For Recreational Use Only is the thirteenth studio album by American country singer Blake Shelton. It was released on May 9, 2025, through Wheelhouse Records.
Background
Blake Shelton started writing the album's songs after the success of "Pour Me a Drink", his collaboration with Post Malone; according to Shelton, the success of the collaboration "lit a fire under" Shelton. The album was announced on March 14, 2025.
Promotion
"Texas" was released as the album's lead single on November 15, 2024. It peaked at number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Let Him In Anyway" and "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" were released as promotional singles ahead of the album. According to American Songwriter, Gwen Stefani loves the former song. "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" was released as the album's second single to country radio on May 19, 2025. The music video for "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" uses AI as a tribute to country life and land. On May 8, "Hangin' On" was released as a promotional single. On February 19, 2026, "Let Him In Anyway" was released as the album's third single.
Critical reception
The American newspaper The Washington Post stated that it is a "fitting declaration for both his latest project and the current state of his career"
Track listing
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.
Musicians
- Blake Shelton â lead vocals
- Nir Z â drums (all tracks), tambourine (tracks 1, 8, 9), shaker (5), programming (6, 11), congas (9)
- Troy Lancaster â electric guitar
- Tom Bukovac â electric guitar (tracks 1âÂÂ5, 7âÂÂ10)
- Gordon Mote â piano (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12), Hammond B3 organ (1, 5âÂÂ9), electric piano (2, 4, 7, 9), organ (2), synthesizer (4, 12); celeste piano, strings (12)
- Sam Bergeson â electric guitar, programming (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5, 7âÂÂ10); slide guitar (1, 5, 9), additional guitar (1), synthesizer (2, 3, 7, 9), backing vocals (2, 7), acoustic guitar (2, 9), bass (3); keyboards, percussion (7); lap steel guitar (10)
- Jimmie Lee Sloas â bass (tracks 1âÂÂ3, 5, 7âÂÂ10)
- Bryan Sutton â acoustic guitar (tracks 1, 3âÂÂ5, 8âÂÂ10), mandolin (1, 9), guitar (8)
- Perry Coleman â backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4âÂÂ8, 10, 11)
- Justin Niebank â programming (tracks 1, 4âÂÂ6, 8, 9, 11, 12)
- Aubrey Haynie â fiddle (tracks 1, 8)
- Drew Parker â backing vocals (track 1)
- Ilya Toshinskiy â acoustic guitar (tracks 2, 6, 7, 11)
- Pat Bergeson â electric guitar, guitar (track 2)
- Gwen Stefani â lead vocals (track 3)
- Mark Hill â bass (tracks 4, 6, 11)
- Paul Franklin â steel guitar (tracks 4, 6, 11)
- Blair Masters â synthesizer (tracks 6, 11), steel guitar (6), piano (11)
- Adam Shoenfeld â electric guitar (tracks 6, 11)
- Kara Britz â backing vocals (tracks 6, 12)
- Craig Morgan â lead vocals (track 6)
- Carla Harris â backing vocals (track 7)
- Chuck Aly â backing vocals (track 7)
- James Furlough â backing vocals (track 7)
- Keely Hendricks â backing vocals (track 7)
- Kenny Sweeney â backing vocals (track 7)
- Kevin Harris â backing vocals (track 7)
- Mason Rudolph â backing vocals (track 7)
- Remy Garrison â backing vocals (track 7)
- Shannon Finnegan â backing vocals (track 7)
- Teri Hendricks â backing vocals (track 7)
- The Never Beens â backing vocals (track 7)
- Tim Jenkins â backing vocals (track 7)
- Torey Harding â backing vocals (track 7)
- William Clay â backing vocals (track 7)
- Colton Swon â backing vocals (track 9)
- Zach Swon â backing vocals (track 9)
- Larry Franklin â fiddle (track 10)
- Seth Taylor â acoustic guitar (track 12)
- Blair Whitlow â backing vocals (track 12)
- Brandon Winbush â backing vocals (track 12)
- Robert Bailey â backing vocals (track 12)
- Vicki Hampton â backing vocals (track 12)
- Wendy Moten â backing vocals (track 12)
- Mike Brignardello â bass (track 12)
- John Anderson â lead vocals (track 12)
- Russ Pahl â steel guitar (track 12)
Technical
- Scott Hendricks â production, engineering
- Andrew Mendelson â mastering
- Justin Niebank â mixing (tracks 1, 2, 4âÂÂ6, 8, 9, 11, 12), engineering (all tracks)
- Jeff Juliano â mixing (track 3)
- Matt McClure â mixing (tracks 7, 10)
- Brian David Willis â engineering (tracks 1âÂÂ4, 6, 7, 9âÂÂ12), editing (1, 3âÂÂ5, 7, 9, 10)
- Sam Bergeson â engineering (tracks 1âÂÂ5, 7âÂÂ10), additional mixing (1)
- Sam Ellis â engineering (track 1)
- Joey Stanca â engineering (track 2)
- Sean Badum â engineering (tracks 6, 11), engineering assistance (4)
- Clarke Schleicher â engineering (tracks 6, 11)
- Kelsey Porter â engineering (tracks 6, 11)
- Zach Swon â engineering (track 9)
- Terry Watson â engineering (track 12), engineering assistance (4)
- Jacob Spitzer â engineering (track 12)
- Drew Bollman â additional mixing (tracks 2âÂÂ12)
- Shannon Finnegan â production assistance (track 2)
- Nate Juliano â mixing assistance (track 3)
- Caroline Whitaker â engineering assistance (track 4)
Charts
References