"The situation smacks of the band forcing him to make a choice between 'Idol' or Aerosmith," leading PR specialist, Glenn Selig, said. "He chose Aerosmith."

The aforementioned rumors swirling around Lopez and Jackson may have also played a role.

"If they keep changing the judging panel, he probably doesn't want to be the credible face sticking around," said another industry insider. "Steven wants to regain some shred of independent credibility. I absolutely think there was pressure on him from bandmates not to go back on the show."

Indeed having to jockey with "Idol" for Tyler's time might have been too much for the rest of Aerosmith. When Tyler first signed onto the show in 2009, he said his band was "jealous."

"They heard it through the press and not me," he said. "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."