Carrie Underwood

Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American country singer and songwriter from Checotah, Oklahoma. She rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol. She has since become a multi-platinum selling recording artist, a multiple Grammy Award winner, was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, is a three-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Female Vocalist winner, and was the entertainer of the year.

Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified seven times platinum, is the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history.[1] And it is also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history.[2] Some Hearts yielded three number one hits on the country charts in the United States: "Jesus, Take the Wheel", "Wasted", and "Before He Cheats", her biggest hit to date.

Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released on October 23, 2007. It has so far sold over 3 million copies,[3] and produced four number one country hits on the country charts, "So Small", "All-American Girl", "Last Name" and "Just a Dream". Underwood released her third album, Play On, on November 3, 2009. It has so far sold over 1 million copies since its release. Her first single off the album, "Cowboy Casanova", was released to country radio on September 14, 2009.[4] The single peaked at number one on the country charts, which made Underwood the artist with the most top 10s on the country chart among solo women this decade, followed by Faith Hill and Martina McBride each with 9.[5]

In November 2009, Underwood attained total domestic album sales of 11 million and became the highest-selling American Idol album in the United States, surpassing Kelly Clarkson by approximately 500,000 units.[6] Clarkson, however, remains the highest-selling American Idol album overall, with over 23 million albums sold worldwide to Underwood's 14 million.