In the two-plus decades since his debut single "Austin," Blake Shelton has become much more than a country singer. Spending 23 seasons on the NBC singing reality competition show The Voice, the Oklahoma native, 48, seemed to take a step back from his solo career at times. Returning to his bread-and-butter, Shelton recently announced new music.
Taking to social media Thursday (March 13), Blake Shelton acknowledged that it had been "a long time" since he released a full-length album. That perfectly segued into his next announcement. Shelton's 13th studio album, For Recreational Use Only, is out May 9.
"I have been working on this music for years, and I'm beyond excited to finally share it with y'all!!" wrote the four-time Entertainer of the Year.
For fans who simply can't wait until May, Shelton has already released the first of 12 tracks, titled "Let Him in Anyway." The song finds its narrator begging God for forgiveness on behalf of a late friend who "wasn't quite the Christian he was supposed to be" during his life.
Singer-songwriter HARDY co-wrote the tune with Zach Abend, Kyle Clark and Carson Wallace. In a press release, Shelton called it "one of the most powerful songs I've ever had the chance to record."
"Hardy is a co-writer and a friend, and I've never heard a song like this before," said the eight-time Grammy nominee. "When I first listened to it, I knew it was something special. It's an honor to bring it to life, and I'm incredibly proud of the record we made."
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For Recreational Use Only marks Shelton's first new solo release since 2021's Body Language.
In 2024, Blake Shelton had a supporting role on Post Malone's highly touted country debut, F-1 Trillion. The "Boys Round Here" crooner credits his Posty collab, "Pour Me a Drink," for getting his creative juices flowing once again.
"I mean, every single second of the day is a party for Post Malone," Shelton said during a November appearance on the Taste of Country Nights podcast. "And seeing how fired up he is about country music... it was the kick in the ass that I needed to remind myself that I don't want to let this get away from me by waiting too long or taking time off."