"The Voice" Season 4 Premieres March 25th, New Judges Shakira, Usher Join Levine, Shelton: 'American Idol' Knockout? Singing Shows go Head-to-Head

As 'The Voice' Season 4 returns to NBC on March 25th, the Monday night premiere will debut new judges Shakira & Usher as they join veteran coaches Adam Levine & Blake Shelton on the panel. With the schedule recently set for the upcoming season, "The Voice" finds itself going head-to-head with another fellow singing show: 'American Idol.' Will NBC be able to "knock-out" Fox when the shows take on the same time slot on Wednesday May 8?

Although 'The Voice' is changing up the judging panel in this upcoming season as it leaves the originals Christina Aguileria & Cee Lo Green behind, the singing show will still maintain its familiar schedule. As in previous years, the show breaks down into four stages: blind auditions, battle rounds, the knockouts and the live performance shows. The TV audience determines which two singers go home each week during the live rounds. 

As Billboard notes, Season 4 starts March 25 with the auditions, goes into "knockout" rounds on April 30 and wraps up with a winner being crowned on June 18. Two-hour editions of "The Voice" will air on April 30 and May 7 before a special Wednesday edition on May 8 will unveil the top 12 live.

This particular Wednesday night special edition on May 8th will prove to be the reality show's most competitive night to date as NBC's singing competition, which normally airs Mondays and Tuesdays, will go up directly against Fox's veteran singing competition American Idol, which airs normally Wednesdays and Thursdays, reports Billboard. Both of the popular singing shows will "duke it out" in the 8pm time slot on Wednesday May 8th. Which will get the knockout in this battle round?

Last year, The Voice aired a special Wednesday episode opposite Fox's other singing show The X Factor...twice! This was a move that X Factor executive producer and judge Simon Cowell called "a cynical, cold-hearted, unprofessional way of doing business" at the time. The Voice beat The X Factor in both total viewers and the adults ages 18-49 demo rating on both outings.

Will this year's ratings on May 8th play out similarly as 'The Voice' takes on 'American Idol' next?

Prior to the special live Wednesday episode, The Voice will air special two-hour editions on Tuesday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 7, both at 8/7c. The expanded episodes will highlight the knockout rounds and the live playoffs, respectively.

"The Voice" is a presentation of Mark Burnett's One Three Inc., Talpa Media USA Inc. and Warner Horizon Television. The series is created by John de Mol, who executive-produces along with Burnett, Audrey Morrissey, Stijn Bakkers and Lee Metzger.