When you think of Carrie Underwood, the first thing that hits you is that voice. It’s a literal powerhouse, the kind that can rattle the rafters of a stadium and then drop to a whisper without breaking a sweat. Because she came off American Idol—a show basically built on people covering other people’s hits—there’s been this lingering, kinda annoying assumption that she’s just an "interpreter." You know the trope: the "Idol" winner who just shows up, sings the pretty notes, and leaves the heavy lifting to the Nashville machine.
But if you actually look at the liner notes, that narrative falls apart pretty fast.
Honestly, the answer to does Carrie Underwood write her own songs isn't a simple yes or no. It’s more of a "yes, and she’s actually really good at it." While she didn’t pen her massive breakout hits like "Jesus, Take the Wheel" or "Before He Cheats," she has spent the last two decades morphing into one of the most consistent co-writers in country music.
The Evolution of a Nashville Songwriter
In the beginning, Carrie was mostly the "decoration," to use her own words. On her debut album, Some Hearts, she didn't have much of a hand in the writing process. That makes sense. She was a kid from Oklahoma who had just been thrust into a global spotlight. You don't usually walk off a reality show stage and start telling seasoned Nashville vets how to bridge a chorus.
Things changed with her second album, Carnival Ride. She went on a songwriting retreat at the Ryman Auditorium—yes, the mother church of country music—and started getting her hands dirty. She co-wrote hits like "So Small" and "Last Name," proving she wasn't just a voice. She had stories.
By the time Storyteller and Cry Pretty rolled around, Carrie was co-writing the vast majority of her tracks. On Cry Pretty, she even took on a co-producer role. That’s a huge jump from being the girl just singing "Inside Your Heaven" back in 2005.
Breaking Down the Number One Hits
If you’re a numbers person, the stats are actually pretty wild. Out of her nearly 30 number-one singles, Carrie has co-written about half of them.
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Think about that.
Fourteen or fifteen of the most played songs on country radio over the last twenty years came from her own brain, alongside her collaborators. We aren't just talking about album fillers here. We're talking about the big ones:
- "Undo It": That stomping, catchy-as-hell anthem? She wrote that with Kara DioGuardi, Marti Frederiksen, and Luke Laird.
- "Cowboy Casanova": Another massive hit she helped pen.
- "Temporary Home": This one is deeply personal, inspired by Pastor Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life. She’s gone on record saying this is one of the most important songs she’s ever been a part of.
- "Something in the Water": A Grammy-winning spiritual powerhouse that she co-wrote with Brett James and Chris DeStefano.
How the "Carrie Underwood Songwriting Process" Actually Works
Nashville is a town built on the "co-write." It’s rare to find a solo-written hit these days because the industry believes three heads are better than one. Carrie usually works with a "varsity squad" of writers like Hillary Lindsey, Josh Kear, and David Garcia.
She’s often the one bringing the "female perspective" to the room. In an interview with W5, she mentioned how she can tell when a song was written by a man trying to guess how a woman thinks. She’s famously picky about lyrics sounding authentic to her voice. If a line feels "off" or like something she wouldn't actually say, she changes it.
Gordie Sampson, a legendary songwriter who worked with her on "Jesus, Take the Wheel" (which he wrote) and "Just a Dream," has praised her ability to get inside a character's head. Even when she isn't the primary writer, she’s an editor. She’s the final architect of the song's soul.
The Songs She Didn't Write (And Why It Doesn't Matter)
Let’s be real: some of her most iconic moments were written by others.
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"Before He Cheats" was written by Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear. "Blown Away" was the work of Kear and Chris DeStefano.
Does that take away from her artistry? Not really. In country music, being a great "song hunter" is just as important as being a great writer. George Strait barely writes anything, and he’s the King. Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney—they all rely heavily on the Nashville songwriting community.
Underwood has this uncanny ability to take a demo and make it sound like it was ripped from her own diary. When she sings "Church Bells," you believe she’s that woman in the song. That’s a specific kind of talent that goes beyond just putting pen to paper.
The "Cry Pretty" Turning Point
If you want to see the "writer" version of Carrie Underwood in full bloom, go back and listen to the Cry Pretty album. It was a massive moment for her. She co-wrote 9 out of the 13 tracks.
The title track, "Cry Pretty," is a masterclass in vulnerability. She wrote it with the "Love Junkies"—Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, and Liz Rose. It’s messy, it’s emotional, and it deals with the pressure of having to keep it together when everything is falling apart. You can tell it’s hers. It feels lived-in.
Then you have "The Bullet," a gut-wrenching song about the aftermath of gun violence. While she didn't write that specific one, the fact that she chose to record it—and the way she directed the emotional arc of the album—shows her maturity as an artist who knows how to curate a message.
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What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that Carrie just picks songs from a pile and sings them.
In reality, she’s involved in the "worktape" stage for a huge portion of her catalog. If you look at the Greatest Hits: Decade #1 deluxe edition, she actually included "writing session worktapes" for songs like "So Small" and "Mama's Song." Hearing those raw, early versions gives you a window into how she shapes the melody and the lyrics from scratch.
She isn't just a singer; she’s a storyteller. Whether she’s the one who thought of the hook or the one who refined the bridge, her DNA is all over her music.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Songwriters
If you’re looking to understand Carrie’s musical impact better, or if you’re a songwriter yourself, here are a few things to take away from her career trajectory:
- Check the Credits: Don't just look at the artist's name. Look for names like Hillary Lindsey, Ashley Gorley, or Brett James. You’ll start to see the patterns of who Carrie trusts with her sound.
- Study the "Play On" Era: This was really the sweet spot where she started dominating the charts with songs she actually co-wrote. It’s a great study in commercial country songwriting.
- The Power of Collaboration: Carrie proves that you don't have to do it alone to be "authentic." Writing with people who challenge you—like she did with the Love Junkies—often leads to your best work.
- Listen to the Demos: If you can find her worktapes on streaming services, listen to them. They strip away the big "Carrie Underwood" production and show you the bare bones of the song she helped build.
Carrie Underwood has successfully bridged the gap between being a "vocalist" and a "creator." While she might have started as the girl with the big voice from Oklahoma, she’s earned her seat at the table in the writing rooms of Music Row. So, the next time someone tries to tell you she doesn't write her own stuff, tell them to go check the credits on "Undo It" and get back to you.