Blake Shelton Just Dropped a Surprise Summer Anthem—Is a ‘The Voice’ Comeback Next?

Country superstar Blake Shelton is back in the spotlight—and the charts—thanks to a packed May full of fresh music, high-profile performances, and new TV ventures. New album “For Recreational Use Only” debuts After a four-year pause on studio records, Shelton dropped his 13-track album “For Recreational Use Only” on May 9. The set blends upbeat, 90s-tinged country with personal ballads that nod to wife Gwen Stefani and his Oklahoma roots, giving fans everything from honky-tonk anthems (“Stay Country or Die Tryin’”) to reflective slow burns (“Highway ’83”). Early streaming numbers have propelled the LP into the top tier of Billboard’s Country Albums chart, while physical preorders sold out on the singer’s official site within 24 hours. Show-stealing AMAs performance Shelton took those new songs straight to network TV with a crowd-roaring debut at the 2025 American Music Awards. Flanked by a full fiddle section and pyrotechnics, he tore through “Stay Country or Die Tryin’,” earning a standing ovation and driving a 220 percent spike in Shazam look-ups for the track within minutes of airtime. Social clips of the guitar toss that closed the performance hit eight million views on TikTok overnight, cementing the moment as one of the show’s viral highlights. Surprise barroom cameo keeps small-town cred intact Just days before the AMAs, Shelton reminded fans he hasn’t forgotten his bar-band beginnings. Patrons at the Ole Red Nashville outpost were stunned when the singer walked onstage unannounced to duet with the house act on “God’s Country.” Cell-phone videos quickly flooded social media, earning Shelton the unofficial title of “the real deal” from loyal followers. “The Road” brings Shelton back to television—minus “The Voice” chair While he stepped away from NBC’s “The Voice,” Shelton isn’t leaving primetime. CBS has green-lit “The Road,” a reality-competition hybrid that pits unsigned artists against one another on a roving tour bus, with Shelton executive-producing and hosting the Nashville knockout rounds. Filming begins in June, and industry insiders hint the winner will open select dates on Shelton’s upcoming summer mini-tour. Festival headliner and tour news Speaking of the road, Shelton will top the bill at The Smoke Show in Albuquerque on Aug. 9, alongside Lainey Wilson and Cody Johnson. Fans can expect additional U.S. arena dates to drop before Independence Day; insiders report soft holds on venues in Dallas, Detroit, and Charlotte. Why this matters for country and pop culture Shelton’s cross-platform comeback—new album, must-watch awards performance, surprise bar gigs, and a fresh TV format—creates a 360-degree media storm built to dominate streaming services and social feeds. For searchers wondering “Is Blake Shelton touring in 2025?” or “What is Blake Shelton’s new album called?”, the answer is a resounding yes—and it’s “For Recreational Use Only.”