Blake Shelton Is Gearing Up To Release A New Album On May 9

Blake Shelton is vowing to “Stay Country or Die Tryin’” as he prepares to release his new album next month.

Last year (2024), Shelton left his longtime label, Warner Music Nashville, and signed a new deal with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. Shortly after, he released a new single, “Texas,” which pays homage to George Strait.

“Texas” was a smash success and helped Shelton break a personal record, earning the highest number of first-week radio adds in his entire career. Now, several months after its release, “Texas” currently sits near the top of both of Billboard‘s country charts.

Then, in March, Shelton announced the upcoming release of his first album in four years. Titled For Recreational Use Only, the album is slated to be released on May 9, the day after the ACM Awards.

Shelton has since revealed the album’s full tracklist and also released another song, “Let Him in Anyway. The emotional track has Shelton speaking to God as he pleads for him to let a friend into heaven who “was just shy of redemption” before he passed away.

Hear Blake Shelton’s New Song, “Stay Country Or Die Tryin’”

Now, with a little less than a month until he drops For Recreational Use Only, Shelton has released another new song. Titled “Stay Country or Die Tryin’,” it’s the album’s opening track.

Shelton teased “Stay Country or Die Tryin’” in a video he shared on April 8. The clip shows him passionately singing the song onstage, expressing his country boy pride as he sings lyrics such as:

“In God, we trust
Detroit, we rust
Redneck letter testifyin’
From the born in the cut
Till the day that I’m dust
I’ma stay country or die tryin’.”

Shelton spoke about his fiery new track in a press release cited by The Music Universe. He said:

“When I heard ‘Stay Country or Die Tryin,’’ it took me back to the first time I heard ‘Ol’ Red’ or ‘God’s Country.’ It’s got so much energy and is full of those little catchphrases and things we say out in the country. I absolutely fell in love with it. I’m proud of this recording – and I love singing it live even more. Hopefully, you’ll come catch a show and sing it with us.”

Shelton released the full song on Friday (April 11). Listen to it in the video below!