| Greatest Hits: Decade #1 | ||||
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| Greatest hits album by | ||||
| Released | December 9, 2014 (2014-12-09) | |||
| Recorded | 2005–2014 | |||
| Genre | Country pop | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | ||||
| Carrie Underwood chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Greatest Hits: Decade Number 1 | ||||
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Greatest Hits: Decade #1 is the firstgreatest hitsdouble album by American singerCarrie Underwood, released on December 9, 2014, byArista Nashville. The release contains every single from Underwood's first fourstudio albums:Some Hearts (2005),Carnival Ride (2007),Play On (2009), andBlown Away (2012), except "Some Hearts" from its album of the same name. Two newly recorded songs were included: "Something in the Water" and "Little Toy Guns". The album also contains four additional tracks.
The compilation debuted at number four on theBillboard 200 and at number one on theTop Country Albums charts, and set several records upon release, including having the biggest sales debut for a hits collection in any genre of music in more than six years and the biggest first-week sales for a female hits album in any genre in over nine years. It went on to become the largest selling greatest hits album of 2015, and has been certified Platinum by theRIAA.
The album's first single, "Something in the Water" won the 2014Grammy Award forBest Country Solo Performance. The following year, "Little Toy Guns" was nominated for the same award.
I can't believe it's been a decade since I auditioned forAmerican Idol. Looking back at the songs I've released over the years lets me relive my amazing journey. Even better I get to include new music for the fans! So much has happened since then. In some ways it feels like it was a million years ago; in some ways it feels like it was just yesterday. I remember as a kid just being so excited whenever someone would come out with a greatest hits because it was all my favorites in one little package. I'm honored that I've had that much love and support over the past 10 years that I get to have one. I'm blessed, and I'm so happy that I still get to do what I love.
On September 26, 2014, during an appearance onThe Today Show, Underwood announced her plans to releaseGreatest Hits: Decade #1 on December 9, 2014, as a celebration of hertenth anniversary of winning the fourth season ofAmerican Idol.[3][4] The same day, she announced the compilation's first single, "Something in the Water".[5][6][7][8][9] About the content of the compilation, Underwood said, "I don't think it would be quite as exciting if I didn't have something new for the album".[2]
The compilation contains 25 tracks in two discs, 19 of which are previously released singles. It comes with two newly recorded songs, "Something in the Water" and "Little Toy Guns". About including "How Great Thou Art" on her collection, Underwood stated the song had taken "on a life of its own", noting that fans frequently told her they loved that performance and revisited it "online all the time". She said this response made it important to include the song on an album, describing the performance as "a really amazing moment" that she and Vince Gill both felt.[2][10][11] It also features four additional tracks, including her previously unreleased, live version of "How Great Thou Art" withVince Gill, a song they performed together for theACM Presents: Girls' Night Out TV concert. The other three additional tracks are songwriting worktape versions of "So Small", "Last Name" and "Mama's Song". On including these, Underwood explained that they were included as an alternative form of "extras", stating that they were recorded on the day the songs were written and describing them as "pretty special".[2]
"Something in the Water" was released as the first single from the compilation, on September 29, 2014.[8][6] The song was written by Underwood along withChris DeStefano andBrett James, and produced by Underwood's longtime producerMark Bright.[3][4] It also has a sample of "Amazing Grace" at the end of the song, sung by Underwood.[12] It became acrossover success, having topped theBillboardHot Country Songs chart for seven weeks and theHot Christian Songs chart for 26 consecutive weeks.[13] It also reached No. 24 on theBillboard Hot 100 chart.[14] On August 10, 2015, "Something in the Water" was certified Platinum byRIAA.[15] At the57th Grammy Awards, the song won the Grammy award forBest Country Solo Performance.[16][17]
In February 2015,"Little Toy Guns" was released as the second single from the compilation.[18] The song was released tocountry radio on February 16, 2015.[19] The track peaked at number six onBillboard'sHot Country Songs, being her 21st top 10 songs from the chart.[20] It also peaked at number two on the Country Airplay Chart and number 47 on the Hot 100.[21][22] On August 10, 2015, it was certified Gold byRIAA.[15] The song was nominated forBest Country Solo Performance at the58th Grammy Awards.[23]
Greatest Hits: Decade Number #1 sold 94,000 copies in its first week,[24][25] debuting at number four on theBillboard 200 and at number one on theTop Country Albums charts.[24][25] It is the biggest sales debut for a hits collection in any genre of music in more than six years, whenFrank Sinatra'sNothing But the Best arrived in May 2008,[26] and the biggest first-week sales for a female hits album in any genre in over nine years, whenReba McEntire'sReba #1's opened in November 2005.[27] Furthermore, it is the biggest debut sales week for a country best-of title sinceToby Keith's35 Biggest Hits debuted in May 2008,[24] and logs the biggest sales week for a best-of sinceWhitney Houston'sWhitney: The Greatest Hits shifted 112,000 on the chart dated March 17, 2012.[26] The album was certified Platinum on January 8, 2016, as 500,000 copies shipped but counted as a million for double album.[28][25]Greatest Hits: Decade #1 became the largest-selling greatest hits album of 2015.[29] The album has sold 564,300 copies as of April 2017.[30]
In terms of chart positions, on theBillboard 200,Greatest Hits: Decade #1 has the highest ranking for a newly released greatest hits album sinceKenny Chesney'sGreatest Hits II debuted and peaked at number three in May 2009.[31] It's the highest-charting greatest hits album since Frank Sinatra's 2008 collectionNothing but the Best rebounded to number three in August 2012.[26] On theTop Country Albums chart, Underwood scored her fifth consecutive number one bow, of five career releases, asGreatest Hits: Decade #1 debuted atop the chart. She is only the second artist to arrive with five number one debuts on Top Country Albums (which premiered in 1964), with Miranda Lambert being the other one.[24] Underwood is first female artist to debut at number one on the Top Country Albums chart with a greatest hits album sinceShania Twain'sGreatest Hits had 11 weeks on top from November 2004 to January 2005.[31] In the United Kingdom, the collection debuted at number two on the Country Compilation Album chart and a year later it reached number one, on November 13, 2015.[32]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [33] |
| Vice (Expert Witness) |  [34] |
Reviewing forAllMusic,Stephen Thomas Erlewine said "the 21 singles – which are supplemented by three demos that reveal Carrie works well in a stark setting, too – are of a piece, expertly constructed post-Shania andFaith Hill country-pop proving that Underwood is the new-millennial heir to their throne."[33]Robert Christgau was less enthusiastic inVice. He highlighted "Mama's Song", "Two Black Cadillacs", and "Remind Me", while briefly summarizing the album with the following commentary on Underwood: "Big enough to command great songs, even to put her hand to a feminist few, but not big enough to trust her indoor voice".[34]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Something in the Water" |
| New recording | 3:58 |
| 2. | "Little Toy Guns" |
| New recording | 3:31 |
| 3. | "Inside Your Heaven" | Non-album single (2005) | 4:04 | |
| 4. | "Jesus, Take the Wheel" |
| Some Hearts (2005) | 3:46 |
| 5. | "Don't Forget to Remember Me" |
| Some Hearts | 4:00 |
| 6. | "Before He Cheats" | Some Hearts | 3:20 | |
| 7. | "Wasted" |
| Some Hearts | 4:34 |
| 8. | "So Small" |
| Carnival Ride (2007) | 3:46 |
| 9. | "All-American Girl" |
| Carnival Ride | 3:33 |
| 10. | "Last Name" |
| Carnival Ride | 4:02 |
| 11. | "Just a Dream" |
| Carnival Ride | 4:45 |
| 12. | "I Told You So" (featuringRandy Travis) | Randy Travis | Carnival Ride | 4:17 |
| Total length: | 47:29 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cowboy Casanova" |
| Play On (2009) | 3:56 |
| 2. | "Temporary Home" |
| Play On | 4:28 |
| 3. | "Undo It" |
| Play On | 2:57 |
| 4. | "Mama's Song" |
| Play On | 4:01 |
| 5. | "Remind Me" (duet withBrad Paisley) |
| This Is Country Music (2011) | 4:14 |
| 6. | "Good Girl" |
| Blown Away (2012) | 3:25 |
| 7. | "Blown Away" |
| Blown Away | 4:00 |
| 8. | "Two Black Cadillacs" |
| Blown Away | 4:58 |
| 9. | "See You Again" |
| Blown Away | 4:07 |
| 10. | "How Great Thou Art" (withVince Gill) (Live fromACM Presents: Girls Night Out) |
| Previously unreleased | 4:47 |
| 11. | "So Small" (Writing Session Worktape 1/24/07) | Previously unreleased | 4:07 | |
| 12. | "Last Name" (Writing Session Worktape 1/22/07) | Previously unreleased | 4:00 | |
| 13. | "Mama's Song" (Writing Session Worktape 2/5/09) | Previously unreleased | 3:51 | |
| Total length: | 52:51 | |||
| No. | Title | Director | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Something in the Water" (music video) | Raj Kapoor | 3:59 |
| Total length: | 104:19 | ||
Credits were adapted fromAllMusic.[36]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[54] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[55] | Platinum | 564,300[30] |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Studio albums | |
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| Compilation albums | |
| Video albums | |
| Soundtrack albums | |
| Concert tours | |
