Having spent over two decades in country music, Luke Bryan continues to release albums. His last, Mind of a Country Boy, released just last year. Looking past the studio, he also served as a judge alongside Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie on American Idol. Throughout his career, Bryan accumulated a net worth of around $160 million. Thanks to American Idol, each season made him $12 million richer. With more than enough money and fame, Bryan pondered why he continued to work – and the answer might shock you.
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Taking part in an interview with CMT, Bryan was somewhat stunned when a group of fans mistook him for Blake Shelton. Over the years, the two became close friends. And like any friends, they love to play pranks on each other. It isn’t new for Shelton to make fun of his friends. Just look at his time on The Voice alongside Niall Horan.
After telling the supposed fans to kiss his “ass”, the interviewer made Bryan feel better when listing one of his achievements. “You know, he’s still behind you though on the number ones count.” According to the numbers, Bryan produced an impressive 32 hit songs. His last came thanks to “Country Song Came On”, which hit airwaves back in August.
For Luke Bryan – It’s All About Beating Blake Shelton
Now, turning to Shelton, he recorded only 30 No. 1 songs. While still a massive achievement for the country singer – it was two short of Bryan.
And showing how a friendly competition was healthy, beating Shelton was one of the only reasons Bryan still worked. “That’s the only reason that I’m still in the game of country music, to stay ahead. I thought he was retiring – he’s back putting songs out. It’s not the deal we had.”
Although Shelton never announced he was retiring, he did take a step back from the spotlight to spend more time with his family. Sharing a marriage with Gwen Stefani, the hitmaker even stopped competing on The Voice.
As for the future, both Bryan and Shelton hope to land a few more hit songs before riding off into the sunset. For now, don’t miss Shelton on the newest singing competition, The Road, premiering on October 19, 2025, on CBS.
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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