Carrie Underwood's "Play On" More Carrie, Less Everybody Else

Multi-platinum selling country artist Carrie Underwood, winner of American Idol Season 4, released her third studio album, "Play On," Tuesday. The 26-year-old Oklahoma native told The Boot that she got to write a lot more on this album ended up as the co-writer of seven of the thirteen tracks chosen for the album. So, even with all the albums sold, all the singles that have gone to number one, and all the awards and accolades, "Play On" will be Carrie Underwood's album.

"You can definitely hear [me as] a person in there in the songs," she told The Boot. "So it's really nice to be able to scratch the surface and to be able to open myself up a little more."

She co-wrote only one song on her debut album, "Some Hearts." That song, "I Ain't In Checotah Anymore," was an ode to her hometown and one of fourteen tracks. It was not released as a single. But her sophomore effort, "Carnival Ride," had four Carrie Underwood-penned (co-written) songs out of thirteen. This time, three of those she helped write were released as singles. All three -- "So Small," "All-American Girl," and "Last Name" -- went to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Songs chart. Four of the five singles from "Carnival Ride" were certified gold (500,000 in sales) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with "All-American Girl" going platinum (1 million sales).

Her first "Play On" single, "Cowboy Casanova," is one of her songs. It has jumped into the Top 5 on the Billboard Country Songs chart and peaked at #11 on the Hot 100 Pop Singles chart.

Carrie Underwood holds the current record for bestselling country debut album by a female artist. "Some Hearts" has sold nearly 7 million copies to date. (For those who are wondering, Billy Ray Cyrus holds the male country artist record at 20 million. He and Garth Brooks are currently vying for the American sales title at 10 million.)

Carrie Underwood will co-host the CMA Awards with Brad Paisley for the second year in a row on November 11. Later on in the month, she will host her own music special. Dolly Parton will appear as well as American Idol Season 8 winner David Cook.

According to RIAA data, Carrie Underwood is roughly 550,000 albums behind Kelly Clarkson, the American Idol Season 1 winner, in total album sales in the United States. Kelly Clarkson's latest album, "All I Ever Wanted," has done well, closing in on 1 million sales, and she has a new single, "Already Gone," that has just cracked the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Still, given Carrie Underwood's track record, she will probably overtake Kelly Clarkson and become the No. 1 selling American Idol alumnus.

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Sources:

Billboard.com
TheBoot.com
RIAA.com