Carrie Underwood - “I’m Gonna Love You” #1 All-Genre iTunes

[14887fan]

I’ve gotten the sense for a while that she has minimal interest in growing herself or her career at this point. The quality musical output certainly hasn’t been there (speaking in regards to D&R), and with her exclusively doing US tour dates, I don’t even see her showing any interest in expanding her brand internationally. The Vegas residency is stellar (and her ticket sales continue to reflect her draw as an entertainer and performer, nearly 20 years into her career!) but unless she wants to fully go by the wayside a la most 90s/00s female country acts, she’ll do a career revamp. She needs it. (And needs better PR and social media handlers, my good god.)

But I don’t expect her to change literally anything up. She’ll do fairs and her residency next year, make another album in ‘25, do a tour, rinse and repeat. It’s so boringly cyclical.

[Hil]

I feel like the retirement talk is very dramatic, and basically just because people want her to do other things, or she's not doing what some fans want her to. She's said she wants a career like Dolly and Reba. Just this year she said she wants to keep making music and making each album better. I DO think she's over the fake awards shows. The fake industry etc. I don't think she's over making music for herself and her fans. I don't know if she'll decide to try to push her music like she used to, but i think she's a long way from retirement. Even Cody said he had to wait for Carrie's schedule to release the new song they recorded. I'm sure it will be the bridge btwn her next album. Retirement because she's enjoying other things seems super premature. I mean, she's baking cooking and gardening, not starting a completely new business that keeps her from working. JMO

[Jae]

Dec 17, 2023 14:21:01 GMT -5 daddy said:

It's an absolute fact that a 90s inspired country album from Carrie would end careers.

That would be fitting because she certainly ended careers when she first arrived.  

[schnetzka]

I don't think Carrie will retire anytime soon, but I do think she will start releasing albums less and less and not be as present in the public eye. I mean that's already started because she hasn't attended all that many award shows in the past few years. I know it'll probably never happen again, but I miss her hosting with Brad.

[popwizard]

They need to do a much stronger push for My Gift.

[Ivy Leegue™]

I just hope we get another album as strong as Denim & Rhinestones. I love that album!

[abbeyjones11]

I know that a few fans ignored the My Savior DVD, but, it's one of my personal prized possessions, lol. I would love to have the holiday special on DVD as well. It could possibly be something that she could promote.

[countrymancarriefan]

I’m really interested to see what Carrie does in 2024. I’m hoping we hear the Cody Johnson duet sooner than later! What y’all thinking we’ll see from one of the queens of country music in the new year?

[carrieidol1]

Idk what it means, if anything, but Carrie no longer has the check mark on X…

Am I being dramatic in thinking that’s a sign of something bigger going on/changing? Or did they just decide not to continue with it.. or did they miss a payment? Lol.

[zdm1998]

Jan 2, 2024 22:39:14 GMT -5 carrieidol1 said:

Idk what it means, if anything, but Carrie no longer has the check mark on X…

Am I being dramatic in thinking that’s a sign of something bigger going on/changing? Or did they just decide not to continue with it.. or did they miss a payment? Lol.

Someone on Twitter said it was because she changed her profile pictures on her socials yesterday. They probably just have to get the picture reverified to prove it's her. Should happen in the near future I would think.

[zdm1998]

Anyone else remember that Carrie Fan on Twitter that said he had connections at UMG and that an "Out of That Truck" video was in the works? I remember he posted that in October, and was curious if there was a follow up. He wasn't the type of fan account to be blowing smoke, and seemed pretty reliable.

[Typo]

There’s a new print interview with her in an Allegiant Airlines magazine. She was asked about new music. She said she loves collaborating with other artists and then gave her usual spiel about always doing something. Obviously the Cody Johnson duet is coming, but I think she’s recorded something with Post Malone too.

[tigerman2022]

Jan 3, 2024 10:16:27 GMT -5 Typo said:

There’s a new print interview with her in an Allegiant Airlines magazine. She was asked about new music. She said she loves collaborating with other artists and then gave her usual spiel about always doing something. Obviously the Cody Johnson duet is coming, but I think she’s recorded something with Post Malone too.

That wouldn't surprise me at all. And I bet it would be a great collaboration. She's mentioned liking his music in previous interviews.

I'm guessing "Out of That Truck" will be the finale of D&R. And, I guess at that point it will be time to move on. RIP "She Don't Know" and "Drunk and Hungover" among a few others.

[Jae]

F for She Don't Know, it was the country killer on that album. If only her label had any idea how to label.  And if only Carrie hadn't decided to throw the towel in early on Dn'R to become a stay-at-home sourdough gardener.  

[zdm1998]

It's criminal that Crazy Angels/She Don't Know/Give Her That/Drunk & Hungover, most likely won't ever be singles. All are top shelf. Tbh I feel like the general public only listened to Ghost Story then the first promo track (Denim and Rhinestones) and pretty much made up their mind about the album right then and there. Then happened to hear "Hate My Heart" when it became a single, only making them further not associating with this album.

[daddy]

Imagine how different this era would be if we got a few of these as singles instead: Burn, She Don't Know, Out of that Truck, Velvet Heartbreak, and Give Her That 

I don't see any of these missing the top 3 coming off of the monster IIDLY. 

While I definitely seem to like Ghost Story more than most, I'd be content if it had remained an album track over these other songs. While it sonically could have worked at radio, Hate My Heart shouldn't have been released because there were better options on the album. By the time they released an obvious hit (OOTT), all momentum was gone. 

I know radio is becoming more obsolete, but picking the right song to promote is still crucial as it often dictates whether consumers check out/stream the rest of the album or not.

I hope they try a different strategy with the next release. Although it seems very anti-Carrie, they could drop a surprise album and see the reaction to the songs before promoting a single. Or wait until they have an undeniable smash on their hands, release it, and then follow it up based on reaction. IDK. I need to see her label try something lol 

I'm really curious how many albums she has with UMG Nashville. I've asked before but seems no one knows her deal like we did with Arista Nash. 

[Carriefan1190]

I wonder if the next move will be CU8 or Greatest Hits: Decade #2? She will be hitting 20 years in the business next year, so the timing fits. She should be able to get a few new songs recorded and include them in the GH album.

I just think that Carrie values her time with her family and she just wants to make sure she’s around while her sons grow up. She’s going to be 41 here soon. She’s pretty much done it all as far as a music career goes. She has nothing to prove to anyone.

I do hope that she dumps the David Garcia production and goes with someone else, because the last 2 eras have been atrocious.

[daddy]

I don't really see the point of a greatest hits collection in the streaming era unless it offers something new or unique (ex. Reba's last hits collection). I'm probably very wrong here, but isn't Carrie's Greatest Hits album one of the last hits collection to do really well? And that was released in 2014.

I don't see what another hits album would do for her at this stage in her career other than being a memento and throwing fans another couple of new songs.

I think if she wants another very successful era, she could return to her older sound that worked for her and kinda market it as her * I'm returning to my roots era - I'm still that same girl from Checotah * Give us a collection of songs reflecting on how OK made her the woman she is today, with snippits and stories (fictional/ real, idc) from her upbringing. Make it country. Give us imagery. Make us feel shit. 

She can call it Oklahoma Wind 


I think she could also have a lot of success leaning into a different country era (90s?). 

Also, I'd be completely here for a full on dark album with unhinged themes and murderous songs. Call it Southern Gothic and lean IN. 

But does she really care about having another smash era? That, I feel, is the big question. I think the real factor it comes down to is her wanting to spend more time with her family and less on her career, which is totally fair. And she wants to make the music she wants to make. Which is also fair.

Personally, I really enjoyed Cry Pretty and about half of D&R. If she had only traded 4 of the songs that ended up on the deluxe for 3-4 on the standard, I actually think it would be a pretty strong album. I do feel though that the marketing for D&R was a mess. It's my fun album. Here's Ghost Story. Denim. Rhinestones. It didn't really work for me or excite me for the album. I think this album theme could have worked if she had a double album with one leaning country country and the other pop/rock. Then it would have been a cool concept that I'd imagine would intrigue people to check it out.  

I'm fine with her and David's production, I just prefer it when Carrie leans into a different style than she has recently. I found that they produced My Savior exquisitely. For what it's worth, I think when Carrie finally branched out with Storyteller and worked with 3 producers, it benefitted her music. It's still my favorite album from her. But it seems David and her have a close friendship that extends beyond their professional relationship, so I expect to see him on the next album. However, she did work with a different producer for the Christmas album if that's worth anything.

[musicfan134]

It seems like we've been having this conversation, or a similar one, on and off for a while now. I myself posted a few pages back about half expecting Carrie to announce a farewell tour/retirement in the near future. While I don't "actually" think that is coming up anytime soon, my point is that it doesn't really seem like she cares anymore. And to be fair to her, she doesn't have anything else to prove to anyone. She certainly has enough money to last the rest of her lifetime, and her children and family are most likely set for life as well. And it's not like money isn't still coming in.

I think she's comfortable, and I don't know that I see her doing anything outside of that comfort zone. And if that's what she wants, then that's what she wants. It's just disappointing as a fan because I think she *could* have another smash hit or two and doesn't need to fall into the category of these other 90s/00s artists that have fallen off the radar for so many people. But she probably sees it as something that would happen eventually, and she is using it as an opportunity to focus on her family and her garden. That's where her priority is now. And that's great for her!

But as a fan, it's disappointing because it means she de-prioritizes her career, we get albums less frequently, and the quality of music isn't there. D&R was a commercial disappointment by Carrie's standards, and there's no way around that. I know I'm not the only Carrie fan who wasn't really interested in anything the album had to offer aside from a handful of songs--most of which were on the deluxe edition that was released over a year after the initial album. I still think Carrie has it in her to make great music--and there are great songs on D&R--but for me, the majority of the album fell short for the first time ever in Carrie's career. It remains to be seen whether D&R was a fluke of an album, or Carrie losing her touch with her musical output, or if she is de-prioritizing so much that the quality is declining.

My prediction is that Carrie will continue to release an album every 2-4 years. The album will do just well enough that she won't worry about being dropped by her label but nowhere near the level of success as something like Storyteller or Cry Pretty. Each album will have 1-2 singles that occasionally reach the top 10 at first but eventually struggle to reach the top 20, then struggle to reach the top 40. And each album, she'll do some sort of tour or residency which is where the majority of her time/money/effort will be spent during each era. Once in a great while she'll put out something like My Savior or My Gift and she'll continue to do some sort of duet/collab between albums as she does now. I also fully expect her to at some point be a judge on Idol. And not just for one night but for a whole season or two. Beyond that and the one-off interview/performance here and there I truly don't see her doing anything else for her career at this point for the foreseeable future.

This scenario has basically just started and is already getting stale for us fans, but it works for Carrie. Having said that, I'd love for her to do something completely outside of her comfort zone again. The Sound of Music Live! was not well received by everyone, yet that was the last time I felt like Carrie took a huge risk in doing something. Ever since then she's been treading dangerously close to the "so safe it's boring" route that American Idol judges would frequently tout to contestants. My Gift and My Saviour were much needed shakeups to her formula, yet I don't think either of those albums were entirely unexpected and would not be categorized as taking a risk.

I love the idea of some sort of dark album as someone mentioned. Cry Pretty is probably the closest we've gotten to an album like that from her, but I want more. I want more Carrie on her albums. More writing, and more of her personality on them. She needs to take Miss Frizzle's advice: take chances, make mistakes, and get MESSY!

[Carriefan1190]

I definitely do think that she has some more music in her. Like other people said, she has made her money and she’s comfortable just working on her garden and spending time with her family.

Touring is where the money is at this point, so she will probably continue to tour regularly, including fairs/festivals/casinos and her residency in Vegas.

I really do think a return to her original sound would do wonders for her. I should clarify, David Garcia wasn’t necessarily the issue, but the last 2 eras were horrifically mismanaged. The move to Capitol really damaged her momentum.

[zdm1998]

The quality of the deluxe tracks alone tell me she has more music left in her. Really I'm not even asking a lot more from her than she did this era, really if she would just shift her priority from some things that don't help her as much, to things that do.

When I tell you that just a small extention of the D&R tour into the fall of 2023 or even into the spring of 2024 with 20ish more shows would've done wonders in keeping her visible and feeling like this era was still going. That would've further progressed this era rather than ripping out to Vegas for her 99th run of shows there. Heck she could've even just done it on the weekends, and came back home to her family during the week.

Also, tell me why a fan on Twitter that has ties to people at UMG said that Carrie was a fan of "Out of That Truck" but it was the label that wasn't.

[carrieidol1]

LOL

Carrie will never stop making music, I genuinely believe even if she never tours again she’ll still make music at least somewhat consistently. Whether or not she wants to go full guns blazing each era in terms of promo and networking is a different thing. At least for now Carrie seems checked out of the industry part of it, and for pretty good reason. There’s been a clear and somewhat intentional shift away from the artists of Carrie’s generation. Additionally, Carrie’s conservative personality is not much of selling point in today’s world where everyone wants to know everything about everyone… She’s very much at an inflection point, imo. The formulas have changed and the audiences have changed, but Carrie hasn’t budged. She doesn’t have to, and she might not, but it would probably mean settling into an independent career. She won’t win over a lot of new support by being quiet about important things, and what’s worse is I’m not confident the things she might have to say would settle well with the audiences required for any type of resurgence.

[daddy]

Jan 8, 2024 11:58:55 GMT -5 zdm1998 said:

The quality of the deluxe tracks alone tell me she has more music left in her. Really I'm not even asking a lot more from her than she did this era, really if she would just shift her priority from some things that don't help her as much, to things that do.

When I tell you that just a small extention of the D&R tour into the fall of 2023 or even into the spring of 2024 with 20ish more shows would've done wonders in keeping her visible and feeling like this era was still going. That would've further progressed this era rather than ripping out to Vegas for her 99th run of shows there. Heck she could've even just done it on the weekends, and came back home to her family during the week.

Also, tell me why a fan on Twitter that has ties to people at UMG said that Carrie was a fan of "Out of That Truck" but it was the label that wasn't.

Or ANY international dates 

[zdm1998]

Jan 8, 2024 12:08:53 GMT -5 carrieidol1 said:

LOL

Carrie will never stop making music, I genuinely believe even if she never tours again she’ll still make music at least somewhat consistently. Whether or not she wants to go full guns blazing each era in terms of promo and networking is a different thing. At least for now Carrie seems checked out of the industry part of it, and for pretty good reason. There’s been a clear and somewhat intentional shift away from the artists of Carrie’s generation. Additionally, Carrie’s conservative personality is not much of selling point in today’s world where everyone wants to know everything about everyone… She’s very much at an inflection point, imo. The formulas have changed and the audiences have changed, but Carrie hasn’t budged. She doesn’t have to, and she might not, but it would probably mean settling into an independent career.

I honestly don't think Carrie will ever be labeless tbh. The one and only thing I like about UMG is that they usually hang onto iconic veteran artists (Reba, Vince, Shania (who left on her own terms.)

[carrieidol1]

Jan 8, 2024 12:20:49 GMT -5 zdm1998 said:

Jan 8, 2024 12:08:53 GMT -5 carrieidol1 said:

LOL

Carrie will never stop making music, I genuinely believe even if she never tours again she’ll still make music at least somewhat consistently. Whether or not she wants to go full guns blazing each era in terms of promo and networking is a different thing. At least for now Carrie seems checked out of the industry part of it, and for pretty good reason. There’s been a clear and somewhat intentional shift away from the artists of Carrie’s generation. Additionally, Carrie’s conservative personality is not much of selling point in today’s world where everyone wants to know everything about everyone… She’s very much at an inflection point, imo. The formulas have changed and the audiences have changed, but Carrie hasn’t budged. She doesn’t have to, and she might not, but it would probably mean settling into an independent career.

I honestly don't think Carrie will ever be labeless tbh. The one and only thing I like about UMG is that they usually hang onto iconic veteran artists (Reba, Vince, Shania (who left on her own terms.)

Oh I didn’t mean I think she’d become independent in that way, just that there’d be a much less commercial aspect to things… not going for the hits or awards, just making music and playing it live when and where she wants. I guess basically what she’s been doing… haha

[dbhmr]

Is there not, like, a huge gulf between a balls-to-the-wall commercial smash release plan and retirement?

I don't follow Carrie much beyond popping into this channel every now and again but "retirement" just seems...wild to me? Has she alluded at that in any serious way?

[carrieidol1]

Jan 8, 2024 12:24:17 GMT -5 dbhmr said:

Is there not, like, a huge gulf between a balls-to-the-wall commercial smash release plan and retirement?

I don't follow Carrie much beyond popping into this channel every now and again but "retirement" just seems...wild to me? Has she alluded at that in any serious way?

Not in the slightest.

[daddy]

Jan 8, 2024 12:24:17 GMT -5 dbhmr said:

Is there not, like, a huge gulf between a balls-to-the-wall commercial smash release plan and retirement?

I don't follow Carrie much beyond popping into this channel every now and again but "retirement" just seems...wild to me? Has she alluded at that in any serious way?

No, she hasn't. She's even made comments sporadically throughout her career about wanting a long career in country music, making music as long as people want to listen to her, staying fit to be able to do what she does for a long time, etc. 
,
I assume talk of retirement is just a fan reaction to her not seeming to invest as much time to her career as in previous eras. 

To me, it's apparent she's just experienced a shift in priorities. I assume she wants to spend more time being there as her kids grow up, giving them a semblance of a normal life, instead of extensive travel/promo. For example, D&R tour didn't have any international dates, which is odd for Carrie. While I think she'll keep a similar amount of time between album releases, I feel she'll continue to have shorter tours and rush-promo weeks where we seem to get everything at once and then she sort of disappear back to her farm. 

I don't think she'll ever retire from recording/performing to be honest. An eventual retirement from extensive touring is more likely, as most artists seem to do.

[schnetzka]

There are many artists who have never mentioned retirement who have basically ceased making music. Let's take Martina and Kellie for example. Martina has not released an album since 2018 and has not mentioned making new music since (outside of "Girls Like Me"). Kellie has not released a new album since 2013 and while it's obvious that she's going through a lot right now, there have been no indication about a new album since her last one.

So while I would like to hope that Carrie would not stop making new music anytime soon, we'll, ultimately never know when she'll decide to hang it up because in this business, it seems to happen without warning. I just hope it never comes to that.

[abbeyjones11]

I think that's what I want to see for the next album: a little more control from UMG. Heck, I need them to choose the lead single. I'm all for Carrie having a say, but I think that a big reason why she was so successful w/ Arista Nashville was that they seemed to choose solid singles (most of the time!). You would have to pay me millions to convince me that UMG chose Ghost Story as the lead single, lol. I mean, while the material still isn't my cup of tea, there was still songs that could've easily been singles to work with. It would be interesting to hear what the label wanted/suggested.