"The Champion" | ||||
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Single by Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris | ||||
Released | January 12, 2018 | |||
Length | 3:43 | |||
Label | Capitol Nashville | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Jim Jonsin | |||
Carrie Underwood singles chronology | ||||
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Ludacris singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Champion" on YouTube |
"The Champion" is a song recorded by American country music singer Carrie Underwood,featuring rapper Ludacris. The song was released on January 12,2018,and was recorded to serve as an opening theme for NBC's television broadcast of Super Bowl LII. It was included as a bonus track on Underwood's sixth studio album Cry Pretty . [1]
The song entered at number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. [2]
The song's lyrics revolve around recovery from obstacles. The song was relevant to both Super Bowl LII and the 2018 Winter Olympics,which were both being broadcast by NBC in the United States;Underwood also performs the theme song for the network's Sunday Night Football . [3] Underwood stated that "the main focus was to celebrate athletes at the top of their game,but we also wanted the song to resonate with people in their everyday lives". The song was featured in the intro for NBC's Super Bowl LII broadcast;in the sequence,Carrie Underwood performed on a soundstage with a screen showing highlights from past Super Bowl games. [4] [5] [6]
The song is set in the key of G♯ minor with a tempo of 90 beats per minute in common time. It follows a chord progression of G♯m–B–F♯–D♯,and Underwood's vocals span from G♯3 to C♯5. [7]
"The Champion" sold 61,000 units in its first week and debuted at number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming that week's Hot Shot Debut. [8] Following the video premiere of the song during the Super Bowl LII,it saw an increase in streaming—668,000 on-demand streams on February 5,a 110 percent rise compared to what it tallied on February 3. [9]
The song was certified Platinum by the RIAA on January 24,2019. [10] By May 14,2018,the single has sold 314,000 copies in the United States. [11] On May 5,2023,the single was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA. [12]
The official music video for the song was released on March 2,2018. [13] The video,directed by Jimmy Lynch,shows a montage of different embodiments of "champions" encompassing range of athletes,students and soldiers alike. There's also strong references to female empowerment,with clips of shark attack survivor and surfer Bethany Hamilton appearing next to images of the Me Too movement. Underwood also appears in the video in various clips of her recording the song in the studio,clips from her tour,as well as on a running trail,and even in footage from her audition for American Idol . [14]
The video received three nominations at the 2018 CMT Music Awards for "Video of the Year","Collaborative Video of the Year" and "Female Video of the Year",ultimately winning the last one and extending Underwood's record for most CMT Music Award wins.
Underwood and Ludacris performed the song live for the first time at the 2018 Radio Disney Music Awards on June 23,2018. The performance was accompanied by the West Los Angeles Children's Choir,who filtered through the audience and made their way to the stage towards the final chorus. [15]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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2018 | "The Champion" | Video of the Year | Nominated [16] |
Female Video of the Year | Won [16] | ||
Collaborative Video of the Year | Nominated [16] |
Chart (2018) | Peak position |
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Canada Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [17] | 13 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [18] | 47 |
US Country Airplay ( Billboard ) [19] | 57 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [20] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Carrie Marie Underwood is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of American Idol in 2005. Underwood's single "Inside Your Heaven" (2005) made her the first country artist to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the only solo country artist in the 2000s to have a number-one song on the Hot 100. Her debut album, Some Hearts (2005), was bolstered by the successful crossover singles "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Before He Cheats", and became the best-selling debut album of all time by a solo female country artist. She won three Grammy Awards for the album, including Best New Artist. Her next studio album, Carnival Ride (2007), had one of the biggest opening weeks of all time by a female artist and won two Grammy Awards. Her third studio album, Play On (2009), produced the single "Cowboy Casanova", which had one of the biggest single-week upward movements on the Hot 100.
"Jesus, Take the Wheel" is a song written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson, and recorded by American country music artist Carrie Underwood. It was released on October 18, 2005, as the first single from Underwood's debut album Some Hearts (2005). The ballad tells of a woman seeking help from Jesus in an emergency and surrendering control to a higher power.
"Don't Forget to Remember Me" is a song written by Morgane Hayes, Kelley Lovelace and Ashley Gorley, and recorded by American country music artist Carrie Underwood. It was released in March 2006 as the fourth single from Underwood's debut album, Some Hearts. It is also her second release to country radio. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard country charts in early 2006, and number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has sold 403,000 copies.
"Before He Cheats" is a song by American singer Carrie Underwood from her debut studio album, Some Hearts (2005). Written by Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear, it was released as the fourth single from the album. The song tells the story of a woman taking revenge on her unfaithful partner.
American country music singer Carrie Underwood has released nine studio albums, one greatest hits album, and 29 singles. Underwood rose to fame after winning the fourth season of American Idol in 2005. Her debut album, Some Hearts, was released in 2005 and is the fastest-selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history. It also became the best-selling solo female country debut in Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) history, as well as the top-selling debut album of any American Idol contestant in the United States.
"I Told You So" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Randy Travis from his 1987 album, Always & Forever. It reached number one on the U.S. Billboard and Canadian RPM country singles charts in June 1988. Travis had first recorded it on his 1983 album Live at the Nashville Palace under his stage name "Randy Ray". It became a local hit and one of his most requested songs at the club. In 2007, the song was covered by Carrie Underwood on her album Carnival Ride. Her version was released in February 2009 and was re-recorded and re-released in March as a duet with Travis. Underwood's and Travis' duet peaked at number two on the U.S. country charts in 2009.
American country music singer Jason Aldean has released eleven studio albums, one extended play, and forty solo singles. All of his music has been released through BBR Music Group, with Michael Knox as his sole record producer.
"Cowboy Casanova" is a song by American singer Carrie Underwood. It was written by Underwood, Mike Elizondo, Brett James. It was released on September 14, 2009, by Arista Nashville as the lead single from her third studio album, Play On. The song sold 2,300,000 copies, making it the fourth-biggest single of her career behind "Jesus, Take the Wheel", "Before He Cheats", and "Blown Away".
Play On is the third studio album by American country music singer Carrie Underwood. It was released in the United States on November 3, 2009, through Arista Nashville. Play On was produced by Mark Bright who also produced Underwood's Carnival Ride and seven other songs off of Some Hearts.
"Temporary Home" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Carrie Underwood. It was released in December 2009 as the second official single from her third studio album, Play On. Before being released as a single, the song was made available to iTunes on October 20, 2009. A promotional music video for the song was released in November 2009, and an official music video followed in February 2010. In December 2010, the song was ranked at number 25 on Billboard's Top Country Songs of 2010.
"Undo It" is a song written by Carrie Underwood, Kara DioGuardi, Marti Frederiksen, and Luke Laird. It was made available to digital retailers on October 27, 2009, and was released as an official single on May 24, 2010. The song is the third single from Underwood's third studio album, Play On.
"Remind Me" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Brad Paisley, performed as a duet with Carrie Underwood. It was released in May 2011 as the third single from Paisley's album This Is Country Music (2011). The music video for the song premiered on CMT on July 26, 2011. The song was also named Taste of Country's Song of The Year for 2011. Paisley wrote this song with Kelley Lovelace and Chris DuBois.
"Blown Away" is a song by American recording artist Carrie Underwood, taken from her fourth studio album of the same name (2012). The song served as the album's second single on July 9, 2012, through Arista Nashville. Written by Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear, who previously wrote Underwood's single "Before He Cheats" (2006), "Blown Away" is a country pop song; the lyrics are about a young woman who locks herself in a storm cellar while her abusive, alcoholic father is passed out on the couch in the path of a tornado. Producer Mark Bright drew inspiration from 1980s music.
"See You Again" is a song by American country music artist Carrie Underwood. It was written by Underwood, Hillary Lindsey, and David Hodges. It was released as the fourth and final single from Underwood's fourth studio album, Blown Away, on April 15, 2013. Underwood announced the single on her official Twitter account.
"Little Toy Guns" is a song recorded by American country music artist Carrie Underwood for her compilation album Greatest Hits: Decade #1. It was released on February 16, 2015 through Arista Nashville as the album's second single. It was written by Underwood, Chris DeStefano, and Hillary Lindsey, and produced by Mark Bright.
"Dirty Laundry" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Carrie Underwood from her fifth studio album, Storyteller (2015). The song was written by Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley, and Hillary Lindsey, with production from Jay Joyce, and was released as the fourth single from the album in the United States and Canada. The single was shipped to country radio on August 22 and made its official impact on September 5. The song was certified Platinum by the RIAA on January 23, 2020.
"Church Bells" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Carrie Underwood from her fifth studio album, Storyteller. The song was written by Zach Crowell, Brett James, and Hillary Lindsey, with production from Mark Bright, and was released as the third single from the album in the United States, being shipped to radio on April 3, 2016, and had an official impact date of April 11, 2016.
"The Fighter" is a song by New Zealand Australian country music singer Keith Urban featuring American country music singer Carrie Underwood. It was released on 6 February 2017 as the fifth and final single from Urban's 2016 album, Ripcord. Urban co-wrote and co-produced this song with busbee. The song has entered the record charts of Australia, Canada, the United States, Belgium, and Scotland, where it became Urban's first song to enter the Scottish and Belgian charts. The song is certified Triple Platinum in the US, Quadruple Platinum in Australia, and Platinum in Canada.
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