Over two decades ago, Carrie Underwood‘s life changed forever when she was named the winner of Season 4 of “American Idol.”
The then-22-year-old Oklahoma native became a national sensation in a matter of moments. That win launched a chart-topping career that would make her one of country music’s most recognizable and enduring stars.
Carrie Underwood Won ‘American Idol’ 24 Years Ago Today
On May 25, 2002, Carrie Underwood stood among the final two contestants of the fourth season of “American Idol.” She faced Bo Bice in a voting matchup decided by the reality competition series’ devoted fanbase.
Underwood, then a 22-year-old college student from Checotah, Oklahoma, ultimately won the competition over Bice, a soulful rock singer from Alabama who became the season’s runner-up. The two traded momentum throughout the season as the competition narrowed to its final stages.
Their finale performances showed just how different they were as artists, with Underwood delivering polished country-pop vocals while Bice leaned into a bluesy rock sound. The contrast made for one of the most memorable “American Idol” finales in the show’s history, culminating in Underwood’s win.
Underwood performed a trio of songs during the Season 4 finale. They included an original song, “Inside Your Heaven,” “Independence Day” by Martina McBride, and “Angels Brought Me Here” by Guy Sebastian.
Her win cemented her status as a rising star in country music. It also launched a career that quickly expanded far beyond the “American Idol” stage.
Is Carrie Underwood ‘American Idol’s’ Most Popular Winner?
According to Carrie Underwood’s website, she has sold 85 million records worldwide. Additionally, she has 28 No. 1 country songs.
The website listed her staggering accomplishments. “All 10 of her albums (including nine studio albums and her 2014 Greatest Hits package have debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 chart for all genres, beginning with her 9x platinum debut album, ‘Some Hearts,’ which was released in 2005. She has recorded 29 No.1 singles (14 of which she co-wrote) and has won over 100 major awards.”
But is she the most popular “American Idol” winner? In a 2018 poll by YouGov, Underwood took the top spot over Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Scotty McCreery, Taylor Hicks, David Cook, and Phillip Phillips.
Carrie Underwood Returned to ‘American Idol’ in 2025
Carrie Underwood returned to “American Idol” as a judge in 2025. She sat in the very spot that helped direct her career twenty seasons prior.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she said, “I feel like I’ve been so blessed to obviously be so rooted in country music. But I’ve been able to be a part of many other genres or music as well.”
The superstar added, “I like to think that I am versatile. Hopefully, when I listen to people come and audition, I can have any lens I need to put on in terms of what music I’m thinking.”
“And I think that’s the whole point, ’cause people are coming in and, you know, it’s dreams. You’re a part of somebody’s story from that moment on,” Underwood concluded. “I think it’s important to be honest, but it’s also very important to be kind, so hopefully I can marry all of those together and be a good judge.”
When she’s not recording, performing, or working on “American Idol,” Carrie Underwood relishes life as a wife and mother to Mike Fisher and their two sons, Isaiah and Jacob.
