It’s no secret that Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton have a friendly rivalry. Two of country music’s biggest stars, the two men often find themselves competing for awards and chart space. Additionally, each has been involved with rival singing reality competition shows. Shelton spent 23 seasons as a coach on The Voice. Meanwhile, Bryan has served as a judge on American Idol since 2018. The two never pass up an opportunity to good-naturedly roast the other, recently trading digs this week.
Videos by American Songwriter
Blake Shelton Playfully Dismisses Luke Bryan ‘Barmageddon’ Spinoff Pitch
Even before leaving The Voice, Blake Shelton was finding success with his USA Network game show Barmageddon. The show pits two celebrities against each other in five “pub games” to win a much-needed prize for a viral Internet sensation each has chosen to support.
The “God’s Country” singer recently revealed that Bryan, 47, pitched a spin-off show: Farmageddon.
“He’s got a lot of stupid ideas, but he’s got a lot of ideas,” joked Shelton, also 47. “He’s constantly trying to come up with what’s next. That’s why he’s been so successful, because he never stops thinking and stuff. Eventually he hits on something.”
Perhaps the “Drunk on You” singer is simply trying to prove, once and for all, who the better farmer is.
“He’s pretend farming,” Bryan said of the “Boys Round Here” singer on Apple Music Country’s The Ty Bentli Show. “I mean, he’s just putting out like wild grasses — stuff that literally will grow on Mars. I’m actually planting stuff that human beings can enjoy. I’m not feeding a bunch of rabbits and moles and stuff. Blake’s farming earthworms and stuff.”
But Is Their Feud Real?
In addition to their beef over music and farming, the two country stars also own rival bars in downtown Nashville. In fact, Shelton prohibits anyone from wearing Bryan’s merchandise in his bar, Ole Red. (Bryan owns the nearby establishment 32 Bridge.)
Despite the public ribbing, Bryan and Shelton have been friends for more than a decade. In fact, the “Knockin’ Boots singer recently thanked Shelton for urging him to join American Idol.
“You said, ‘Do it,’ I said, ‘Heck yeah, I’m going to do it,’” Bryan said during an episode of Shelton’s podcast Party Barn Radio. “Man, it was like you told me. It certainly opens your eyes, opens your world up to stuff you can never imagine. Thank you for that.”
Featured image by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
