NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Superstar Carrie Underwood earns the fastest No. 1 country single of her career — and 2009’s fastest chart-topper by a country female — as “Cowboy Casanova” sprints to the airplay chart summit in 10 weeks.
Underwood, originally from Checotah, will perform and join Brad Paisley for the second year to co-host “The 43rd Annual CMA Awards,” airing live from Nashville at 7 p.m. today on ABC.
Written by Underwood, together with Mike Elizondo and Brett James, “Cowboy Casanova” becomes her 11th No. 1 single and the first smash from her just-released “Play On” album.
The only “American Idol” winner ever to achieve 11 No. 1 hits, Underwood’s collection of chart-toppers began with the instant success of her post-“American Idol” single, “Inside Your Heaven,” which debuted atop Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the summer of 2005. It was the first of five No. 1s to top the BDS or Mediabase charts from her seven times-platinum debut, “Some Hearts,” with the others including the GRAMMY-winning “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and “Before He Cheats,” as well as “Don’t Forget to Remember Me” and “Wasted.”
Earlier this year, the four-time Grammy winner, ACM Entertainer of the Year, and three-time, reigning CMA and ACM Female Vocalist winner became the first country artist in history ever to achieve 10 No. 1 singles on the strength of their first two albums when “I Told You So” became the fifth consecutive chart-topper from Underwood’s “Carnival Ride.” The album’s other No. 1s included “Just a Dream” and three hits Underwood co-wrote: “So Small,” “All-American Girl” and “Last Name.”
In addition to its status as the No. 1 country airplay single in the nation, “Cowboy Casanova” is also the top country video, now No. 1 on CMT’s “Top 20 Countdown” for the fifth consecutive week and scoring its third week atop GAC’s fan-voted countdown.
