Carrie Underwood
Photo: MTV News

Nashville used to be quite the boys club, but these days, ladies like Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift are ruling country music and the mainstream. Underwood, whose Play On debuts at #1 on the Billboard albums chart next week, knows that there are still a few glass ceilings that need to be broken.

"I definitely do see more women in country music and more women doing well," she told CMT. "I think it will be awhile before we get what's coming to us. But it does feel like women have to work a lot harder to keep up with the boys, and I see the tides changing. ... We're going to kick the boys out."

Underwood's brand of sassy country/pop paved the way for other women like Swift and Kellie Pickler to find success on the charts. But Underwood doesn't feel comfortable taking credit for that explosion. She simply thinks that "blondes gotta stick together."

"I really haven't thought about it that much," she said. "I think that's something you might look back on at the end of your career and it might be easier to point out things that you've done. We all have our place. I think everybody in country music right now brings some new element, even if it is another blond girl with a big voice. Whoever it is would bring her stuff to the table, and that's what it's all about. I feel like we're growing an empire."

Underwood is hosting the CMA Awards with fellow country superstar Brad Paisley on Wednesday (November 11).

• Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

Carrie Underwood will score her second #1 debut in a row next week, when her third album, Play On, tops the Billboard 200 chart, thanks to sales of 318,000. While the strong debut was cause for celebration, sales were more than 200,000 below the first week bid for the former "American Idol" champ's smash 2007 Carnival Ride disc, which moved more than 527,000 in its first week.

Regardless, the numbers were more than enough to beat out the #2 album, the soundtrack to "Michael Jackson's This Is It," which will slip from the top perch in its second week thanks to a nearly 50 percent dip to 196,000, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. But the double disc of mostly previously released material from the late pop star has easily crossed the half-million mark in two weeks and is likely to have strong sales thanks to the extension of the theatrical run of the documentary.

The top 10 will get some other fresh blood, including a #3 bow for tenor Andrea Bocelli's My Christmas (149,000) and a #4 debut for the soundtrack to the hit choir competition show "Glee," which moved more than 113,000 copies after dominating the iTunes singles download charts for weeks. Also dropping in are the latest in the hits series Now That's What I Call Music, Vol. 32 at #5 (102,000) and Weezer's Raditude, which lands at #7 (66,000).

The rest of the top 10: Taylor Swift's Fearless (#6, 70,000), Michael Bublé's Crazy Love (#8, 59,000), Sting's If on a Winter's Night (#9, 59,000) and the "New Moon" soundtrack (#10, 52,000).

Just outside the top tier, the Foo Fighters hit #11 with their first greatest-hits compilation (44,000), followed by metal stalwarts Slayer with the cheerily titled World Painted Blood (#12, 41,000). The news was not great for reunited rockers Creed, whose first album in eight years, Full Circle, drops 12 spots to #14 in week two, after sales plummeted 65 percent to 39,000. Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3 has fallen out of the top 10 for the first time since its debut two months ago, dropping to #15 (38,000).

Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas had a decent debut week for his first solo effort, Phrazes for the Young, which comes in at #35 (14,000), two spots ahead of the Live at Reading disc from '90s grunge icons Nirvana (#37, 14,000). After multiple delays, former R&B It Girl Amerie lands softly at #46 with In Love & War (13,000), which puts her just ahead of singer Ryan Leslie, whose Transition musters a #50 bow on sales of 12,000. The second album from Southern California beach-rap bum Shwayze, Let It Beat, drops in at #55 (11,000).

A number of anticipated releases appear to be hitting the skids, including the second album from Black Sabbath-loving Aussies Wolfmother, Cosmic Egg (#62, down 46 spots and 64 percent to 10,000); once-dominant radio titans Train, whose Save Me San Francisco slides more than 50 spots in week two to #70 on sales of 9,000; and R&B crooner Brian McKnight, whose Evolution of a Man nosedives 60-plus spots to #84 in its second week (down 69 percent to 8,000).

Look for debuts next week from Bon Jovi and Britney Spears' greatest-hits album, as well as discs by Flyleaf, a live CD/DVD from the Killers and the latest from Dashboard Confessional.

• Carrie Underwood Performs On 'Good Morning America'

• Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood
Photo: CMT

Carrie Underwood and Kara DioGuardi might not have crossed paths on "American Idol," but the ladies did manage to hook up for a couple of tracks on the country singer's just-released album, Play On. Underwood said working with the outspoken "Idol" judge has helped her embrace her sassy side.

"I love sass," she told CMT. "And this is what I think is great about the whole album. People have so many layers and so many different emotions and feelings, and throughout the album, we tapped into a lot of that."

Underwood hasn't been shy about showing off her feisty side in singles like "Before He Cheats" and "Cowboy Casanova." "We have attitude, and just like everybody else, I'd rather sing attitude than give attitude," she said. "But it's so fun to play a character and play something that you would never really be in real life."

One of the songs she wrote with DioGuardi, "Undo It," shows off Underwood's playful alter ego. "There are definitely certain things in my life that I'm like, 'Did I learn anything from that? No. I'd really just kind of like to erase that one,' " she said about the song. "I think there's definitely things in my life that I'd like to undo, make them go away."

Underwood hadn't met DioGuardi before heading into the studio to work on songs for Play On, but she loved working with her, thanks to the songwriter's strong personality. "It was the first time I had met her. I had seen her on the show and everything and, of course, you know her cred," she said. "It was a lot of fun to have this anthem, girly, very strong, just great writer in the room with you."

• Carrie Underwood Performs On 'Good Morning America'

• Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood
Photo: CMT

Three albums into her career, Carrie Underwood is already a country-music vet, paving the way for ladies like Taylor Swift to find success outside of Nashville. On her latest album, Play On, the "American Idol" alum is proving her songwriting muscle, especially on the sassy first single "Cowboy Casanova."

"I think to every woman, this song would be telling a story about someone they know or met or has tried to pick them up in a bar," she said in an interview with CMT. "There's definitely guys in my past, even if it was a friend's boyfriend or something."

Underwood, who has released her fair share of sassy country/pop hits, insists that her song is in no way bashing the title dude. "We're not trashing this guy; we're just warning these other girls about him. Who knows, maybe now people can listen to this song and better identify these men," she said, jokingly adding, "I'm helping women around the world!"

Although Underwood helped write seven of the 13 songs on the album, working with writers like "Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi and Mike Elizondo (Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg), Underwood would rather a song on her album be good than written by her.

"It's really not that important to me. I love to write, but the best songs win — end of story — whether they're mine or not," she said. "There were a couple where I was like, 'No way' — and they were my own! You'd think I'd be pushing, but I'm not. There are some awesome songwriters out there."

• Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

"American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood kick-started her career on Fox, so it's only fitting that she get her own show on the network this holiday season. The country superstar will host her own special on December 7, tentatively titled "Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special."

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the show will be executive-produced by "Idol" creator Simon Fuller and directed by "So You Think You Can Dance" producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe and his frequent "SYTYCD" cohort, "Hairspray" director Adam Shankman. So far, a handful of guests are already booked, including legend Dolly Parton, country singer Brad Paisley and fellow "Idol" winner David Cook. The show will feature a combination of musical performances and comedy sketches written by veterans from "Seinfeld" and "Frasier."

Underwood isn't the only "Idol" alum to celebrate the holidays on TV this season. Season three vet Jennifer Hudson will host a show called "Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas" for ABC in December. Unlike Underwood's show (which will take a variety show approach), "I'll Be Home for Christmas" will be an autobiographical tour through Hudson's holiday past.

Underwood's third album, Play On, will be released on November 3 and features collaborations with Max Martin, Kara DioGuardi, Our Lady Peace frontman Raine Maida and Josh Kear (who penned Underwood's smash hit "Before He Cheats"). Before the holiday special, she'll appear as the co-host (with Paisley) of the CMA Awards, where she is also nominated for two prizes (for Female Vocalist of the Year — versus Taylor Swift — and for Musical Event of the Year).

• Carrie Underwood

Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood
Photo: Rick Diamond/ Getty Images

The first group of performers for next month's CMA Awards have been announced. Taylor Swift — who is up for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year — will be one of the songstresses gracing the stage at the big country-music awards show.

Carrie Underwood, who is up against Swift in the Female Vocalist of the Year category, will also be performing at the big show, according to People. A slew of other country A-listers have also been lined up to perform, including Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Sugarland, and Hootie & the Blowfish singer Darius Rucker.

In addition to the male-dominated Entertainer of the Year category, Swift will be competing for Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year (for her chart-topping Fearless) and Music Video of the Year (for "Love Story"). The 43rd Annual CMA Awards will air on Wednesday, November 11, at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Swift has already had several memorable awards-show performances this year. At the Grammy Awards, she sang an acoustic version of her song "Fifteen" with her friend Miley Cyrus. At the CMT Awards, Swift, using her rap name, T-Swizzle, and T-Pain rapped about her life in "Thug Story," sang her hit "You Belong With Me," and also accompanied Def Leppard for their classic "Pour Some Sugar on Me." And at the MTV Video Music Awards last month, she emerged from the New York City subway to dance atop taxi cabs, singing her VMA-winning song, "You Belong With Me." This, of course, was after being interrupted onstage by Kanye West while accepting her Best Female Video award.

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Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Kris Allen
Photo: F Micelotta/ Getty Images

Looks like "Idol" fans will have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. In addition to major-label debuts by Kris Allen and Jason Castro hitting shelves in November, Carrie Underwood has now thrown her hat into the November "Idol" album thunderdome.

Underwood's third album, Play On, is scheduled to land first, on November 3. Underwood's camp told USA Today that the album will be produced by Mark Bright, who worked with Carrie on her first two albums.

Carrie will only have a two-week lead on the charts before two high-profile debut albums from "Idol" favorites hit stores. On November 17, recent "Idol" champ Kris Allen will drop his major-label debut, and in an eyebrow-raising move, Atlantic Records has decided to release Jason Castro's first album that day too. (Castro failed to secure a management or record deal with "Idol" 's 19 Entertainment after season seven wrapped but was scooped up by Atlantic earlier this year.)

While Underwood skews country, Kris Allen and Jason Castro share a similar style. Both Allen and Castro overcame limited early exposure in their respective "Idol" seasons to emerge as unlikely competitors. Both became popular for eschewing the expected "big voice and glory note" formula and instead focused on making smart song choices that made the most of their atypical vocal styles. And both have worked with Kara DioGuardi. The "Idol" judge had songwriting sessions with Castro in early 2009, and Kris Allen recorded the DioGuardi-co-penned "No Boundaries," although there's no word as to whether either of these Kara collabos will end up on the final track lists for Allen's and Castro's CDs.

Complicating things further? Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta (who placed second and fourth this past May, respectively) are also set to release their first albums later this year. 19 Entertainment has remained mum about their release dates, yet there are a few clues that might shed some insight. And the forecast is looking crowded.

For example, Adam Lambert recorded a song for the Roland Emmerich film "2012," which hits theaters November 13. (The film is a Columbia Pictures release. Guess which record label Adam Lambert is signed to? RCA, which shares a parent company with Columbia.) It would make sense for RCA to capitalize on Lambert's soundtrack offering by getting his album in stores close to the film's release.

Meanwhile, rocker-grrl Allison Iraheta has said that her debut album will land "November-ish."

That brings the tally up to five potential "Idol" albums all hitting stores in November in the most epic "Idol" sales showdown the show has ever seen.

So while only three of the five albums have confirmed November release dates, and album release dates shift more than the tides (just ask Mariah Carey), one thing's for sure: "Idol" fans should start saving their cash now.

Whose album will you race out to buy? Who will win the November "Idol" sales death match? And have I mentioned that David Archuleta is releasing a Christmas album in October?! Let me know what you think below.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Chris Brown
Photo: Greetsia Tent/ WireImage

Though his career has been overshadowed lately by the alleged assault incident, Chris Brown is back in the studio working on some new music. But forget the old gossip about him recording with ex-girlfriend Rihanna; the newest rumor says Brown is looking to get a little bit country.

E! News reports that the singer is considering the song "Trapped in a Dream" for his next album. And not only is he thinking about using the track, he may even get a country artist into the studio to help him record it.

"Maybe we'll see an appearance from Carrie Underwood or someone like that," said Robert Allen, a writer and producer who is currently working with the singer. "It's that kind of song." Allen further explained that the song is "just feeling like you don't want that dream to go away. Everybody has a dream and you're in it, but you wake up and you're like, 'Oh, my God.' You feel like you're still in that dream."

While the two are busy in the studio, they don't really go into detail about the incident between Brown and Rihanna. "We just focus on music," he said. "We're just happy-go-lucky people who just get into the studio as much as possible."

Recently, Ciara defended her decision to keep her Brown duet, "Turntables," on her latest album, Fantasy Ride. "I wanted to focus on the music and leave it at that, because it's a record that I've had for a while, I love the way it sounds and it's one of my most favorite records on the album," she told MTV News. "And if I alter it, it's not going to sound the same. So for me, really it's nothing more than about the music, so I kept it there."

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Carrie Underwood
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

Former "American Idol" winner and country star Carrie Underwood will come back home for a second time this season on Tuesday, when she performs as part of the show's two-night finale.

A spokesperson for Underwood confirmed that the four-time Grammy winner will appear on "Idol" on to sing this year's farewell song, her countrified cover of Mötley Crüe's iconic 1985 metal ballad, "Home Sweet Home." The season-four winner's performance will come on the night the show's two remaining contestants, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, will face off one more time in a bid to win the season-eight crown.

The farewell song is traditionally performed during finals week. Last year, season-two winner Ruben Studdard returned to sing his cover of Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home," and the year before Chris Daughtry performed the season-six send-off, "Home."

Underwood appeared on "Idol" in March, performing a duet with her country idol, Randy Travis, on his song "I Told You So."

A portion of the sales proceeds of the "Home Sweet Home" digital single will be donated by Underwood, her record company and iTunes to the Humane Society of the United States, earmarked for programs that help companion animals, puppy-mill rescues and spaying and neutering services.

The Wednesday-night finale is expected to feature other musical guests, but at press time, a spokesperson for "Idol" had not returned requests for comment on who those performers might be.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Carrie Underwood at the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ FilmMagic

In what could signal a generational shift in the country music world, an elated Carrie Underwood became the first female since 2000 to win the Entertainer of the Year award on Sunday night at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas.

"I've had a lot of good moments in the last four years. This one takes the cake!" Underwood said, as her voice cracked and she teared up before thrusting the award in the air in celebration and giving a shout-out to hockey-playing boyfriend Mike Fisher. "I don't know what to say! I got nothing."

It was a big night for the former "American Idol" winner, who also repeated last year's win as Top Female Vocalist.

For the second year in a row, the Entertainer honor was determined by a popular vote during the broadcast, unlike past years, when the award was given out to the performer who sold the most concert tickets in the previous 12 months. Underwood wrested the top prize from perennial winner Kenny Chesney — who has taken it home the past four years — and became only the seventh woman to win it since the show launched almost four decades ago. The significance of joining a list of female winners that includes Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks was not lost on the 26-year-old.

"I accepted that award on behalf of myself and my fans, but also on behalf of other women who came before me that kicked butt but never got the recognition they deserved," Underwood said backstage, according to The Associated Press. "I can't wait [for] the day, which I hope is in the very near future, where having females in the category is no big deal whatsoever."

Fellow young country phenomenon Taylor Swift beat out such heavy hitters as George Strait and Montgomery Gentry — not to mention Underwood — for Album of the Year for her smash, Fearless. Swift also performed on the show, playing "You're Not Sorry" after magician David Copperfield conjured her on the stage. Underwood performed "I Told You So," wearing a giant burgundy dress that nearly overwhelmed the stage. Miley Cyrus, another young country star who could be having her day at the ACMs in the future, was there to play her current single, "Climb."

"I think a lot of people who know me know that if I talk to you for more than five minutes, I'm probably going to write a song about you, so, that being said, I'd like to thank all the characters in my songs: Abigail, Hey Stephen, Tim McGraw and Romeo," Swift, 19, said about her autobiographical writing style. "The fact that you can write songs in your bedroom about your feelings and boys, and can win album of the year at the ACMs — I just didn't think that was possible."

Swift, who later said that she had labored obsessively for two years over Fearless, also won an honorary ACM Crystal Milestone Award for helping to bring more young fans to country music.

Other winners included Brad Paisley for Top Male Vocalist; "Dancing with the Stars" winner Julianne Hough, who snagged Best New Artist in a fan-voted category; and Sugarland, who beat out Brooks & Dunn for the Top Vocal Duo award, breaking the team's 14-year stranglehold on the category. Rascal Flatts — who were covered by Danny Gokey on "American Idol" last week — won Top Vocal Group and the Zac Brown Band took the Top New Vocal Duo or Group award.

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Carrie Underwood Performs On 'Good Morning America'

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