new songs — “Way That He Loves Me,” “One of Those Nights” and a tender ballad called “Part of My Show” that you can hear at right.
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“Yours and Mine”
Released: Oct. 2, 2015
Finish: 2nd Battle round, Season 6
Miranda Dawn and Chris Hawkes celebrate their marriage by serving up a superb singer-songwriter style album. Remember their version of “I’ve Just Seen a Face” from The Voice? Yep, they sound that great together, maybe better. Standout tracks include “Silver Line,” “Lightning Strikes,” the title track and the delightful album-ending “Life is a Good Song.”
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“Secret Someones”
Released: Oct. 2, 2015
Finish: Battle Round, Season 3
The band is fronted by three female singer-songwriters, including Lelia Broussard, a former contestant on The Voice. And for their debut album, they’ve delivered a heaping helping of pop-rock ear candy. And, for a bonus, you get very different sounding acoustic versions of six songs. The standouts: “Head First,” “Quit Pulling Me Down” and “Let You Go.”
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“The Orchard” EP
Released: Aug. 21, 2015
Finish: Knockout round, Season 5
She enchanted all the coaches with her blind audition performance of Coldplay’s “The Scientist.” Now she’s released her second-post show EP, a six-track effort featuring more haunting vocals and songs. The title track and “Skin” both have hooks likely to stick with you long after you’ve listened. The EP ends with the very hopeful sounding “Better.”
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“Bottom of the Fifth” EP
Released: Aug. 21, 2015
Finish: Top 12, Season 1
The second post-show offering from one of the first country singers we met on The Voice. The Texan follows up his fine 2014 album, “Our Side of the Fence,” with this five-track EP. The title track is the standout. “Smile that Smile” was offered as a pre-order single. And he calls the ballad “Heaven Sent,” about his girlfriend, “the most spot-on, accurate, 100 percent true song that I’ve written in a long time.”
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“Maze” EP
Released: Aug. 18, 2015
Finish: Battle Round, Season 4
This guy from Brooklyn got his start as a YouTube cover artist and was gone from Season 4 in the blink of an eye. The debut EP was two years in the making after a successful Kickstarter campaign. The good news: It’s a very solid pop EP, with “Off the Wall” and the previously released “Pull Me Down” as standouts among the five tracks. Oh, and it was released on J’Sun’s birthday.
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“Cry Baby”
Released: Aug. 14,2015
Finish: Top 6, Season 3
The Season 3 standout shares the story of “Cry Baby” as she endures a dysfunctional family life, falls in love, experiences heartbreak and rebounds to — in Melanie’s own words — embrace “the crazy for sure.” The album is full of tunes likely to get stuck in your head. My favorites include “Mrs. Potato Head,” “Carousel” and “Tag Your It.” Oh, and the album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 — the best ever for a former Voice contestant — with first-week sales of 40,000.
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“Song of a Dead Man” EP
Released: Aug. 10, 2015
Finish: Top 5, Season 7
The guy from Oregon who auditioned for The Voice with a stripped-down version of “Heartless” delivers what fans would expect — a solid singer-songwriter EP. The title song is the standout among the five tracks, but hardly the only highlight. Also check out “Castle,” on which Taylor John sings “the world’s gonna hear me someday.”
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“Heaven”
Released: Aug. 1, 2015
Finish: Battle round, Season 3
A 14-track debut album from the guy from Long Beach, whose previously releases amounted to three originals back in 2011. This opens with a catchy pop tune called “Even When It’s Bad, It’s Good” and ends with the easy-going “Keep It Coming.” In between you’ll find a pair strong ballads — “Leave with Me” and “This Song is for You.”
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“Believer”
Released: July 31, 2015
Finish: Runner-up, Season 8
Just a little more than two months after Season 8 ends, Meghan released a six-track EP that should make a believer out of anyone who doubted that she could transition from country singer as part of the hit duet Steel Magnolia to a powerful soul songstress. Dang, talk about impressive vocals. Check out “Sunshine in My Soul” and “Best of Me,” which Meghan describes as “a very personal song and probably the hardest one to write.”
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“Kat Perkins” EP
Released: July 10, 2015
Finish: Top 5, Season 5
Kat said her goal was to release a wide-ranging EP to appeal to fans ages 5 to 65 she gained from her time on The Voice. She succeeded, but is still at her best in the pop-rock mode, on tunes like “Marry Me” (at left) and “Take This Heart and Leave.” The eight-track EP also includes her post-Voice rock single, “Drive.”
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Bay Brooks
“Bay Brooks”
Released: June 25, 2015
Finish: Battle round, Season 8
An impressive four-track effort from the teen from Georgia. The up-tempo tunes that kick off the EP — “Love Being Loved” and “Beautiful Book” — have a great country-folk vibe. Bay co-wrote another track, “Lately,” with her older sister, Karyn Williams. You can check that song out on her Facebook page. Unfortunately, YouTube video isn’t available for any of the four songs.
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“Make-Up” EP
Released: June 25, 2015
Finish: Battle round, Season 8
A five-track R&B/soul effort that could use catchier hooks and more sizzle. That said, Bren’nae sounds especially good on the EP-ending title track. As for the DeBarge connection: Bren’nae is married to Anthony DeBarge, son of Tommy DeBarge. Tommy and his brother Bobby were part of the Motown band Switch.
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“The Enlightenment” EP
Released: June 10, 2015
Finish: Battle round, Season 8
Intriguing debut EP from the University of Southern Mississippi student. Briar shows off her musical diversity on five tracks, from the dance beat of “Reasons” to a haunting ballad called “Tragedy” to three other tracks that are more in an electronic alternative vein. “Saturn” is my favorite of the five.
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“LACES” EP
Released: June 9, 2015
Finish: Top 24, Season 2
Jessie Poland was performing as Charlotte Sometimes when she appeared on The Voice and even when she released a fine “By Request” EP last year. This five-track electro-pop EP is her first project as LACES. “Love Me Sober” is a great pick for a lead single. Another highlight is the hypnotic and ridiculously catchy “Erotic.”
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“Promises Broke”
Released: June 6, 2015
Finish: Top 12, Season 5
No broken promise here. Fans responded to a Kickstarter campaign, and Jonny delivered a fine 12-track album. The highlight is the haunting “Dmfd,” based on a story he heard while serving in the Air Force. Other tracks you’ll want to check out include “Good Day for Love,” “One More Day” and the title track, which I’ve embedded at right.
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“Songs on the Radio”
Released: June 3, 2015
Finish: Top 20, Season 8
James looked like an early season favorite on The Voice only to have another veterans country performer (Craig Wayne Boyd) steal the show. But James fulfills his potential here with an eight-track album. He’s is at his best when he’s delivering toe-tapping up-tempo tunes like “Georgia Day,” “Call My Name,” “County Line” and the title track. Well done, James.
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“Voices” EP
Released: May 23, 2015
Finsih: Battle round, Season 3
Four new songs from Nelson Emokpae, who performs as Nelly’s Echo and already had two albums and an EP to his credit. The opening track, “Voices of the People,” is a great feel-good track. Check out the video at right. Oh, he’s based in Baltimore, and plays locally quite often.
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“Like This” EP
Released: May 19, 2015
Finish: Battle round, Season 2
Adley pays tribute to those who hold down the fort on the homefront in her single “Stay at Home Soldier,” but it’s not the only bright spot on this seven-track country EP. Also check out the rollicking title track and the equally fiery “Walking Away,” my personal favorite. The EP ends with an acoustic version of “Hallelujah.”
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“Audio Selfie”
Released: May 19, 2015
Finish: Knockout round, Season 7
The gal from South Carolina pairs two pre-Voice singles — “Like a Bird” and “Bigger Than Love” — with four new tunes for a debut EP. The title? “Selfies can vary from look and emotion, and that’s kind of what this EP represents for me. Each track … conveys a different side of me or emotion,” Beth says. Among the new songs, the ballad “Fracture Lines” is an absolute standout.
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“Lonely Heart” EP
Released: May 3, 2015
Finish: Knockout Round, Season 6
Ddendyl impressed fans with her unique jazzy vocals on The Voice. Now she’s back with an impressive six-track EP, including a rocker called “Kicking and Screaming,” one of my favorite songs released by a former Voice artist this year. Other highlights include “Walls” and the ballad “Heart and Soul;” both feature a vocal assist from Brandon Pritchett.
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“Warrior” EP
Released: May 3, 2015
Finish: Top 24, Season 2
The Voice hasn’t featured many rap/hip-hop artist. Moses would be the exception; he even surprised singing the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” on the show. The title track, featuring a vocal assist from Sydni Alexander, is the highlight of this three-track effort. Moses followed up with a catchy single called “You Got It” in July.
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“I Am Vicci Martinez”
Released: May 1, 2015
Finish: Finalist, Season 1
Vicci goes for more of a pop sound on her second post-Voice album, with mixed results. She performed “Bad News Breaker” during a Season 8 results show. Other highlights on the 10-track effort include “Keep on Going” and “Best Dress,” my pick for the album’s best track. This is the followup to 2012’s “Vicci.”
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“Summertime State of Mind” EP
Released: April 24, 2015
Finish: Battle Round, Season 7
This marks an ambitious solo debut for Amanda Lee, who released a pre-Voice album fronting The Driftwood Sailers. It’s a six-track pop EP, but you’re going to hear reggae and rap influences. Make sure to check out the uplifting “Life and Liberty” and “Moving On,” which does a great job of captures the mood of the EP’s title.
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“Rabbit Hole”
Released: April 14, 2015
Finish: 2nd, Season 3
Pre-Voice, Scottish rocker Terry McDermott fronted Lotus Crush and the band released a 2011 album, “Half Morning Light.” They reunited for this solid 11-track rock album, helped along by a highly successful Pledge Music campaign. The lead track, “Death from Above,” is my favorite. Highlights also include “Come Away” and “Hearts and Minds.” And Terry sounds splendid on a power ballad “Blood in the Water.”
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“Amy Whitcomb” EP
Released: April 1, 2015
Finish: Knockout Round, Season 4
Amy puts the energy dial on 11 and keeps it there through most of this six-track pop EP. Two dance tunes — “Dance Away My Life” and “Sugar Daddy” — steal the show, benefitting from Amy’s powerful vocals. She even breaks into a rap for a portion of “Dance Away.” Amy is also a former contestant on NBC’s “Sing-Off.”
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“Audiotree Live” EP
Released: March 31, 2015
Finish: Battle Round, Season 5
Lupe’s smooth and pleasing vocals make this six-track live EP worth a listen. You’ll find studio versions of all the songs on Lupe’s December 2014 album, “The Love We Found.” And you can listen to these versions on YouTube or audiotree.tv. The standout track is “Harlan Calling,” a wonderful ballad that clocks in at more than 6 minutes.
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“Be You”
Released: March 10, 2015
Finish: Knockout round, Season 5
The young woman from Minnesota displays unique vocals that should have taken her further after a four-chair-turn blind audition back in Season 5. This album is her second and features 13 hit-and-miss tracks. The hits inlcude “More,” “Sunshine” and most of all, “Intoxicated,” which I’ve embedded at right.
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“Archis” EP
Released: Feb. 23, 2015
Finish: 2nd place, Season 1
Weave Dia’s charmingly delicate vocals around instrumentals provided by producer/composer Joseph Trapanese, toss in some choir-like harmonies and you have ARCHIS. The sound is refreshingly different and while my personal favorites are “Blood” and “I Need You,” you won’t be disappointed if you download the entire six-track EP.
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“Vertigo” EP
Released: Feb. 17, 2015
Finish: Top 10, Season 3
The first post-Voice release from Sylvia, who was born in Egypt, raised in Michigan and is about to graduate from the University of Michigan. The five tracks were recorded in Nashville, but it’s a pop EP. Highlights are the catchy title track and a lovely ballad called “Not Anymore.”
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“Young Heart”
Released: Feb. 14, 2015
Voice Finish: Top 8, Season 1
The third album and best yet from the country singer-songwriter who just missed the Season 1 finals. Songs most likely to have you tapping your toes include “Graveyard,” “Little Bit of Everything” and “When the Sun Came Up.” Also includes a collaboration with fellow Voice contestant Amber Carrington.
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“Roots”
Released: Feb. 10, 2015
Voice Finish: Knockout Round, Season 7
Though he’s released music before, Blessing calls this 11-track album “my first achievement as an artist that I’m going to stand by for my whole life.” It includes a trio of lovely ballads — “There She Is,” “Puzzle Pieces” and “This is Life.” Among the up-tempo numbers, “Break the Groove” is most likely to make you want to dance.
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“Face the Fire
Released: Feb. 10, 2015
Voice Finish: 2nd, Season 4
The young woman who previously released music with Ella Riot and as the Reverb Junkie delivers a 10-track, lightweight, electo pop album. Top tracks include the title song, “Lottery” and “Made for Me.” Her first post-Voice single, “Go Down Singing,” didn’t make the album.
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“Madilyn Paige” EP
Released: Feb. 3, 2015
Voice Finish: Top 20, Season 6
Seven-track pop EP from the 17-year-old from Provo, Utah, features two versions of the catchy lead single “Irreplaceable.” Other standout tracks include “Let It Roll” and “Undercover.” Madilyn wrote or co-wrote all six songs.
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“Roughcuts” EP
Released: Feb. 3, 2015
Finish: Knockout Round, Season 4 as part of Midas Whale
Fear not, this six-track singer-songwriter EP doesn’t mean the end of Midas Whale. In fact, Jon Peter will be spending time in Manhatten this summer producing “Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera” with Midas Whale cohort Ryan Hayes and says some of these songs might someday grow up to be Midas Whale tunes. As for the EP, “Plastic Inside” and “Michigan” are highlights.
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“Queensland” EP
Released: Feb. 3, 2015
Voice Finish: Battle round, Season 7
She’s just 17, this already marks the second EP from the gal who switched from country to pop music once reaching Nashville. She sings about “stupid geography” in the title track, inspired by a guy from Queensland, Australia. You should also check out “Strangers” and “Missing Us.”
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“All or Nothing” EP
Released: Jan. 27, 2015
Voice Finish: 2nd place, Season 2
The lady rocker from her pre-Voice group Automatic Loveletter returns with a six-track EP that shows she’s lost none of her edge when it comes to delivering impassioned vocals. Standout songs include the title track, “Mystified” and “Evangeline.”
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“Tony Lucca”
Released: Jan. 27, 2015
Finish: 3rd place, Season 2
With at least seven albums already under his belt, Tony calls this 12-track effort “as much ‘me’ as anything I’ve ever put out.” “Delilah” is a bewitching delight. Also be sure to check out “Right on Time,” the rollicking “Sweat It Out” and the ballads “Sparrow” and “North Star.”
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“Kat Robichaud and the Darling Misfits”
Released: Jan. 27, 2015
Finish: Top 10, Season 5
Kat promised a “theatrical rock explosion” and delivers in this wonderfully different album that features tracks like “Somebody Call the Doctor,” “The Apple Pie and the Knife,” “Why Do You Love Me Now” and “The Elephant Song.” Really, you should just buy the album.
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“For the Taking”
Released: Jan. 20, 2015
Finish: Battle round, Season 1
Josh and Nicole Johnson were the first duo we ever met on The Voice and this marks their first full-length, post-Voice album. Since we met them, they’ve had a son and escaped their parents’ basement. Highlights among the 10 tracks: “Creatures of Habit,” “Cold Hard Truth,” “The Place from Where I Fell.”
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“Boomerang”
Released: Jan. 20, 2015
Finish: Top 5, Season 6
This marks the debut country EP from Kristen, who wrote all the songs but the very catchy title track. At least two of the tunes — “Confusion” and “A Little While” — pre-date her time on The Voice. “Confusion” is especially good.
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“The Entire City”
Released: Jan. 15, 2015
Finish: Top 5, Season 5
Not sure what I expected from Season 5’s sharp-dressed man, but this isn’t it. The 12 tracks range from all-out rockers reminiscent of Led Zeppelin to country-tinged folk tunes. Among the best from the former Lancaster, Pa., resident are “Give You My Love,” “Transfiguration” and “Lonely Night.”
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“Me”
Released: Jan. 13, 2015
Finish: Top 16, Season 2
The 20-year-old scored a Top 10 country hit with the single “God Made Girls” in 2014, the first of five tracks included on her debut EP. “Kissin’ Frogs” and the EP cover are an indication that she’s still the charming, quirky blonde we met on the show.
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