Carrie Underwood is one of most famous singers in modern country music. She won the 4th season of American Idol, which showcased her talents and exposed her to fans outside the country music world. She's been plugging away ever since, creating three chart-topping albums and appearing in TV shows like How I Met Your Mother. Along the way, she's won a ton of awards, including several Grammys, to PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian of the Year and Victoria's Secret's Best Legs, which had been previously won by such luminaries as former Secretary of State Madeline Albright.
As a guy who favors the driftersconvicts school of grizzled country music, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like Carrie Underwood's stuff. She's got a very contemporary pop sound to her music, and her songs are energetic and empassioned, which doesn't mesh so well with my perpetual hangover. But after watching her videos and her concert performances, I gotta say that I find her music charming. "Cowboy Casanova" is a sexy song paired to a sexier video, while "Just a Dream" is a solid tearjerker about a woman who loses her soldier to the war. She's about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face, but it's hard to ignore her fire. Give her a listen.
American Idol
As of right now, Underwood has only released three albums: Some Heart, Carnival Ride and Play On, so you can complete your collection pretty easily. She does great up-tempo music and will help set you up for a fun night out on the town. Popular singles include "All American Girl," "Cowboy Casanova," "Wasted," and "Jesus Take the Wheel." She also recorded a gospel album and a Christmas album.
