Steven Tyler Leaves ‘American Idol’ To Focus On Aerosmith

Steven Tyler, 64, officially confirmed his departure from American Idol’s judging panel after two seasons on the talent competition show. "After some long… hard… thoughts… I've decided it's time for me to let go of my mistress American Idol before she boils my rabbit. I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I'm back – but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I've got two fists in the air and I'm kicking the door open with my band,” Tyler explained in a statement published by USA Today.

FOX President of Alternative Entertainment Mike Darnell praised Tyler and admits they knew the risk of hiring a rock ‘n’ roll legend with an active musical career. “It’s been a tremendous honor to have Steven – one of the most prolific artists in the world – on American Idol for the past two seasons,” Darnell told Fox News. “He’s been a terrific judge, a true friend and great mentor to everyone involved with the show,” he added.

The announcement comes amid speculations that Tyler’s Idol commitments conflicted with Aerosmith’s upcoming tour and caused tension among its members. The band will be releasing their first album in eight years, Music From Another Dimension, this November — during Idol tryouts season — and Tyler may have been forced to finally choose between the two.

But the controversy dates back to 2009, when Tyler signed on for Idol. "They heard it through the press and not me," Tyler revealed, suggesting that the band was jealous. "I've been on tour with these guys for forty years and they have been judging me every day. Sometimes it hurt, a lot of times… It's a real journey with those guys." Fellow band member and guitarist Joe Perry publicly replied by threatening to replace Tyler and affirming that the band did not want to be associated with the reality show, which he qualified as barely a step above the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Although the band recently debuted their first single "Legendary Child" from the new album on the Idol Season 11 finale this year, the tension seems to have reached its boiling point, with Tyler opting to focus solely on Aerosmith. “The next few years are going to be dedicated to kicking some serious ass – the ultimate in auditory takeover,” Tyler said. “On Nov. 6, we are unleashing our new album, Music from Another Dimension on the Earth, Moon, Mars, and way beyond the stars… IDOL was over-the-top fun, and I loved every minute of it… Now it's time to bring Rock Back. ERMAHGERD.”

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