Storyteller (Carrie Underwood album)
Storyteller is the fifth studio album recorded by American singer and songwriter Carrie Underwood. It was released on October 23, 2015, by Sony Music Nashville. Following the release and success of her fourth studio album, Blown Away (2012), Underwood began working on Storyteller in early 2014. However, she tentatively suspended most work on the album because of her pregnancy with her first child. In the midterm, Underwood released her first greatest hits record, Greatest Hits: Decade #1, on December 9, 2014, to much success. After the birth of her son, she took some additional time off before going back into the studio in early 2015 to finish working on the album.
"Chaser (song)" redirects here. For other songs, see Chaser § Music.Storyteller
October 23, 2015
2014–15
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Met with mostly positive reviews from music critics, Storyteller became a commercial success and set multiple records upon its release. By debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, it made Underwood the only country artist in history to have all of her first five studio albums debut at number one or two, and with a number one debut on the Top Country Albums chart, it made her the only artist to score six consecutive number one albums on the chart. Storyteller also performed well internationally upon its release, including a number four debut in Australia, number three in Canada and thirteen in the United Kingdom. As of October 2016, the album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA.[1] It marks Underwood's sixth consecutive album to go either Platinum or multi-Platinum.
The album produced two consecutive Billboard Country Airplay chart number-one singles in "Heartbeat" and "Church Bells", along with the number-two singles, "Smoke Break" and "Dirty Laundry." "Smoke Break", "Heartbeat" and "Dirty Laundry" also topped the Billboard Canada Country chart. All four singles received multi-Platinum or Platinum certifications.[2]
Storyteller was Underwood's last album under Arista Nashville and Sony Music Group, following her new deal with Universal Music Group's Capitol Nashville.[3]
Background[edit]
After the release and success of her fourth studio album, Blown Away, in 2012 and its international supporting tour, Blown Away Tour (2012-2013), Underwood confirmed, in August 2013, that she had begun planning on a new album and would start working on it in 2014.[4] However, she released her first greatest hits album in late 2014 to much success, while pregnant with her first child.[5] After giving birth, in February 2015, Underwood went back into the studio to finish working on the album.[6] On August 20, 2015, Underwood announced the album's title and release date via live Facebook stream.[7]
Underwood has described Storyteller as being more laid-back and more twangy as opposed to her last studio album, Blown Away (2012).[5] For this album, Underwood worked with frequent collaborators such as Hillary Lindsey, Ashley Gorley, Chris DeStefano, David Hodges, Brett James, and Mark Bright, although Underwood also worked with new collaborators such as Liz Rose, Zach Crowell, and Jay Joyce.[8] Joyce produced the album's lead single "Smoke Break", which Underwood wrote with DeStefano and Lindsey.[9]
Commercial performance[edit]
In the United States, Storyteller debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 177,000 album-equivalent units; the album sold 164,000 copies in pure sales, with the remainder of its unit total reflecting the album's streaming and track equivalent album units.[40] This made Underwood the only country artist to have his or her first five studio albums debut at number one or number two on the Billboard 200 chart.[41] In addition, the album debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart, earning Underwood another record as the only artist to score six consecutive number one albums on that chart.[41] It held the number two position on the Billboard 200 in its second week, moving another 81,000 units, including over 73,000 album copies sold.[42] On the chart dated December 19, it rose back to number one on the Top Country Albums for a second week.[43] It was certified Gold by the RIAA on December 4, 2015, for shipments of over 500,000 copies in the US.[44] In October 2016, the album was certified Platinum, one year after its release, becoming the sixth album by Underwood to receive a Platinum certification.[1] As of April 2017, the album has sold 752,100 copies in the US.[44][45]
Outside of the United States, the album debuted at number three in Canada, number four in Australia,[46] number six in Scotland, number thirteen on the UK Albums Chart—becoming her second top twenty album in the region[47]—and charted in another six regions.
Other charted songs[edit]
Following the release of the album, five of its songs charted on the Hot Country Songs: "The Girl You Think I Am" at number 38 (8,000 copies sold), "Like I'll Never Love You Again" at number 39 (8,000 copies), "Dirty Laundry" at number 47 (3,000 copies), "Relapse" at number 48 (4,000 copies) and "Church Bells" at number 49 (2,300 copies).[51]