Luke Bryan Knew Carrie Underwood Would Nail It as an ‘American Idol’ Judge — He Told Us First [EXCLUSIVE]

With Season 24 of American Idol finally upon us, nobody was quite sure if all of the judges would be returning for this season.

Would the three judge's chairs indeed be filled once again with Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie?

Spring 2025 was Underwood's first season as an American Idol judge — she was the show's winner in 2005 — and Bryan believes she "really enjoyed it."

Bryan told his thoughts to Evan Paul on Taste of Country Nights back in July 2025. "I know she had a great time in the role," he shares.

As for whether she'll be back for another round? "My prediction would be highly favorable," Bryan says.

He's wasn't as confident in the odds that he himself would be returning — he just really didn't know.

"Idol is kind of a year-by-year, 'Do we do it or not?'" he explains.

When Does Season 24 of American Idol Begin?

Season 24 of American Idol premieres Monday (Jan. 26) at 8 PM ET on ABC. New episodes will air live each Monday night and will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.

During our conversation Bryan was sure to stress that he does love it, especially having a fellow country music star and friend, in Underwood, at the table.

Read More: Carrie Underwood Claimed She’s Not a Crier — Then ‘Idol’ Rolled the Tape [Watch]

"Last year was really really incredible with Carrie and Lionel and Ryan," Bryan says, "and the main thing is just, have fun with American Idol and have fun with the kids [contestants]."

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"We'll see what happens," he adds coyly.

How Much Money Do Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood Make on American Idol?

While unofficial, Luke Bryan is said to make roughly $12 million per season, while Carrie Underwood's salary for her 2025 season was estimated to be between $10 million and $12.5 million.

Let's take a walk down memory lane and check out photos from Idol's seasoned past.