If the path from reality competition show to music stardom is a relay race, Adam Levine says record labels—the event's anchors—are dropping the baton every time.

The Voice judge, who has personally coached two of the show's eight winners, came clean to The Howard Stern Show about why he believes the show hasn't produced a superstar. And while he's confident NBC does a great job of building the acts up, he says they're destined to fall as soon as the post-game contracts are signed.

"The rollout of all that is still such a mess,” Levine said, according to The Washington Post. “And by the way, just to clarify, this has nothing to do with what happens on NBC or with the people. In that time, we do so much great s--- for these singers, and then they go to a record label that I won’t mention. But they go to a record label that f---- it up."

"Record labels are...our business is the worst right now,” he added. “No one knows what they’re doing."

Levine went on to say that he feels tremendously guilty that he can't do much to help the champions once they've accepted the terms of their deals. If he could improve the process, he said he'd have the victors rush out singles and albums immediately after their crowning to capitalize on the momentum the show offers.

"In that moment when you’re never going to be bigger," he insisted. "It’s been this whole meteoric rise to the top of this thing, you’re peaking right here."

Do you think Adam's right, and are labels dropping the ball, or do artists have to push a little harder to keep their visions alive? Share your thoughts on his remarks.

Hair today, gone tomorrow: Watch Adam Levine's locks evolve:

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