Maps of Music

Some Hearts (2005)

Where the lyrics of Some Hearts take you, and where it was really made.

Recorded in three months while its singer was on tour, this debut album later reached 10 million copies in worldwide sales.

Key places

Starstruck Studios, Nashville (2005)

Recording site Starstruck Studios — One of the Nashville studios where Some Hearts was recorded. The same studio also handled the album's mixing. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Plant Studios, Sausalito (2005)

Recording site Record Plant — A Sausalito, California studio listed among the places where Some Hearts was recorded. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Electrokitty Recording, Seattle (2005)

Recording site London Bridge Studio — A recording location for Some Hearts in Seattle, Washington. The point is placed at city-center level, not at the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Sound Kitchen, Nashville (2005)

Recording site Sound Kitchen — A Nashville studio where part of Some Hearts was recorded, listed in the album's location notes. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Blackbird Studios, Nashville (2005)

Recording site Blackbird Studio — A Nashville studio where Some Hearts was recorded, named in the album's location notes. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Debut studio album by Carrie Underwood
• Released November 15, 2005 by Arista Nashville
• Country pop album blending contemporary country and pop influences
• Production by Mark Bright and Dann Huff
• Singles: "Jesus, Take the Wheel", "Don't Forget to Remember Me", "Before He Cheats", "Wasted", and the title track
• Certified nine times Platinum by the RIAA

Background

• Recorded shortly after Underwood's win on American Idol
• Marked her move from television fame to mainstream country music
• Co-writer Brett James said the original title of "Jesus, Take the Wheel" was "When Jesus Takes the Wheel"
• Co-writer Chris Tompkins said "Before He Cheats" was written in two hours at his home
• The song was initially meant for Gretchen Wilson's second studio album with a more humorous delivery, until Underwood recorded it
• After her win, Underwood went back to Oklahoma before heading to Los Angeles for the American Idols Live tour rehearsals
• She bought her first home in Franklin, Tennessee in November 2005 and sold it in 2007
• A Billboard article from October 2005 first announced the album name, listing "I Ain't in Checotah Anymore" and "What Else You Got" as tracks
• "What Else You Got" was cut from the finished record

Recording

• Recording took three months while Underwood was touring
• Studios named in the album notes: Starstruck Studios (Nashville), The Plant Studios (Sausalito), Electrokitty Recording (Seattle), The Sound Kitchen (Nashville), and Blackbird Studios (Nashville)
• Mixed at Starstruck Studios in Nashville
• Mastered at MasterMix in Nashville
• During a writing session at Karian Studios, Underwood met writers such as Hillary Lindsey and Rivers Rutherford

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Carrie Marie Underwood, born March 10, 1983, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, is an American singer and songwriter.
• She won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005.
• Her debut single "Inside Your Heaven" debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first country artist to do so.
• Her debut album Some Hearts (2005) became the best-selling debut album by a solo female country artist and won three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist.
• Carnival Ride (2007) sold over 527,000 copies in its first week and won two Grammy Awards.
• Play On (2009) made her the only woman with eleven consecutive top-two singles on the Hot Country Songs chart.
• Blown Away (2012) was among the year's best-selling albums and earned another Grammy.
• Storyteller (2015) made her the only country artist with her first five studio albums reaching the top two on the Billboard 200.
• Cry Pretty (2018) debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 and made her the first woman to top the chart with four country albums.
• She has won eight Grammy Awards and is the most-awarded artist in CMT Music Awards history.
• She was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2008 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.
• Underwood is a judge on American Idol since 2025.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics gave the album mixed reviews, mostly criticizing the slick production and lyrical content
• About.com (Penny Rondinella): positive review, 4.5 out of 5 stars
• AllMusic: 4 out of 5 stars, classified the album as "anthemic country pop" suited to country and adult contemporary radio
• USA Today: said Underwood understands the difference between vocal pyrotechnics and genuine interpretation, and noted a refreshing genuineness and maturity
• Slant Magazine: criticized the album for lacking originality, arguing that many songs imitate other country artists
• Digital Spy: described the album as equal parts soft rock and country, and the songs as a bit old-fashioned
• Entertainment Weekly (Chris Willman): said the best songs on the slick debut did not stack up against the worst on rival albums

Reappraisal

• Remains the best-selling debut album by a solo female country artist
• Counted among the most successful country albums of the 2000s

Records

• Debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, behind Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor
• Number one on the Top Country Albums chart
• First-week sales of 315,000 copies, the biggest debut by a country artist since SoundScan began in 1991
• Best-selling album of 2006 in all genres in the United States
• Best-selling country album in the United States in both 2006 and 2007
• 137 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200
• Over 7,450,000 copies sold in the United States as of December 2015
• Certified nine times Platinum by the RIAA
• Album of the Year at the 2007 Academy of Country Music Awards
• Underwood won the 2007 Grammy Award for Best New Artist

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album was recorded shortly after Underwood's American Idol win, at the point she was moving from television fame into mainstream country music.
• A Billboard article from October 2005 first announced the title and listed "I Ain't in Checotah Anymore" and "What Else You Got", and the latter was cut from the final record.
• "Inside Your Heaven", Underwood's American Idol winning single, is included on the album as a bonus track.
• In Brazil, "Before He Cheats" made Underwood famous, and its music video reached 4th place on the TVZ Top 20 on Multishow in 2007.
• To promote the album, Underwood went on her first solo tour, Carrie Underwood: Live 2006, which ran from April 4 to November 30, 2006.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

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