Blake Shelton Weighs In on ‘American Idol’ Judge Search

There's been a lot talk as of late about who the next judge on FOX's "American Idol" will be. Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Toby Keith have all been approached by the hit TV talent show -- something Blake Shelton believes is a smart strategy. Even though he's on a competing show, NBC's "The Voice," the "Over" singer hopes "Idol" will add a little twang to the judges' table.

"I hope they choose a country artist," Blake tells "Country Countdown USA." "If you watch those shows, it's the country artists who go on to have big careers, because the country fan base is the most loyal in the world. If they see someone on 'The Voice' or 'Idol,' they don't care if they win or lose. They wait for the album to come out, and they demand music to come out from that artist."

Toby has turned "Idol" down, while Brad and Keith are both keeping mum for now on the opportunity. However, Keith has made it clear that music and fans come first. "All I can say right now is that I'm trying to make an album, and it's strange how these opportunities seem to all come in one big fell swoop," he told Australian radio station Newstalk ZB when grilled about the "Idol" rumors. "My priority right now is just making the record, and that's really got to lead the charge for me."

That's also been a concern for Blake, who is doing two seasons of "The Voice" this year. "I love doing it," Blake explains, "and I hope to continue doing it forever. But they have to work with me so I can also tour. I just think taping two seasons a year is too much. The four of us cannot remain viable artists if we're taping back-to-back seasons of the show."

The third season of "The Voice" premieres Sept. 10 at 8:00 PM ET on NBC. There's no word yet on a premiere date for "American Idol" Season 12.

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