When it comes to country music, there’s no shortage of wild drinking stories, but few have turned into a decade-long debate quite like the one between Blake Shelton and Justin Moore.
The two country stars—who just teamed up for their latest single, Beer Ain’t One—have been arguing for years over what really happened on a boozy private plane ride nearly a decade ago. With Shelton’s new album For Recreational Use Only set for release on May 9, 2025, the long-running dispute has resurfaced, and both singers are standing firm on their sides of the story.
So, did Justin Moore throw up on that plane, or is Blake Shelton making it all up? Well, that depends on who you ask.
Justin Moore: “I Did Not Throw Up in That Plane”
The whole thing started back in 2014 when Shelton invited Moore to perform on the season finale of The Voice. After the show, Shelton, being the good ol’ Southern gentleman he is, offered Moore a ride home on a private jet belonging to NASCAR driver Elliott Sadler.
That’s when things got, well, country.
“Blake was like… ‘How you getting home?’ I said, ‘Well, I’m flying out tomorrow,’ and he goes, ‘Well, you can just ride with me.'” — Justin Moore
Shelton, Moore, and their tour managers boarded the plane, and, as expected, the drinks started flowing. Moore admits he tried to keep up with Shelton, but as he put it:
“He’s like 7-foot-12 or something, you know, and I’m not.”
(For the record, Shelton is 6’5″ while Moore stands at 5’7″)
Eventually, the alcohol caught up to Moore, and he passed out on the flight. The plane first stopped in Oklahoma to drop off Shelton before continuing on to Arkansas with an unconscious Moore.
And that’s where the stories start to split.
According to Shelton, Moore vomited in the plane’s bathroom before landing. According to Moore, that never happened.
“He swears up and down that I threw up in the plane,” Moore said. “And I’m like, I did not throw up in the plane.”
Blake Shelton’s Side: “The Pilot Knows the Truth”
For years, Shelton let the story go, but now, he’s finally firing back with what he claims is proof.
In an interview on March 14, 2025, Shelton said he didn’t actually find out about the alleged incident until the next time he used the plane.
“The pilot said, ‘Hey, man, you know your buddy Justin Moore? He went back there in the bathroom, and he threw up.'”
Shelton asked if the mess was terrible, and the pilot reassured him it wasn’t—but the smell was undeniable.
“You could smell it, you know? Like he was back there puking when we landed.”
Shelton’s response?
“I was like, Oh my God, what a moron.”
So, there you have it—Blake Shelton says he has a witness, and Justin Moore still swears he’s innocent.
A Friendship Built on Beer, Bickering, and Good Times
At the end of the day, whether Moore actually tossed his cookies at 30,000 feet or not, this story has become just another legendary chapter in their friendship.
The two recently teamed up for Beer Ain’t One, a country twist on Jay-Z’s 99 Problems, proving that despite their drunken disagreements, they still make great music together.
Moore, who has never been shy about his love for a good drink (his song Why We Drink was literally inspired by his mother questioning his alcohol intake), knows how to laugh at himself.
“He’s always drunk. I think maybe that’s why you don’t get many good stories.” — Justin Moore on Blake Shelton.
Whether fans side with Moore’s denial or Shelton’s “smoking gun” evidence, one thing’s for sure—this isn’t the last time these two will be arguing over a round of drinks.