These 10 Carrie Underwood Duets Prove Why Everyone Loves Collaborating With Her

With the nine studio albums, about 70 million records sold, eight Grammy awards and countless other accolades and achievements, Carrie Underwood is one of the most successful artists in country music. She has been consistently releasing music since her win on American Idol in 2005, and some of that music has included star-studded duets with top artists.

Earlier this year, Underwood told Country Countdown USA that she fields duet requests on a weekly basis, leaving the "Cry Pretty" singer with some tough decisions.

"We get requests every week, and it has to make sense. Musically it has to make sense," Underwood said. "Timing is important.  Sometimes I don't get why they would ask me.  I don't make any sense with that person.  But it's all good.  I feel like it's a compliment."

It's no surprise that so many artists want to collaborate with the vocal powerhouse. She's collaborated with fellow country stars including Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley and more, but her collaborations have also gone beyond the sphere of country music, including songs with John Legend and Tony Bennett. Here are 10 of Carrie Underwood's best duets yet.

10. "The Champion" with Ludacris (Cry Pretty, 2018)

Underwood teamed up with rapper Ludacris for an electric song called "The Champion" in 2018. The song was originally recorded for Super Bowl LII, but it also made an appearance on the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. In the song, Underwood sings about being a champion and overcoming various obstacles in life. The tune can be related to athletes who complete unbelievable physical feats, but the song can also be used to describe other obstacles in life. The music video gives nods to social movements such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Me Too Movement. The song is upbeat and motivational, and Ludacris adds even more energy to the track with a rap verse.

Listen here.

9. "Only Us" with Dan + Shay (Dear Evan Hansen, 2021)

In 2021, Underwood joined Dan + Shay for a collaboration, but this one wasn't for release to country radio and it didn't appear on an album for either act. Instead, they recorded a rendition of "Only Us" from the Tony-award winning Dear Evan Hansen for the film version of the musical. The song is an epic, soaring tune, and Underwood and Dan + Shay's voices meld perfectly on the track. The rendition also features a country flair with hints of banjo and guitar.

Listen here.

8. "It Had to be You" with Tony Bennett (Duets II, 2011)

Underwood has collaborated with plenty of legendary artists including Randy Travis, Aerosmith and more, and in 2011 she added another name to that list with Tony Bennett. The iconic big band and jazz singer recruited Underwood for his Duets II album released in September of 2011, and the two sang the classic love song, "It Had to be You." Bennett and Underwood trade vocals as they sing the timeless love song, and classic jazz piano and strings surround them in the production.

Listen here.

7. "Great is Thy Faithfulness" with CeCe Winans (My Savior, 2021)

Carrie Underwood demonstrated her Christian faith with the release of her album, My Savior, in 2021, and she invited famed gospel singer CeCe Winans to collaborate one of the album's most powerful hymns. The two came together for "Great is Thy Faithfulness," a classic hymn first written as a poem in 1923. The rendition showcases the vocal prowess of both Underwood and Winans, and their voices blend together seamlessly as piano and string instrumentation swirls around them.

Listen here.

6. "The Fighter" with Keith Urban (Ripcord, 2017)

Keith Urban has collaborated with many of his fellow country stars including Miranda Lambert and Eric Church, but he didn't duet with Underwood until 2017's "The Fighter." In this pop-influenced tune, Urban and Underwood sing from the perspective of a couple fighting to keep their relationship afloat. The song is generally positive, as they sing about wanting to keep their love intact, and it features energetic production with dance-style beats, electric guitar and other elements.

Listen here.

 

5. "If I Didn't Love You" with Jason Aldean (Macon, 2021)

Underwood has spread her wings and collaborated with artists outside of the country genre, but she has also recorded duets with some of country music's other stars. In 2021 she teamed up with Jason Aldean for a duet called "If I Didn't Love You." The song was somewhat of a return to mainstream country radio for Underwood, as she had spent the previous few years working on her Christmas album, My Gift, and her Christian album, My Savior. Underwood returned to country radio with a bang, and this song topped the charts for both artists.

Listen here.

 

4. "Hallelujah" with John Legend (My Gift, 2020)

One of Carrie Underwood's most beautiful duets was released in 2020 on her Christmas album, My Gift. The song is called "Hallelujah" and it was written by John Legend and songwriter Toby Gad. The songwriters sent the song to Underwood as she was producing My Gift, and she said the song felt like a "puzzle piece" to the album. Underwood invited Legend to sing with her on the tune, and the results are stunning. The piano-led song features the soaring vocals of both artists as they offer up a prayer for peace and harmony. The song doesn't feel commercial like other Christmas songs, but rather, it's a deeply spiritual tune that embodies what the Christmas spirit is about at the core.

Listen here.

 

3. "Remind Me" with Brad Paisley (This Is Country Music, 2011)

Possibly one of Underwood's most memorable duets with released in 2011 with Brad Paisley. The tune, "Remind Me," appeared on Paisley's This Is Country Music album, and it finds the singers playing the parts of two lovers who have drifted apart. Underwood and Paisley make a convincing couple while singing the passionate song, and they go back and forth within the tune, singing about how they need to be "reminded" of their love. The song was incredibly successful for both parties, landing at No. 1 and earning 2x Platinum status.

Listen here.

2. "Somethin' Bad" with Miranda Lambert (Platinum, 2014)

Underwood has a knack for singing a range of songs — from sweet and sentimental, to fiery and sassy — and 2014's "Somethin' Bad" falls into the latter category. In this tune, Underwood teams up with Miranda Lambert, who knows a thing or two about bold tunes. The song finds the women singing a sort of "Thelma and Louise" story about two girls who skipped town and went down to  New Orleans where "Somethin' Bad" is surely about to happen. The song brought together two of the top female artists in the genre and it became a hit for both of them.

Listen here.

1. "I Told You So" with Randy Travis (Greatest Hits: Decade Number 1, 2014)

Underwood has long had a passion for older country music, and for her 2007 album, Carnival Ride, she covered a classic Randy Travis tune called "I Told You So." The track found Underwood singing solo (with Vince Gill on background vocals), but in 2014, she recorded a very special duet version of the song with Travis, himself. The rendition appears on her Greatest Hits: Decade Number 1 album. In this version, Underwood kicks off the song by singing the first verse and Travis joins in the second. The two then sing harmony with one another throughout the rest of the country heartbreak tune.

Listen here.

READ MORE: 'Hallelujah': The Story Behind Carrie Underwood + John Legend's Holiday Duet