Carrie Underwood Scores History-Making Top 40 Country Debut!

from http://magazine.angrycountry.com/article.php?story=20051028151728470

Carrie Underwood makes history this week as “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” the first new single from her debut album, rockets onto the radio airwaves and the country charts.

“Jesus, Take the Wheel” received so much airplay in its first week of release that it debuts at #39 this week on both the Billboard and Radio & Records country singles charts. This marks the first time a newcomer has debuted inside the Top 40 since the start of BDS audience monitoring in 1990.

The chart rankings only begin to tell the 2005 American Idol winner’s out-of-the-box success story. Carrie’s recording gave her the biggest first-week numbers of any new artist this year, as her song was added to the playlists of more than 70 reporting stations-more than double that of any other song this week and a figure so high that only five mega-stars (Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Gretchen Wilson and Toby Keith) have posted better first-week numbers this year.



The newcomer couldn’t be more thrilled by her reception at country radio. “Everybody keeps throwing numbers at me,” she observes. “I don’t know what they mean, but everybody seems pleased, so I am, too!” Throughout the Idol competition that propelled Carrie into the spotlight this spring, she made it clear to producers and viewers that she’s a country music fan and singer. “Every chance I got I wanted to do country music because everybody kept telling us to be ourselves…and that’s the music I love.”



Carrie’s welcome from country radio extends far and wide. In the coming weeks, she’ll be showcased in interviews on hundreds of stations via many syndicated radio shows, an album premiere special (hosted by Carrie) and specially created satellite radio programming…proof that radio programmers at every level are jumping at the chance to introduce Carrie and her music to their listeners.

Carrie’s debut album, Some Hearts-featuring “Jesus, Take the Wheel” (19 Recording/Arista) -arrives in stores November 15, 2005.