“Before He Cheats” achieves 7x Platinum status
Carrie Underwood has added two new career milestones with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) 9x Platinum certification of her 2005 debut album, Some Hearts, and the 7x Platinum certification of her global smash hit single from that album, “Before He Cheats.” The superstar was surprised with plaques to commemorate the certifications by Jackie Jones, RIAA Vice President, Artist & Industry Relations at her October 23rd performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
Underwood has sold more than 66 million records worldwide, recorded 28 No. 1 singles (14 of which she co-wrote), and has seven albums that are certified Platinum or multi-Platinum by the RIAA. In just over 15 years, she has already skyrocketed to the top of Gold and Platinum history with over 70 million certifications.
Additionally, Underwood continues her reign as the No. 1 certified country female artist in music history for digital singles. Some Hearts, which was released by Arista Nashville in 2005 and produced by Mark Bright and Dan Huff, is the sixth, and most recent, country album to achieve 9x Platinum. Underwood now joins Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift as the only three country artists to release and certify an album that high in the past 16 years.
“Before He Cheats,” written by Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins, is the 11th, and most recent, country song to achieve 7x Platinum. Most recently, five singles from Cry Pretty have been certified by the RIAA, including the Platinum-certified singles “The Champion featuring Ludacris” and “Southbound” and the Gold-certified “Cry Pretty,” “Love Wins,” and “Drinking Alone.” All nine of her consecutive album releases (two of which she co-produced) from the beginning of her career debuted No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart, making her the only artist to accomplish that feat.
The news follows the announcement that her duet with Jason Aldean, “If I Didn’t Love You,” is currently No. 1 at country radio which also follows the recent collab with Dan + Shay on “Only Us” from the Dear Evan Hansen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
Underwood’s ninth album, My Savior, was released in March, featuring the beloved gospel hymns she grew up singing in church, which she co-produced with a multi-platinum selling, four-time GRAMMY Award-winning record producer and songwriter David Garcia. Her Christmas album, My Gift (Special Edition), was released September 24th, featuring three additional tracks, and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s first Top Holiday Albums chart of this holiday season. HBO Max is currently streaming My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood, which premiered in December 2020, a musical holiday special, with Underwood performing songs from My Gift with a full orchestra and choir, becoming an instant holiday classic.
