“The ‘American Idol’ Brand Was Kind of Roughed Up”: Why Luke Bryan Was Initially Reluctant To Join the Show

Luke Bryan has enjoyed a long and fruitful career, and one endeavor that has made it so fruitful is his staple presence on American Idol. However, joining the TV show was not a no-brainer for Bryan. Rather, the “Country Girl” singer stewed over his decision to join the show, as he was fearful of what it would do to his career.

Videos by American Songwriter

Luke Bryan joined American Idol in 2018 on their 16th season. The year 2018 marked the peak of Bryan’s career, as he was touring around the world and had seen loads of success with no. 1 songs like “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” and “Drink A Beer”. Bryan was a bona fide country music sensation, and he didn’t see the need to run the risk of joining the world of American reality television.

Luke Bryan Once Revealed the Reason Behind His Hesitancy Toward Joining ‘American Idol’

In an interview with Coyote Country, Luke Bryan divulged why he was so reluctant to join the legacy American television show.

“It’s funny [that] ‘American Idol’ approached me,” he stated in the interview. “My thing was like, ‘Guys, I’m doing stadiums. I’m kinda at the pinnacle of my career, and can American Idol keep that going?’ I certainly didn’t want it to hurt at the time.”

Bryan also believed the reputation of the brand had more or less diminished by 2018. Thus, he had yet another reason to argue against his participation in the show.

“The ‘American Idol’ brand was kind of roughed up,” Bryan continued. “It wasn’t anybody’s fault. I think it had ran its course and they really had to do some talking to me to get me transitioning to a new form of my career.”

Luke Bryan did articulate some good reasons and had some valid concerns, as the show was not what it is today prior to his arrival. Regardless, Bryan took the risk and gave the show a much-needed revamping alongside his co-judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry. Contrary to Bryan’s initial resistance towards the show, he couldn’t be more excited for American Idol Season 23 alongside his new co-star, Carrie Underwood. The 23rd season of the show debuted on March 2, 2025.

Regarding Underwood’s induction, Bryan said: “We’re excited about Carrie, I think me and her and our love for country music and our brand of country music really line up.”

Photo via Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images