Luke Bryan Reveals The 1 Country Star He’s Always Competing With

Bryan opened up about how their playful competition has lasted for years.

Luke Bryan just revealed the hilarious reason he keeps making music — and it’s not at all what fans may expect.

In an interview with CMT shared on Friday, Oct. 10, the “Country Girl” singer opened up about his rivalry with Blake Shelton and joked that the only reason he’s still in country music is because the “God’s Country” singer has less No. 1 singles than him.

“That’s the only reason I’m still in the game of country music, is to stay ahead,” he quipped. “I thought he was retiring — he’s back putting songs out. It’s not the deal we had.”

Also in the video, fans pranked Bryan by shouting, “Blake, we love you!” to which Bryan jokingly responded “Kiss my a–!”

The crowd appeared to be poking fun at the fact that the country singers, both 49, have been mistaken for each other in the past.

“My gas station that I live nearby… one of the attendants that works the cash register [mistook] me for Blake Shelton. That has been my worst thing in the neighborhood,” Bryan shared during appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in April 2025.

“He was so convinced,” Bryan continued. “He’s like, ‘You’re Blake Shelton. Tell me about being Blake Shelton.’ He goes, ‘Do you get that a lot?’ I said, ‘Not much.’”

“The guy looked and me, and he’s like, ‘You are Blake Shelton’s doppelgänger… and he goes, ‘Could you imagine what it would be like to have Blake Shelton’s money?’” Bryan concluded, before joking, “Oh, what it must be like.”

To date, Bryan has produced 32 No. 1 hit country songs, while Shelton follows closely behind with 30.

Despite their rivalry, the two are good friends and have collaborated on multiple occasions, most recently during a performance of Alabama‘s “Mountain Music” at the BMI Country Awards in 2024.

Bryan released his latest album Mind of a Country Boy in September 2024, while Shelton’s most recent record For Recreational Use Only dropped in May.