Carrie Underwood Makes History as the Most RIAA-Certified Female Country Artist of All Time
“I owe everything to the fans…”
Photo Courtesy of Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood has made history as the highest RIAA Certified female country artist of all time.
The eight-time GRAMMY winner claims the title with over 95 million units, including (22.5 million albums and 72.5 million singles, in the US alone across solo titles and collaborations.
To celebrate this incredible milestone, Carrie Underwood was presented with a plaque by MCA executives Robert Femia (COO & EVP, Business & Legal Affairs), Jackie Jones (SVP, Artist & Industry Relations, RIAA), Mike Harris (President & CEO), Katie McCartney (EVP / General Manager), and Stephanie Wright (EVP / Head of A&R) following her Grand Ole Opry performance last week.
The American Idol alum and current Idol judge says she owes it all to her fans.
“Accomplishments like this are more than I would have ever dared to dream of when I was starting out,” she shared in a statement. “I owe everything to the fans, who have literally voted for me from the beginning of my career and have showed up and given me so much love for over 20 years. I feel truly blessed.”
“This monumental achievement solidifies Carrie Underwood’s legacy as a generational talent and a true titan of the music industry. Becoming the highest RIAA certified female country artist of all time is a testament to the unparalleled connection Carrie shares with fans and the enduring power of her artistry,” Mike Harris (President & CEO, MCA) added.
Underwood’s top RIAA certifications include her 9x Platinum debut album Some Hearts and hit singles “Before He Cheats” (11x Platinum), “Blown Away” (5x Platinum), “Cowboy Casanova” (4x Platinum), “All-American Girl” (3x Platinum), and “Church Bells” (3x Platinum). She’s also earned several Platinum and multi-Platinum collaborations, including her most recent, “I’m Gonna Love You” with Cody Johnson (Platinum).
Additionally, her original holiday song “Favorite Time of Year,” featured on her 2021 holiday album My Gift (Special Edition), has been certified Gold.
Throughout her career, Underwood has won over 100 major awards. In addition to her eight GRAMMYs, she also has 16 ACM Awards including three for Entertainer of the Year, 25 CMT Music Awards, 17 American Music Awards, 10 People’s Choice Awards, and 7 CMA Awards.
She’s taken 29 singles to the top of the charts and all 10 of her albums have debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.
Underwood’s latest album, Denim & Rhinestones, was released in 2022. Fans can catch her as a judge on the upcoming season of American Idol, debuting in January on ABC.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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