Life is busy as usual for country superstar Luke Bryan, who has not only returned for his ninth season judging “American Idol,” but has kicked off 2026 with two new songs.
Bryan’s already been climbing the country charts with George Birge on their duet, “Ride, Ride, Ride,” released on February 6, 2026. Less than two weeks later, he released another tune overnight on February 20 — “Word On The Street” — which he said he wanted to “get out ASAP.”
Luke Bryan Instantly Fell in Love With ‘Word On The Street’ When He Heard It
“Word On The Street” was written by Payton Smith, Josh Thompson, and Justin Ebach. Bryan loved it so much that he named his summer 2026 tour after it before even releasing the tune.
“This one felt right to get out asap after naming my summer tour from the title,” Bryan said in a statement. “When I first heard the demo, I knew I had to go in and record it. I loved everything about how the writers approached this song — it just felt fresh. Can’t wait to get out on the road and perform it for you live!”
According to MCA, “Word On The Street” is the “first of more new music anticipated this year” from Bryan. In the summer of 2026, he landed his 32nd number one country hit, “Country Song Came On,” which was the name of his 2025 summer tour.
Fans seem to be loving “Word On The Street” already, flooding an overnight social media post from Bryan with positive comments, including one who wrote, “Just gave it a listen and it’s amazing you did a great job 🔥🔥”
Luke Bryan’s ‘Word On The Street’ Tour Features Over 30 Dates
Bryan posted a video of himself recording “Word On The Street” on January 23, the same day he announced his summer tour. With more than 30 concerts planned, the tour will kick off with two nights in Gilford, New Hampshire, on May 29 and 30, shortly after the season 24 finale of “American Idol.”
As he usually does, Bryan will take a group of rising country stars on the road to open for him (the lineup will change a bit each night). Those joining him on tour include Drew Baldridge, Karley Scott Collins, Lanie Gardner, Randall King, Zach John King, Shane Profitt, Raelynn, Lauren Watkins, Jake Worthington, and DJ Rock.
Tickets for the “Word On The Street” tour went on sale on January 30. It’s scheduled to wrap up in late September 26 in East Troy, Wisconsin.
But Bryan has a few other concerts planned before the summer tour kicks off. On February 27, he’ll be at the Extra Innings Festival in Tempe, Arizona, followed by RodeoHouston on March 7. He’ll also play three Farm Tour dates in California in May, in between filming live shows for “Idol.”
