Carrie Underwood's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Carrie Underwood.
Carrie Underwood is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame after winning American Idol in 2005. A prominent figure in 21st-century country music, she's known for her powerful vocals and stage presence. Underwood is credited with revitalizing the role of female artists within the genre and maintaining their presence in mainstream music. Her success has solidified her as a leading force in contemporary country music.
May 25, 2005: American Idol Season Four Win
On May 25, 2005, Carrie Underwood was declared the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, marking a significant milestone in her career.
December 2005: Named Oklahoman of the Year
In December 2005, Carrie Underwood was recognized as the Oklahoman of the Year by Oklahoma Today.
2005: Voted "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" by PETA
In 2005, Carrie Underwood was voted "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" by PETA alongside Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
2005: Billboard Music Awards Wins
In 2005, Carrie Underwood won several awards at the Billboard Music Awards, including Top-Selling Hot 100 Song of the Year and Top-Selling Country Single of the Year for "Inside Your Heaven", as well as Country Single Sales Artist of the Year.
2005: American Idol Win
In 2005, Carrie Underwood won the fourth season of American Idol, revitalizing the presence of female country artists in popular culture.
2005: "Inside Your Heaven" and "Some Hearts" Success
In 2005, Carrie Underwood's debut single, "Inside Your Heaven," topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her the first country artist to achieve this. Her debut album, Some Hearts, became the best-selling debut album by a solo female country artist.
2006: Most awarded artist in CMT Music Awards history
After taking home over 20 awards from 2006 to 2019, Underwood became the most awarded artist in the history of the CMT Music Awards.
2006: Award Wins in 2006
In 2006, Carrie Underwood won multiple awards, including Top New Female Vocalist and Single of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, Horizon Award and Female Vocalist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards, and Breakthrough Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year at the CMT Music Awards.
June 2007: Named Sexiest Female Musician by Victoria's Secret
In 2007, Victoria's Secret named Carrie Underwood the Sexiest Female Musician.
2007: Topped Billboard Year-End Charts and Won American Music Awards
At the end of 2007, Carrie Underwood topped five Billboard Year-End charts, including Billboard 200 Artist of the Year and Country Artist of the Year. She also won three American Music Awards: Artist of the Year, Favorite Female Country Artist, and Favorite Country Album for Some Hearts.
2007: Voted "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" by PETA
In 2007, Carrie Underwood was voted "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" by PETA for the second time.
2007: Award Wins in 2007
In 2007, Carrie Underwood won awards such as Album of the Year, Video of the Year, and Female Vocalist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards. She also won Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, and Video Director of the Year at the CMT Awards for "Before He Cheats". Additionally, she won Female Vocalist of the Year and Single Record of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards.
2007: Carnival Ride Album Success
In 2007, Carrie Underwood's album, Carnival Ride, sold over half a million copies in its first week and earned her two Grammy Awards.
2007: Grammy Wins for Some Hearts
In 2007, at the 49th Grammy Awards, Carrie Underwood's album Some Hearts received four nominations, and she won her first two Grammy Awards: Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Jesus, Take the Wheel".
2008: Induction into the Grand Ole Opry
In 2008, Carrie Underwood was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry for her many accomplishments in country music, marking a significant milestone in her career.
2008: Won Female Vocalist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards
In 2008, Carrie Underwood won Female Vocalist of the Year for the 2nd consecutive time at the Academy of Country Music Awards. She also co-hosted the Country Music Association Awards with Brad Paisley for their first year as hosts and won the Female Vocalist of the Year award for the third consecutive year.
2008: Won Female Vocalist of the Year at the European Country Music Association Awards
In 2008, Carrie Underwood won her first international award, which was "Female Vocalist of the Year" at the European Country Music Association Awards.
2008: Grammy Win for "Before He Cheats"
In 2008, at the 50th Grammy Awards, Carrie Underwood won the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Before He Cheats".
May 2009: Forbes reports Underwood's earnings
From May 2009 to May 2010, Carrie Underwood earned over $13 million, as reported by Forbes in 2010, making her the top-earning Idol.
December 2009: Some Hearts named number-one country album of the 2000s
In December 2009, Billboard named Carrie Underwood's album, Some Hearts, the number-one country album of the 2000s. Underwood was also ranked as the top female artist on Billboard's Best Country Artists of the 2000 Decade list, and number 50 on the Artists of the Decade list overall.
December 2009: Harmony Award from the Nashville Symphony Orchestra
In December 2009, Carrie Underwood was awarded the Harmony Award from the Nashville Symphony Orchestra for her achievements in music across many genres.
2009: Co-hosted the CMA Awards and Received Nominations
In 2009, Carrie Underwood co-hosted the CMA Awards with Brad Paisley for their second consecutive year and received two nominations.
2009: Induction into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
In 2009, Carrie Underwood was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, further solidifying her status as a prominent figure in the music industry.
2009: Play On Album Success
In 2009, with the album Play On, Carrie Underwood became the only woman to have eleven consecutive top-two singles and the first since the 1980s to achieve ten number-one songs at country radio.
April 2010: Named Entertainer of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards
In April 2010, Carrie Underwood was named Entertainer of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, making her the first woman to win this award twice. She also received the "ACM Triple Crown Award".
May 2010: Forbes reports Underwood's earnings
From May 2010 to May 2011, Carrie Underwood earned over $20 million, as reported by Forbes in July 2011, being the top-earning American Idol alumnus for the fourth consecutive year.
May 2010: Selected on People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People List
In May 2010, Carrie Underwood was selected for People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People List for the fourth consecutive year. Also in May 2010, Victoria's Secret named Carrie Underwood's legs the Sexiest Legs in Hollywood.
December 3, 2010: Honored as CMT Artist of the Year
On December 3, 2010, Carrie Underwood was honored by the CMT Artists of the Year special as one of the top 5 artists of the year in country music.
December 2010: Play On Tour Ranked Among Top Tours of 2010
In December 2010, Pollstar.com ranked Carrie Underwood's Play On Tour as one of the Top 50 tours of 2010, at number 1 in North America and number 31 worldwide.
2010: Top female country artist
At the turn of the 2010 decade, Billboard named Carrie Underwood the top female country artist and seventh overall country artist, recognizing her dominance in the genre.
January 4, 2011: Named Top-Ranked Female Country Touring Artist of the Year
On January 4, 2011, it was revealed that Carrie Underwood played to over 1 million fans throughout the Play On Tour, resulting in her being named again as the top-ranked female country touring artist of the year.
May 2011: Forbes reports Underwood's earnings
From May 2010 to May 2011, Carrie Underwood earned over $20 million, as reported by Forbes in July 2011, being the top-earning American Idol alumnus for the fourth consecutive year.
May 2011: Honored by the Academy of Country Music at Girls' Night Out
In May 2011, Carrie Underwood was one of the seven women to be honored by the Academy of Country Music at the Girls' Night Out: Superstar Women of Country special. She is the only female artist to win Entertainer of the Year twice.
May 2011: Biggest American Idol Earner
Since May 2011, Carrie Underwood is the Biggest American Idol Earner, considering tour revenues and record sales combined.
June 2011: Rolling Stone ranks Underwood as number 11 Queen of Pop
In June 2011, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Carrie Underwood as the number 11 Queen of Pop, based on criteria from 2009 to 2011.
July 2011: Forbes reports Underwood's earnings
In July 2011, Forbes reported that Carrie Underwood earned over $20 million between May 2010 and May 2011, being the top-earning American Idol alumnus for the fourth consecutive year.
February 2012: Ranked 16th money maker by Billboard
On February 22, 2013, Billboard ranked Carrie Underwood as the 16th money maker for the period from February 2012 to February 2013, earning close to $12 million.
June 2012: Placed on The Celebrity 100 list by Forbes
In June 2013, Forbes placed Carrie Underwood at number 46 on The Celebrity 100 list, reporting that she earned more than $31 million between June 2012 and June 2013.
2012: Forbes reports Underwood's earnings
Carrie Underwood earned $5 million between 2011 and 2012.
2012: The Hockey News: 100 People of Power and Influence in Ice Hockey List
Carrie Underwood was selected by The Hockey News on its annual list of the 100 People of Power and Influence in Ice Hockey. For the 2012 list, Underwood ranked at number 85.
2012: Blown Away Album Success
In 2012, Carrie Underwood achieved the second-best-selling female release with her album Blown Away and won a Grammy Award for it.
2012: Billboard's title
In a 2012 issue, Billboard magazine recognized Carrie Underwood as Country Music's reigning Queen, solidifying her status as a leading figure in the genre.
February 2013: Ranked 16th money maker by Billboard
On February 22, 2013, Billboard ranked Carrie Underwood as the 16th money maker for the period from February 2012 to February 2013, earning close to $12 million.
February 22, 2013: Ranked 16th money maker by Billboard
On February 22, 2013, Billboard ranked Carrie Underwood as the 16th money maker for the period from February 2012 to February 2013, earning close to $12 million.
June 2013: Placed on The Celebrity 100 list by Forbes
In June 2013, Forbes placed Carrie Underwood at number 46 on The Celebrity 100 list, reporting that she earned more than $31 million between June 2012 and June 2013.
2013: Artist Achievement Award at the T.J. Martell Foundation Gala
In 2013, Carrie Underwood received the Artist Achievement Award at the 38th Annual New York Honors Gala held by the T.J. Martell Foundation.
2014: Top-earning American Idol alum
Carrie Underwood has been the top-earning American Idol alum of all time since 2014, highlighting her sustained success in the music industry.
2014: Awards and Recognition in 2014
In 2014, Carrie Underwood received the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award from the Academy of Country Music. She also won the Milestone Award at the Billboard Music Awards. Time listed her as one of the 100 most influential people. Additionally, she won Favorite Female Country Artist at the American Music Awards and was named 2014's top female Christian artist by Billboard.
2014: CRB Artist Humanitarian Award
In 2014, Carrie Underwood was honored by the Country Radio Broadcasters' Board of Directors with the CRB Artist Humanitarian Award at the 2014 Country Radio Seminar.
2014: "Something in the Water" Success
In 2014, Carrie Underwood's compilation album spawned the Grammy-winning crossover single "Something in the Water", achieving commercial success.
2014: Rolling Stone's praise
In 2014, Rolling Stone hailed Carrie Underwood as "the female vocalist of her generation of any genre", highlighting her vocal prowess and impact on the music scene.
2014: Most Influential People List
In 2014, Time listed Carrie Underwood as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
2014: Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2014, Time magazine featured Carrie Underwood in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world, with Brad Paisley acknowledging her accomplishments as a songwriter, trendsetter, and Opry member.
2015: Awards and Recognition in 2015
In 2015, Carrie Underwood won Best Country Solo Performance for "Something in the Water" at the 57th Grammy Awards. She also won Top Christian Song for "Something in the Water" at the Billboard Music Awards and three awards at the CMT Music Awards, including Video of the Year for "Something in the Water". She won her ninth American Music Award in 2015 for Favorite Female Country Artist.
2015: Praise from The Guardian
In 2015, Grady Smith of The Guardian praised Carrie Underwood, recognizing her as the leader of country music.
2015: Billboard's American Idol success story
In 2015, a Billboard article recognized Carrie Underwood as the ultimate Idol success story, acknowledging her significant impact and achievements in the music industry.
2015: Storyteller Album Success
In 2015, with the album Storyteller, Carrie Underwood became the only country artist to have her first five studio albums reach the top two on the US Billboard 200.
2017: Recognition on Billboard's Top 50 Money Makers list
In 2017, Carrie Underwood earned $20 million and was ranked on Billboard's Top 50 Money Makers list.
2017: Induction into Oklahoma Hall of Fame
In 2017, Carrie Underwood was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame for her achievements in music.
2017: Forbes' most successful American Idol winner
In 2017, Forbes declared Carrie Underwood the most successful American Idol winner of all time, highlighting her impressive album sales and revenue generation compared to other contestants.
September 2018: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
In September 2018, Carrie Underwood received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing her numerous achievements in music.
2018: Induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame
In 2018, Carrie Underwood was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing her achievements in music.
2018: Cry Pretty Album Success
In 2018, Carrie Underwood's album Cry Pretty had the largest female album debut and made her the only woman to top the Billboard 200 with four country studio albums.
December 2019: Tribute to Linda Ronstadt at Kennedy Center Honors
In December 2019, Carrie Underwood attended the Kennedy Center Honors and paid tribute to Linda Ronstadt by performing two of her songs.
2019: Most awarded artist in CMT Music Awards history
After taking home over 20 awards from 2006 to 2019, Underwood became the most awarded artist in the history of the CMT Music Awards.
2019: 54th Academy of Country Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards Nominations and Wins
In 2019, Carrie Underwood received a nomination for Female Artist of the Year at the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards and performed "Southbound". She received two more nominations for the Billboard Music Awards, including Top Country Album for Cry Pretty and Top Female Country Artist, winning the latter. She also received nominations for the CMT Music Awards for the videos "Cry Pretty" and "Love Wins", winning both Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year respectively. On June 8, 2019, the music video for "Southbound" premiered on Underwood's YouTube channel.
2021: Latin American Music Awards Performance
In 2021, Carrie Underwood joined David Bisbal for the debut televised performance of "Tears of Gold" at the Latin American Music Awards in Sunrise, Florida, and was nominated for Favorite Video of the Year.
2021: My Savior Gospel Album Grammy Win
In 2021, Carrie Underwood won the Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album with her gospel album My Savior.
November 9, 2022: Country Music Association Awards Nomination
Carrie Underwood received three nominations for the Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year, airing November 9, 2022.
2022: Top female touring artist
In 2022, Pollstar said that Carrie Underwood was among the 15 all-genre top female touring artists of the past four decades, having sold over 4.3 million concert tickets and grossed around $265 million with her headlined tours.
2023: Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers of All Time
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Carrie Underwood at number 158 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time, recognizing her vocal talent and impact on music.
2025: Ranked among the Top 100 Women Artists
Billboard later ranked Carrie Underwood at number 13 on its 2025 "Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century" list.
Mentioned in this timeline
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