Luke Bryan Has One Major Problem With Being An American Idol Judge

Country star Luke Bryan might be a fan favorite on "American Idol," but he still has one major gripe with being a judge: the social media backlash. In an interview with Fox News, Bryan expressed the belief that he and fellow judges Katy Perry and Lionel Ritchie often "fall on the sword a lot of times" regarding their criticism of contestants.

During the interview, which took place at CMA Fest, he implied that as entertainers, he and his co-judges have to be "conditioned" and "calloused" toward backlash. "We're not gonna bat 1,000 as judges," he said. Bryan prides himself on bringing an authentic persona to the show, once telling People, "I'm there to get involved in the emotion of the show." But despite his reputation, the scrutiny occasionally proves hard to swallow, especially in light of the competition show's various controversies. 

He emphasized that they approach their roles with the best intentions, telling Fox News, "I think when me and Lionel and Katy sit down at the desk, in our hearts, we're doing the best we can." With a busy career and life outside of the show, could the issues Bryan has with "Idol" spell trouble on the horizon?

Luke Bryan has been a judge on "American Idol" since the show's revival in 2018, so he's no stranger to the demands of the position. During his tenure, he has won hearts with his positive attitude and encouraging judging style. As a five-time Country Music Entertainer of the Year with 30 No. 1 hits, according to Music Row, it's safe to say he's the country music expert on the show, too.

But the singer-songwriter has certainly made some comments he regrets during his run with "Idol." Who could forget his slip of the tongue about "tying up" Katy Perry (as reported by USA Today)? And he's no stranger to catching hot takes from the show's fans on his Instagram posts, regularly asking fans for their thoughts and just as easily catching heat for the judges' decisions. 

Along with the demanding schedule of the show, he's still found time to continue writing, recording, and touring new music. There's no doubt he's got a full plate — canceled concerts aside, he's widely considered one of the hardest working people in country music, something he told People he attributes to "working my butt off." Could the heat he and his co-hosts face from devout "Idol" fans be enough for him to step away from the show?

Given Luke Bryan's incredible success in country music, it's easy to see a future in which he walks away from the criticism by leaving "American Idol" altogether. Co-judge Katy Perry has always been a firework and no stranger to courting controversy on the show — something Bryan addressed during the Fox News interview. "Katy gets picked on for going out and trying to have fun making a TV show," he said, noting that "homogenized" reactions don't necessarily translate to quality television.

One would understand not wanting to bear the weight of the show's controversies. Bryan even mentioned to Entertainment Tonight the possibility of slowing down his career to make more time for his family. But will "Idol" be on the chopping block anytime soon?

No one but Bryan can say for sure, but it seems unlikely. Bryan has bonded with fellow judges Perry and Lionel Ritchie — they've visited each other's hometowns on the show, after all! If that wasn't enough to assuage Bryan's most ardent supporters, the man was even quoted by Taste of Country as saying he'll continue "as long as the vibe feels like we're moving onward and upward."

It's sounds like Bryan and "Idol" will continue to "Country On."