Top 10 Carrie Underwood Songs
Carrie Underwood songs are some of the most popular of the last decade of country music. Since winning the fourth season of American Idol in 2005, she has gone on to become the biggest-selling country artist the show has ever discovered.
Underwood's songs range from big ballads and songs about faith to commercial crossover pop songs, and include some more challenging subject matter as well. Her universally top-notch vocal performances and high-energy stage performances tie it all together into one undeniable superstar package.
Our list of the Top 10 Carrie Underwood Songs touches on all of the various aspects of her diverse career.
- 10
"Last Name"
From: 'Carnival Ride' (2007)Seriously, a Pinto? Yep, that should have tipped you off, Carrie! At least she's owning up to her transgressions. What happens in Vegas ... is pretty darn hilarious. Co-written by Underwood, Hillary Lindsey and Luke Laird, "Last Name" tells of a drunken night that ends with an impromptu wedding. The narrator wakes up the next day lamenting, "I don't even know my last name." Playing against Underwood's innocent image, the song reached No. 1 and won her a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
- 9
"Good Girl"
From: 'Blown Away' (2012)The lead single from Blown Away announced a slightly new direction for Underwood right out of the gate. Focused far more on pop production elements, the song, which Underwood wrote with Chris DeStefano and Ashley Gorley, was a multi-format hit, reaching No. 1 in country and the Top 20 in mainstream pop and adult contemporary charts.
- 8
"Cry Pretty"
From: 'Cry Pretty' (2018)"The title refers to when emotions take over and you just can’t hold them back," Underwood explains of her single "Cry Pretty," a song about letting your emotions take over. The country star channeled real pain into the track: After releasing the tune in the spring of 2018, she shared that she had suffered numerous miscarriages while creating her Cry Pretty album.
- 7
"Blown Away"
From: 'Blown Away' (2012)Underwood again showed a reach beyond the usual subject matter of country radio with "Blown Away," the second single and title track from her fourth album. The song describes an abused daughter of an alcoholic taking revenge by not helping him to safety when a tornado comes, essentially ending his life. The song reached No. 2 in the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and earned Underwood two Grammys for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance.
- 6
"I Told You So"
From: 'Carnival Ride' (2007)Underwood's solo remake was impressive enough, but this Grammy-winning duet with the man who wrote and originally sang it made four words that usually come off nasty sound sweeter than ever. By far the most traditional-leaning of all of Underwood's hits, this No. 2 single came about after she and Randy Travis -- who originally recorded the classic -- sang it together on Idol in 2009. Their duet is a testament to the lasting power of the song.
- 5
"Cowboy Casanova"
From: 'Play On' (2009)Rather than plotting revenge, Underwood's on a mission to keep other unsuspecting cowgirls from experiencing "candy-coated misery" with this track, which is another in a line of done-me-wrong songs in her catalog. "Cowboy Casanova" reached No. 1, and earned Underwood a CMT Music Award for Video of the Year, as well as a nomination for ACM's Song of the Year.
- 4
"Mama's Song"
From: 'Play On' (2009)The father-daughter dance is a wedding tradition, and this lovely ballad from grateful daughter to concerned mother could become traditional, too. One of Underwood's earliest shots at songwriting, the song inspires mixed reactions -- some find it a touching song from a loving daughter to a concerned mother, while others find it far too syrupy. But it still holds a special place in Underwood's catalog, and qualifies as one of the Top 10 Carrie Underwood Songs.
- 3
"Temporary Home"
From: 'Play On' (2009)In a series of heartbreaking but ultimately redemptive vignettes, Underwood offers a lifetime of valuable lessons in a little over four minutes. Quite simply one of her most soul-stirring performances.Co-written by Underwood, she was inspired by Rick Warren's book The Purpose-Driven Life. The song was another No. 1 hit for the singer.
- 2
"Before He Cheats"
From: 'Some Hearts' (2005)This song helped change Underwood's image, as her character smashes up a truck belonging to a boyfriend who has transgressed. Courtroom TV shows were made for loose cannons like the bat-wielding character Underwood portrays here. Sounding fearless and no doubt looking flawless, we love her take-no-prisoners attitude. We just don't want to meet up with her in a dark alley!
- 1
"Jesus, Take the Wheel"
From: 'Some Hearts' (2005)Inspiring and inspired, this divine performance turned a reality-show winner into a bona fide superstar. It also delivered a potent message about second chances. The second single from Underwood's debut album demonstrated that she was a genuine talent capable of delivering material of substance, and scored her first No. 1 country hit. It more than deserves to top any list of the Top 10 Carrie Underwood Songs