<P> In the summer of 2004, Underwood auditioned for American Idol in St. Louis, Missouri, singing Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me". After she sang "Could've Been" by Tiffany on the top 12 girls night, judge Simon Cowell commented that she would be one of the favorites to win the competition . During the top 11 finalists' performance on the March 22, 2005, Idol episode, Underwood sang a rendition of the number - one 1980s rock hit "Alone", made famous by Heart, and Cowell predicted that Underwood would not only win the competition, but she would also outsell all previous Idol winners . One of the show's producers later said she dominated the voting, winning every week handily . She gained a fan base known as "Carrie's Care Bears" during the course of the show . During the final, she sang with Rascal Flatts on "Bless the Broken Road ." On May 25, 2005, Underwood became the season four winner . Her winnings included a recording contract worth at least a million dollars, use of a private jet for a year, and a Ford Mustang convertible . </P> <P> Underwood's music career began with the release of her first single, "Inside Your Heaven", on June 14, 2005 . The song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, with Underwood becoming only the third artist to bow in the top slot since chart policy changed in 1998 . She also broke Billboard chart history as the first country music artist ever to debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and the song became the first song from a country artist to go to No. 1 on the Hot 100 since country group Lonestar's "Amazed" did so in 2000 . "Inside Your Heaven" is the only single by a solo country artist in the decade of 2000 - 2009 to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . It also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Pop 100 and on the Canadian Singles Chart, topping it for seven consecutive weeks, becoming the longest - running single of 2005 in Canada . It sold nearly one million copies and was certified gold by the RIAA and double platinum by the CRIA . </P> <P> Underwood's debut album, Some Hearts, was released on November 15, 2005, entering the Billboard charts with 315,000 copies sold, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 . The large first week sales of Some Hearts made it the biggest debut of any country artist since the advent of the SoundScan system in 1991 . Some Hearts became the best - selling album of 2006 in all genres in the United States . The album was also the best - selling country album of both 2006 and 2007, making Underwood the first female artist in Billboard history to earn back - to - back honors for Top Country Album . Additionally, it was the best - selling female country album of 2005, 2006, and 2007 . Some Hearts has since become the fastest - selling debut country album in the history of the SoundScan era, the best - selling solo female debut album in country music history, the best - selling Country album of the last 14 years, and the best - selling album by an American Idol alumni in the US . The album is certified eight times platinum by the RIAA, the highest album certification of any country artist to emerge since 2000 . </P> <P> The album's second single, "Jesus, Take the Wheel" was released to radio in October and later peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, topping it for six consecutive weeks, and at number twenty on the Hot 100 . The song sold over two million copies and was certified double Platinum by the RIAA . Underwood's third single, "Some Hearts", was also released in October, but exclusively to pop radio . "Don't Forget to Remember Me", her fourth single, also proved successful, reaching No. 2 on the Hot Country Songs chart . Later that autumn, Underwood's third country single, "Before He Cheats", hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs, staying there for five consecutive weeks . The song peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, achieving the slowest climb ever to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the record that was previously held by Creed from July 2000 . In February 2008, when it was certified double Platinum, "Before He Cheats" became the first country song to ever be certified multi-platinum . It has now been certified five times Platinum, selling more than four million copies, and is the fourth best - selling country digital song of all time . On April 11, 2007, Underwood continued her streak of top Country singles with the release of "Wasted", which peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, sold more than one million copies and was certified Platinum by the RIAA . In August 2008, the "Jesus, Take the Wheel" ringtone was reported to have been certified Platinum, making Underwood the first country artist ever to have two songs hit Platinum Mastertone status together with "Before He Cheats", which had been certified earlier in 2007 . Underwood started her first headlined tour, Carrie Underwood: Live 2006, with dates across North America . </P>

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