We all know Carrie Underwood for her powerhouse vocals. After all, her talent was revealed to the world when she competed and won a little singing competition known as American Idol. And in the beginning of her career she concentrated on being a vocalist. But did you know she can also write?  Check out 20 amazing hit songs written by Carrie Underwood.

Today, Underwood is an award winning singer/songwriter and world class performer. Her live shows are legendary, and her songwriting is exceptional. The artist who won America’s heart in 2005 went on to win 7 Grammy Awards. She’s a world renowned vocalist, performer and songwriter. In fact, some of my favorite Carrie songs are one’s she’s written. There’s “Smoke Break,” “Love Wins” and so many more! So let’s celebrate  Carrie Underwood’s accomplishments as a songwriter, by taking a look at some of the biggest hit songs that she wrote or co-wrote.

Here are 20 amazing hit songs written by Carrie Underwood.

• 1. All American Girl

  All American Girl is the second single from Carrie’s second album, Carnival. Carrie co-wrote this 2008 #1 hit with , Ashley Gorley and Kelley Lovelace.

• 2. The Champion

  The CMT 2018 Female Video of the Year Award winner for Carrie Underwood, featuring rapper Ludacris. “The Champion” was actually recorded for NBC Sports’ broadcast of Super Bowl LII. It also was a bonus track on Carrie’s Cry Pretty album. Carrie wrote this hit with Ludacris and Brett James and Chris DeStafano. 

• 3. Cowboy Casanova

  This 2009 #1 sassy single earned Carrie the Single of the Year at the 1st American Country Awards. It was the fastest rising single of 2009. Carrie wrote this gem with Brett James and Mike Elizondo.

• 4. Cry Pretty

  Stoughton, Massachusetts native Lori McKenna co-wrote this sweeping ballad with Carrie and hit songwriters Hillary Lindsey and Liz Rose. The 2018 Billboard winner for Best Country Song of 2018 served as the lead single and title track to Carrie’s Cry Pretty album.

• 5. Drinking Alone

  Carrie picked up the 2020 CMT Video of the Year for “Drinking Alone.” She co-wrote the top 11 hit with Brett James and her co-producer David Garcia. 

• 6. Good Girl

  From her 2012 album, Blown Away, Carrie co-wrote “Good Girl” with frequent collaborators Chris DeStefano and Ashley Gorley. This became Carrie’s 12th #1 hit. 

• 7. Heartbeat

  Carrie wrote this one with Ashley Gorley and the song’s producer Zach Crowell. Sam Hunt provide backing vocals on “Heartbeat.” It went #1 in 2016 which was  her 14th trip to the top, at the time.

• 8. Last Name

  “Last Name” earned quite a name when in it was won for Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 51st Grammy Awards. It was the 3rd consecutive time Carrie had won in this category. She co-wrote this #1 with Hillary Lindsey and Luke Laird. 

• 9. Little Toy Guns

  Carrie collaborated in writing this 2015 #2 hit with Hillary Lindsey, Chris DeStefano and producer Mark Bright. A powerful story song that touches on the subject of domestic violence. A child overhears her parents fighting and seeks to escape the pain of their relationship.

• 10. Love Wins

  Such a positive message song. Carrie told Rolling Stone, “I do think that we as humans are inherently good and we need to remember that. Because we’re different, that doesn’t make somebody else bad, it just makes us different. We wanted that song to be hopeful and to maybe make somebody stop and think about that.” Released in the summer of 2018 “Love Wins” became a top 10 hit.

• 11. Mama's Song

  Carrie wrote “Mama’s Song” with former American Idol judge and hit songwriter Kara DioGuardi and Marti Frederiksen and Luke Laird. It went top 2 in 2019 and it’s video features Carrie’s mother. The song has Carrie telling her mom to let her go and not worry about her, as she spreads her wings to fly and begin her life as a wife to a man she loves.

• 12. See You Again

   

  “See You Again” was written by Underwood, Hillary Lindsey and David Hodge. It’s a song that serves as a source of comfort for those losing a loved one. The song became Carrie’s 18th consecutive top 10 single.

• 13. Smoke Break

  “Smoke Break” was the lead single for Underwood’s “Storyteller” album. Another collab with Chris DeStefanfo and Hillary Lindsey. The top 2 hit about the need to take a break from everything, every once in a while. It set a record for the largest first week adds at country radio. It’s a personal favorite of mine as it highlights Carrie’s bluesy side.

• 14. So Small

  Fun fact:  In 2007 “So Small”  debuted at number 20 on the Billboard Hot country songs chart and became the highest chart entry by a solo country female artist in 43 years. Underwood co-wrote the #1 hit with Hillary Lindsey and Luke Laird.

• 15. Something In The Water

  The 2015 Grammy Award winner for Best Country Solo performance was written by Carrie, Chris DeStefano, Brett James and Mark Bright. In it’s first week on radio, it set and broke multiple records. It was a crossover success, too going #1 on the Christian Chart and country chart.

• 16. Southbound

  The 3rd single from her Cry Pretty album, was Underwood’s first summer jam. In 2019 it became Carrie’s 28th top 10. She wrote this one with David Garcia and Josh Miller.

• 17. Temporary Home

  Underwood told Billboard that “Temporary Home” was  inspired by the book The Purpose Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren. He had written that the world we live in is really a “temporary home.” It’s not the end. It went to #1 in 2010.

• 18. Two Black Cadillacs

  Carrie wrote this great story song with Hillary Lindsey and Josh Kear. It tells the story of  two women who discover they are both in a relationship with the same man and come together to kill him. Dark and dramatic to say the least. It became a top 2 hit in 2013.

• 19. Undo It

  When talking about “Undo It” Underwood told The Boot  “It was something that it didn’t take that long to write and it’s so much fun to sing on stage, and people get into it.” She co-wrote this #1 hit with written by  Kara DioGuardi, Marit Freeriksen and Luke Laird. It won a songwriting awardin 20111 at the BMI Awards.

   

• 20. Hate My Heart

  This is a recent Carrie release. She enlisted the talents of Hardy to co-write “Hate My Heart,” along with Hillary Lindsey and David Garcia. This is the second single from her Denim & Rhinestone album.  

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