Luke Bryan Trolls Blake Shelton & Says Gwen Stefani Is The Only Reason People Like His Music

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Blake Shelton has had two big country hits in a row with pop star girlfriend Gwen Stefani. Pal Luke Bryan is now ribbing him that Gwen is the key to his recent chart success.

Blake Shelton and girlfriend Gwen Stefani have given fans two amazing quarantine songs about the importance of being together, and both tunes have been huge hits. Their nearly five year romance has proved to be an amazing professional relationship music-wise, and Blake’s good buddy Luke Bryan, 44, is giving him some fun ribbing about Blake riding her coattails. On Aug. 17, Luke tweeted to the 44-year-old that, “Your girlfriend is the only reason people are listening to your last two singles, referring to the duets, “Nobody But You” and “Happy Anywhere.”

Blake quickly shot back, “Hey, don’t hate just cause I know how to work the system!” about his duets with his lady love. The lovebirds dropped their latest single “Happy Anywhere on July 24, along with a music video showing intimate home movie moments. It followed their smash country hit, “Nobody But You.” The song and their loved up music video were released in Jan. 2020, but gained a lot of traction once home lockdown due to COVID-19 happened in March.

The two were still able to perform the tune remotely, since they were quarantined together at his Tishomingo, OK, ranch. They sang “Nobody But You” on ACM Presents: Our Country on Apr. 5, and again on Jimmy Fallon‘s at home version of The Tonight Show on April 13. As a result, by the end of April the song hit number one on the country music radio airplay charts.

On Apr. 27, Blake tweeted to Gwen, “Congratulations @gwenstefani on your first country song going #1 at country radio!!! Not bad for your first try!!!!! Thank you all as well!!! #nobodybutyou,” about the rocker’s milestone achievement at the age of 50. She gushed back, “Trying to wrap my head around the fact that I even get to know you Blake Shelton – let alone be on Such a beautiful classic duet w u?! thank you for taking me along on this ride with you!! I am so grateful and blown away by all the support everyone has shown us!!?!!”

Blake actually started the hilarious back and forth at Luke’s expense, by showing a screenshot of his pal in a mock TV report with “Study finds falling asleep at the wheel linked to Luke Bryan music,” in the graphic beneath.  Blake then teased Luke about his music allegedly putting people to sleep, writing in the caption, “Wow! Just catching up on the news… Shocking! I have noticed some fatigue when @lukebryanonline comes on…” That’s when Luke fired back that Blake’s recent hits were smashes thanks to Gwen’s participation.