Billboard.com American Idol's All-Time Top 24

[Naco1776]

2
Carrie Underwood

Album Sales: 12,472,000
Track Sales: 18,933,000
Radio Plays: 3,331,000
YouTube Plays: 137,804,154

As the first country singer to win "American Idol," Carrie Underwood leads the show's graduates with U.S. album sales of 12.4 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Her third release, 2009's "Play On," showed off a more mature side to the 27-year-old and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. In 2011, Underwood hit No. 1 on the Country charts for the eleventh time with "Remind Me," a duet with Brad Paisley, and made her silver screen debut in the film "Soul Surfer." Just last week, Underwood released "Good Girl," the first single off her upcoming fourth album, due May 1.

Music News, Reviews, Articles, Information, News Online & Free Music | Billboard.com

[judes]

I hate when they add youtube plays because some of the high count videos were removed unless youtube keeps count. But I know the original of
Before He Cheats was almost to ten million when they took it off and Carrie and Steven 's had over 4 million

[Gator]

Why do they take Carrie videos off anyway? Do they take down anyone else's.

[judes]

^^ When they switched over to the Official Carrie Underwood channel they claimed copyright infringement and when Vevo started on youtube alot of Carrie's high count videos were removed -and how touring revenues ? - I mean if you are going to select criteria to fav or one or the other the list is useless. You can make any list come out for your fav by what you include. Also Carrie had the Country album of the Decade according to Billboard. How about awards? Kelly also has two years on Carrie and 5 albums out, which makes a big difference I think , you really have to factor everything in. It's not based on who has the best stats but the opinion of who made up the list .

[Gator]

Thanks, Judes. I knew that Carrie's videos would "disappear" off of YT, but had no idea why. I agree, that any list can be skewed based on data collected for a specific purpose. Amazing how well Carrie stacks up to KC, considering the 3 year head start of Kelly.

Billboard seems to do most things to what suits their desired outcome. Didn't they/don't they change the "Billboard award year"?

For once, I wish someone would do an unbiased report which is fair to all.

[maddkat]

^ someone always has an agenda

If they needed to do this article why not wait till the Idol finales and after Carrie's 4th cd had dropped.But the stats do show how amazing Carrie's career has been considering she's in the country realm.

[teesharky]

Yeah Billboard has always favored Kelly over Carrie, you can tell. They scew things to make it look like Kelly is more successful, but they conveniently failed to factor in touring revenue, or the fact that Kelly has been doing this 3 years long then Carrie, and has 5 albums out to Carrie's 3 albums.

Carrie is way ahead of Kelly in touring revenue in the USA and Canada, I believe.

I love both ladies-- and agree Kelly is kicking Carrie's ass internationally as Carrie has yet to even tour overseas. but in the USA, Carrie is definitely ahead.

[kewlie78189]

Carrie is better than kelly..no offence! lol...glad she is up there though

[Ann055]

I think Billboard had already decided Kelly would be ahead of Carrie before the article was written so they wrote it that way...that's ok...with the reviews GG has been getting, Carrie is getting rave reviews and this era is going to be unstoppable!! So let them write what they will...

[sco]

All these articles trying to throw out a bunch of number to prove who is more successful are a little silly. There is no way to make a direct comparison as they didn't start at the same time and they are in different genres. My personal opinion is that I like both Kelly and Carrie, they have both been remarkably successful and should be proud of that. Within their chosen genre Carrie is probably the more successful as she is an undeniable superstar within the country world. Pop tends to sell more overall, especially worldwide, than country but Kelly while she's had her moments isn't what I would consider to be a superstar within that genre.

[pklongbeach]

I think a major show of success is also the media attention as well as endorsements.
And as Carrie is by far the more desired media focal point and has had such major endorsements to put her in primtime television selling Olay and water. I think in the public opinion she is far more successful. Again on a public perception level.

[robinannhunt]

Love these comments. Carrie will always be #1 in our minds.

[yehchern]

well...wait after GG explode this year and crossover..billboard will have no choice but put carrie at no1 next year!

[jptexas]

We all know who the real number one is. If you don't know, just look at the title of this site.

[Mirasa45A]

Yeah Billboard has always favored Kelly over Carrie, you can tell. They scew things to make it look like Kelly is more successful, but they conveniently failed to factor in touring revenue, or the fact that Kelly has been doing this 3 years long then Carrie, and has 5 albums out to Carrie's 3 albums.

Carrie is way ahead of Kelly in touring revenue in the USA and Canada, I believe.

I love both ladies-- and agree Kelly is kicking Carrie's ass internationally as Carrie has yet to even tour overseas. but in the USA, Carrie is definitely ahead.

Do not worry -- Carrie's STATURE is bigger than Kelly in the music industry!!

[LouisaJessie]

Hmm. Interesting. Well, Carrie will always be number one to her fans.

[pgk]

Billboard will always use a selective process to determine who they deem as most successful. As someone else has pointed out and I agree that Billboard who I view as a 'pop' activist has always given Kelly the edge, sometimes coming up with the most mundane criteria, but always one that puts Kelly ahead. Even though their so called method is not scientific, nor objective it still bothers me that such articles are allowed to be published. There doesn't seem to be any quality control, editorial screening, it's just write it and print it. I could accept their rhetoric if just once they would include a disclaimer that states the inequalities between these two artists ie: a 3 year head start, 5 albums to 3, an international career that one pursues and the other does not.. just for starters. Sometimes I swear that Billboard reporting is just more of the 'Enquirer' in disquise.

I should add that I don't mean to insult the Enquirer.

[allamericangirl8]

What's the use of releasing that list except to pit Carrie fans against Kelly fans?

[JB172]

What's the use of releasing that list except to pit Carrie fans against Kelly fans?

That is exactly why all these silly lists are done for.

Then you have the LA Times and their stupid Carrie vs. Taylor poll, which they do all the time because they know it will get people to go to their site to vote. The LA Times could do a " Who has a cuter sneeze Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift"? and people will go vote in it.