Levine and Shelton developed a friendship on the show while coaching for 16 back-to-back seasons together

THE VOICE -- "Blind Auditions" -- Pictured: (l-r) Adam Levine, Blake Shelton

Adam Levine and Blake Shelton on The Voice. Photo: Trae Patton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Adam Levine and Blake Shelton have a brotherly friendship.

During a break from blind auditions on the Monday, Feb. 10 episode of The Voice, the Maroon 5 frontman sent the country star a witty text message in hopes of an answer. When he didn’t receive one, he sent him multiple follow-ups — and Shelton had a hilarious response.

“Hey I’m in your old stupid chair now… stupid,” Levine, 45, texted Shelton, 48.

“God I hate you,” he wrote in his second message.

After pausing for a moment, Levine sent two back-to-back texts that each read “Haha.”

“Miss you… just kidding I can’t stand you,” he wrote in another text, before asking, “Are you getting these?”

Adam Levine and Blake Shelton attend Blake Shelton's Star Ceremony on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on May 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California.

Adam Levine and Blake Shelton in Hollywood in May 2023. Frazer Harrison/Getty

He then threw his hands up in annoyance and rolled his eyes as he waited for Shelton to text back.

The “She Will Be Loved” singer gave it one final try: “Fine whatever. You suck eggs.”

Around 10 minutes later, Shelton finally wrote back. His one-word response simply read “unsubscribe.”

This season marks Levine’s return to the singing competition show after his exit in May 2019. Levine was a coach on the show’s premiere and stayed on for 16 seasons — alongside Shelton. Now, following the “Sangria” singer’s exit in May 2023, Levine is sitting in his chair.

Speaking with PEOPLE ahead of his grand return, Levine joked that he’s happy his buddy isn’t around anymore.

“The best part about being back with The Voice family is that I don’t have to deal with Blake Shelton,” Levine quipped. “I just don’t like him. So, it’s been great not having to be around him. He’s a bad friend…”

“I’m just kidding,” he clarified. “Of course, I love Blake. And I had to open with a Blake joke because he’s not on the show anymore, yet they still continue.”

Now, Levine is coaching alongside Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Bublé and John Legend — but none of them could replace his friend.

Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Bublé, Adam Levine, and John Legend on The Voice

Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Bublé, Adam Levine and John Legend.Trae Patton/NBC via Getty

“No. No, no, definitely not. There’s no replacing [Shelton],” the Hands All Over singer said. “The thing that happened with Blake and I, it was so organic, and it was based on our friendship.”

“Because nobody really realizes that we were thrown into this thing that wasn’t a thing yet. Our friendship was based on this not knowing what the hell was happening, and being silly, and stupid with each other,” he said.

“And that became something that people love to watch. It was very organic, and very unplanned and spontaneous. And all of a sudden we realized people loved watching us talk s— to each other. So, we thought to ourselves, ‘Let’s just do it. And hey, is there such thing as too far?’ And he’s like, ‘No.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, probably not. Let’s just go at it.’ And we just had fun with it.”