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It’s been more than two decades since Carrie Underwood’s American Idol victory in 2005.
Since leaving her Oklahoma hometown to audition for the smash-hit competition show, Underwood has released dozens of No. 1 singles, sold millions of records worldwide, collected more than 100 awards — including Grammy Awards, ACM Awards, CMA Awards and CMT Awards, becoming the record-holder for the most-awarded artist ever, and more.
Underwood’s debut full-length album, Some Hearts, arrived in 2005. The 14-track project included “Wasted,” “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Before He Cheats” and bonus track “Inside Your Heaven,” her winning ballad on American Idol.
From there, Underwood, who returned as an Idol judge 20 years after her win, went on to release several powerful country albums, gospel music, Christmas music and more. She's flourished as a singer-songwriter and collaborating with other artists in country music and beyond genre boundaries. Underwood became the first artist to take the stage as the resident headliner at Resorts World Theatre when she kicked off her Las Vegas residency, REFLECTION, in 2021. Underwood's most recent country record is Denim & Rhinestones, which released in June 2022 with a deluxe edition in September 2023. Underwood previously said the record — her first country album in five years, following Cry Pretty in 2018 — offered a collection of “‘throwback’ type songs, but they sound so super fresh.” It was “a bigger reflection of me as a person, as an artist,” reflecting the influences of music she listened to growing up.
iHeartRadio listeners have streamed Underwood’s music from the start of her career until now.
Listen to Underwood’s Top 10 songs listed on iHeartRadio below, and find her iHeartRadio artist page here.
Editor's note: This story has been updated. It was originally published in July 2024.