American Idol Wanted a Country Superstar as Judge — But Here’s Why It Couldn’t Happen
American Idol would have loved to land a top-tier country music star as its newest judge, but according to insider sources, there’s a key reason why it simply wasn’t possible — no matter how badly they wanted it.
While Carrie Underwood was ultimately brought in to take over Katy Perry’s seat on the judging panel, sources tell The U.S. Sun that Idol producers initially had their sights on another Nashville megastar they considered the ultimate fit.
Earlier this week, it emerged that Carrie, 42, wasn’t actually the show’s first choice to join the panel for season 23.
When ABC began the search to replace Katy, 40, following her 2024 departure, they had one major name at the very top of their wishlist — but a small technicality blocked them from moving forward.
“The network would kill for Luke Combs,” one insider revealed.
“They see him as the total package — he’s hugely relevant, massively successful, humble, family-oriented, and, importantly, an authentic vocalist. His voice is the kind that only comes along once in a generation,” the source shared.
The catch?
“The problem is, the panel can’t be made up of three male judges. With the current lineup, it just wouldn’t work,” the insider explained. “But if the panel ever gets reshuffled again, Luke is absolutely their dream hire.”
Luke Combs, 35, has skyrocketed to the top of the country music world since his 2016 breakout single Hurricane. He’s since snagged back-to-back CMA Entertainer of the Year awards in 2021 and 2022 and built a devoted fanbase — not to mention settling into his role as a proud dad, singing about fatherhood in his songs. Luke and his wife Nicole Hocking welcomed sons Tex in June 2022 and Beau in August 2023.
Behind Carrie Underwood’s Idol Appointment
As previously reported by The U.S. Sun, Idol considered several other A-listers in both country and pop before landing on Carrie.
“Carrie wasn’t the first pick,” the insider said. “They spoke with several major artists before offering her the job. It wasn’t an easy or unanimous choice.”
In fact, Carrie’s co-judge Luke Bryan had also weighed in on who might step in after Katy’s exit.
“I’ve tossed out a few names,” Luke told Billboard earlier this year. “I know Pink was in the conversations, Miley Cyrus came up, Meghan Trainor too. But Disney’s being pretty quiet — they’re still figuring things out. We’re all just waiting to see what they decide.”
For now, fans will be watching closely to see how Carrie settles into her new role — but if things ever shift again, it sounds like Luke Combs is still waiting in the wings as the network’s dream addition.