Song Review – Carrie Underwood’s “The Champion” ft. Ludacris
Look, this song is pretty agonizing, and for a number of reasons, including the overly-hyped, Zig Ziglar-style self-aggrandizing machine-gunning of positive affirmations that are only a Stuart Smalley line like, “And dog gonnet, people like me!” shy of making it so over-the-top the song veers towards the objectionable. Then it’s on to the wholly blown-out overproduction with exploding guitar lines and transmogrified vocals. And last but not least, here comes hip hop has-been Ludacris, making the effort all that much more polarizing to people with distinguishing ears, and pushing some of Carrie Underwood’s fence sitters right off into the alligator pit.
But context is everything here, and it’s critically-important we regard what the end game with this song is. The impetus for Carrie Underwood’s “The Champion” is to be a TV theme song for the Super Bowl on NBC. Carrie Underwood already sings the Sunday Night Football theme for the network. They’re also saying “The Champion” will be used for the Olympics in South Korea. So you know, for what it’s supposed to be, which is a hype song as highlight reel footage rolls in the background, and burly football dudes come marching out of the locker room tunnel making barbaric yawps as confetti cannons and flamethrowers go off behind them, “The Champion” serves its purpose.
I also get that as a Super Bowl theme song, you want to appeal to the widest-possible audience, and bringing in someone from the other side of the cultural divide like Ludacris helps to do that, especially in this era where opportunistic think piece writers from Slate and Daily Kos have fingers hovering over their keyboards just ready to unleash diatribes about the whitening of America whenever possible, like they have in response to Justin Timberlake’s upcoming album, Man of the Woods. It’s smart to try and make a song appeal to everyone if your audience is the Super Bowl since it’s the biggest media event of the entire year. So in that context, I’m not sure “The Champion,” or the Ludacris collaboration specifically is worthy of drawing too much concern over. Let’s not be predictable country music cro-magnons here and understand the world doesn’t just revolve around the country genre.
However, if you release this song to country radio and make it the first salvo from an impending new Carrie Underwood record, then the context all of a sudden changes completely, regardless of the original application. And so does the overall assessment of “The Champion.” Now Carrie Underwood becomes the latest country star to become a vehicle for importing rap into the country genre. No, Carrie Underwood herself is not a country rapper, but some of the annunciations in “The Champions” are more indicative of hip-hop than they are of Carrie’s natural Oklahoma farm girl accent. And what might be the most blaring issue with the song—TV theme or otherwise—is that Carrie Underwood’s vocal signal is so heavily processed and resides too long in such a blisteringly-high register, it takes an otherwise iconic singing tone and turns it into darn near a serration tool to the sensitive inner ear. Why does anybody feel like Carrie Underwood’s natural tone needs to be toyed with?
I get it. We’ve run the Queen version of this song into the ground for the last 40 years. And what’s wrong with getting the adrenaline pumping a little bit? “The Champion” is a good workout song, or as something to get the ham and eggers through the morning commute. And what’s wrong with stoking a little competitive and inspirational juice in people? This song is certainly more empowering than most of what you hear on the radio today.
But I don’t know folks. As was expressed recently, we need Carrie Underwood in country right now, but not necessarily this version, singing this song, with Ludacris of all people. When he starts spelling out “Champion” using each letter to spout off some corresponding affirmation, it sends the eyes rolling, and not just because it’s pretty damn predictable and a little cheesy. “Champion” is a longish, three-syllable word, and we just don’t want to hear that many speaking lines from Ludacris. He’s better as a bit actor if he has to be present at all.
If “The Champion” stays relegated to the sports television world, I see no harm, and no foul. Hell the song might even become a little bit iconic in the coming years since certain songs tend to blend with the emotions of the sports realm, and grow a life of their own. It’s not like “The Champion” doesn’t raise the pulse, and it will probably resonate with a lot of people. And it’s not even that country and hip-hop can’t hypothetically mix if it’s done right, though that’s not what’s evidenced here.
But you populate “The Champion” on country radio, and all of a sudden Carrie Underwood is not part of the solution, however slim those prospects were to begin with. She’s now part of the problem, helping to usher in the mono-genre, just like Jason Aldean did when he paired with Ludacris on the remix of mainstream country’s first country rap incursion, “Dirt Road Anthem” back in 2011. And the success of that song gave direct rise to Bro-Country. Yes, “The Champion” has more of a message, but the delivery is quite circumspect.
So have fun with “The Champion” all you want, NBC. I wouldn’t even be opposed to it being released on pop radio, because it’s a pop song. But as soon as Ludacris books his room at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for April’s ACM Awards to perform this with Carrie, you’re going to have the folks who are willing to give Underwood a pass, or even some who see her as a guilty pleasure, crying foul.
seak05
January 12, 2018 @ 7:48 pm
My guess, if Carrie or her team were planning on releasing this as a single to radio, it would have been given an iheart hourly (now country radio might choose to play it anyways, as they did for some Taylor songs even after she went pop because 1) Carrie doesn’t currently have anything else out, and hasn’t in a while and 2) they’re a bit starved for uptempo to balance out the playlist right now).
sandra Johnson
January 13, 2018 @ 11:20 pm
With all the terrible things going on in the world ,and adults getting all their emotions cought ramped up in Carrie Underwood sing to a different ballot, when the real problem is she’s collaborating with Ludacris the black, entrepreneur, actor ,and rap hip hop artist . He is a successful businessmen ,and he and CU both or getting paid for their work that they song . They probably haven’t even seen one another face to face to put this song together, and I love what they have done with this song, like the 70 year old woman said it’s good dancing music.
People please I don’t believe heritage means you should have some one because of our differences.
To meditate on hate is a lot of wasted time and energy. When it is much easier to think on those things that causes us to have a smile on your face and laugher in your heart. Life is tough enjoy before it grows dark ,and life will be know more.
Tom
January 17, 2018 @ 12:21 pm
Please tell me you didn’t try to make this about race. Because I’m about 130% confident that the review would have been identical if it were a collaboration with Eminem, Vanilla Ice, or the Beastie Boys.
sandra Johnson
January 17, 2018 @ 1:44 pm
Number one ,county music is here as long as their someone to sing county. County has been established as a root, black and white people have been sing county music forever. You me and everyone else must release singer voices do evolve. They experiment with their art of music, which will allow her to have more opportunities to spread her brand. Now it’s quite up to Carrie Underwood if she decide to sing pop, county, foke, Opera rap ,whatever he wants to sing. Other cultures like her voice also.
White men ,more so than white women have more issues with black men even being near a white woman, and we aren’t just talking about the average white women. I do know how many millions she’s worth ,and she has been inducted the Hall of fame in Nashville Tennessee now that a high honor. Now you guys act like she has committed a sin worthy of Prisons stay. Let her live her life.
Tom
January 17, 2018 @ 2:08 pm
Nobody here cares that Carrie Underwood is singing with a black man. If she were singing this same song with a white man, the article is written. If she were singing the song with a woman, black or white, the article is written just the same. If Carrie Underwood sang this song by herself, the article is written just the same.
The issue isn’t who Carrie Underwood sings with or even what she sings. She can sing whatever she wants with whoever she wants.
The issue is with pushing a song that isn’t country at all onto country radio stations just because one of the singers is an established country artist. Nobody is even saying that this is a bad song, just that it doesn’t fit in with country music and shouldn’t be played on country radio stations. That is all. There are no hidden social messages here.
sandra Johnson
January 17, 2018 @ 2:11 pm
Carrie do you, there are many that like you because you got mad vocals. Now how it’s going to sit with your country fan or the people in Nashville Tennessee Grand Ole Opera.
Much love, and best wish and God bless!
Rachel
January 12, 2018 @ 7:52 pm
I’m not going to hide behind the fact that I am a fan of Carrie Underwood. I happen to enjoy her brand of pop country, even if I desperately wish she would record considerably more country music and believe she has yet to release to radio music that matches her talent level. And cheese and all, this is going on my workout playlist for sure. I don’t have a problem with her making a super pop one off song; it serves it’s purpose (although I could definitely use less of ludacris spelling out the word). But if this gets released to country radio, I’m going to be so annoyed. Maybe this is UMG’s first push for her, but I desperately hope they don’t do this; we can wait for music from her new cd (and I don’t think there’s any indiciation this will be on it). This is also the same person who refused to remix her music, there’s no need to send this to radio.
Aggie14
January 13, 2018 @ 1:57 am
Ditto. I’m a big Carrie fan, but if this ends up on country radio, that will be two songs in a row that are 100% pop (The Fighter) and my patience and defense of her will really take a hit.
albert
January 12, 2018 @ 8:39 pm
“I’m a own -ya “……..how do people sing that with a straight face ?
I’m out…
just because carrie underwood CAN do this shit doesn’t mean she HAS to . when loretta was queen of the country charts would she have sung something like this ? would tammy ? ..even dolly’s ‘pop-country” songs were actually good SONGS ….timeless in lyrically and musically . all of these artists showed a respect to the traditions .
there is a responsibility when you’re considered the reigning monarch of country music …and the responsibility is to respect and show some concern about the fate of that genre if you truly care about it . carrie has really NEVER done that and certainly this ‘song’ doesn’t do that .she’s a pop music wannabe ….a great voice wasted on an over-the-top- approach to everything regardless of whether or not the song or lyric is asking for it . and now this ‘ masquerade ‘ ?
what a piece of generic shit
BTW…. .the auto-tuning is ” ludicrous “…
hoptowntiger94
January 12, 2018 @ 8:45 pm
That was terrible.
Justin C
January 12, 2018 @ 8:45 pm
In more important news, hows her face looking
ScottG
January 12, 2018 @ 8:48 pm
I can appreciate a good pop song or even a good commercial jingle. I don’t think this is either. Stuart Smalley would hopefully hate himself in the mirror for hours if he had anything to do with the making of this “song,” if in fact the mirror was still left standing after being subjected to this grating vocal production & performance.
Kevin Davis
January 12, 2018 @ 8:57 pm
It’s hard not see country radio passing on any opportunity for $$$. So if their demographic studies tell them that this will work on country radio — oh, I don’t know, like the purely pop “The Fighter” with Mr. Metrosexual Himself — then they’ll play it. But I certainly hope that this is just a dumb football anthem, nothing more.
Jim
January 12, 2018 @ 9:12 pm
IDGAF, I listened. My favorite part was him telling her that it’s her turn again. My least favorite part was her continuing that shitshow. If she’s the champion, then I don’t wanna play the fucking game. Hard pass.
Theresa Daniels
January 13, 2018 @ 6:11 am
Nobody asked you for your opinion,buddy!!She is way more talented than you’ll ever be and she KILLED it in this song!!She didn’t do this song to please you!!Get lost and shut up old man!!
Trigger
January 13, 2018 @ 8:06 am
This comment is so inadvertently perfect, I may just have to print it out and frame it.
albert
January 13, 2018 @ 10:30 am
hah hah ha ha ha ha ……..
Theresa ‘s comment is kind of what ‘country radio’ is saying to EVERYONE isn’t it ?
Bo Fiddley
January 12, 2018 @ 9:32 pm
This is not surprising.
Marc
January 12, 2018 @ 9:52 pm
Damn, those legs!!!
Aidan
January 13, 2018 @ 7:06 pm
Has there ever been a comment section of anything Carrie Underwood related that hasn’t mentioned her legs? Please. Are they really that good.
Marc
January 13, 2018 @ 8:15 pm
Absolutely!
James
January 12, 2018 @ 10:06 pm
Review Walker Mcquire!
White Cleats
January 13, 2018 @ 12:30 am
Trigger, this is much ado about nothing. It’s a hype song, a sports anthem for a specific occasion — not a harbinger of country music’s future. It hasn’t been released as an official single to country radio and if it is then I’ll join you clutching our pearls on the fainting couch.
Actually, for what it is, I dig it. It’s catchy as all hell and Carrie sings the bejeezus out of it. I won’t be mad every time they play it during the Olympics. Which will be every 5 seconds. I’ve heard far, far worse.
And Albert, would Tammy, Loretta, and Dolly have done it that way? Uh…unfair comparison. They didn’t do that kind of shit back then and none of those three had the pipes for it anyway.
albert
January 13, 2018 @ 10:33 am
”They didn’t do that kind of shit back then ………”
And I rest my case , White Cleats ,,,,
White Cleats
January 13, 2018 @ 10:33 pm
By “do that kind of shit” I meant that the mainstream powers-that-be didn’t tap country artists to service billion dollar corporations, which is exactly what the NFL is. Why? Because the legends of country music didn’t have the reach.
Now, whether The Champion is shit I’ll leave you and the gentle listeners of SCM to decide. I never try to argue taste. What I am arguing is that Underwood does not bear the fate of the genre on her size 2 shoulders. No one single artist does. If anything that responsibility belongs to country radio and we all know what a bang up job they’ve done with that.
Dooley
January 13, 2018 @ 12:53 pm
Maybe they did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7_ajdd99CM
Derek Joists
January 13, 2018 @ 1:04 pm
Every time I hear about a country/EDM or hip-hop crossover, I remember that, and remember that it can be done, even if only in a fundamentally ridiculous fashion. That song is brilliant, if entirely silly.
albert
January 13, 2018 @ 8:19 pm
…..and I stand corrected , Derek . …..this one got by me .
…..not sure I really missed anything though ….
albert
January 13, 2018 @ 8:20 pm
but I’m sure it never got played on a country station…..
White Cleats
January 13, 2018 @ 10:37 pm
Dooley, thanks for the link. Got Damn that was tragic. Tammy, gurl, no.
Albert, I wouldn’t bet on that were I you. Surely some programmer or DJ gave that turd a spin a time or two.
Lunchbox
January 13, 2018 @ 12:31 am
only Ludacris song i like is one with Ol Dirty Bastard on that Black Keys/Damon Dash Blakroc album. there were actually a few decent songs on it
Trainwreck92
January 13, 2018 @ 11:38 pm
Damn, I need to re-listen to Blakroc. I don’t remember Luda or ODB being on there at all.
Lunchbox
January 14, 2018 @ 10:31 am
its called “Coochie”. last i checked it was bonus track only on the physical copies.
Ann
January 13, 2018 @ 1:59 am
Carrie wrote this last year at request of SNFonNBC for the lead in to the SB. They liked it. She stayed 2 extra days back in June after regular season shoot and they shot the video. We knew about the song but we didn’t know until this week that Ludacris was featured. The NBC Olympic folks liked it & now it’s going to be played at Olympics. I see absolutely nothing wrong with Carrie having a hype song at the 2 largest watched sporting events of 2018. She’s told us she was going back in the studio this week for CU6. So I wouldn’t judge.her – no one has heard her upcoming album yet. Have no idea about country radio on The Champion but it was #1 on pop & all genre iTunes today.
Jbear
January 13, 2018 @ 2:42 am
Trigger I think you need to settle down. This is a pop anthem for the Super Bowl & Winter Olympics. It’s supposed to sound like that. It’s bloody catchy & trending well on iTunes & social media. This kind of collaboration could have been a disaster & I think Carrie deserves credit for hitting the mark. Obviously the suits wanted something particular & Carrie & her team delivered. Not everything she does has to be associated to country music. She’s allowed to step outside the box. She even dropped her twang & really let loose on this one. Good to see her trying something new. I’m not exactly sure why you are even reviewing this song, it’s not on country radio that I know of. She’ll most likely perform it at the super bowl & Winter Olympics. I think haters gonna hate but Carrie’s gonna slay like she always does! Go Carrie, epic song!
Trigger
January 13, 2018 @ 8:32 am
Yeah so there’s a few comments here saying that I’m freaking out and I need to settle down, and this is only supposed to be for the Super Bowl, and it’s not supposed to be country anyway, when that’s pretty much exactly what I said in my review. I think it’s prudent to give my opinion that this song should not be sent to country radio though. We’ve been assured previously by official sources that pop songs like Zac Brown’s “Beautiful Drug” and Thomas Rhett’s “Vacation” wouldn’t be sent to country radio either, and then they both were. So I felt it was important to share my opinion that this remain a song for the TV and streaming/download if folks choose, or even pop radio. Otherwise, it could create a polarizing effect for Carrie in country.
White Cleats
January 13, 2018 @ 10:50 pm
In those examples both songs were on the artist’s albums’.
But I agree with you. Were Carrie to include this on her upcoming set, she’d take a Florida Georgia Line sized truckload of shit from the critics and her country-leaning fans would be none too impressed. I don’t see it happening; she’s fairly canny.
Gabe
January 14, 2018 @ 7:27 am
You are right, the last thing she needs now is anything polarizing especially since it’s been almost 3 years since her last album and also with the label change and streaming factored in, the odds are definitely not in her favor
jbear
January 14, 2018 @ 6:16 pm
Fair enough, lets hope a pop anthem for sport is all it remains.
boy
January 13, 2018 @ 3:25 am
great pop rap song. not country though.
Bill Weiler
January 13, 2018 @ 3:54 am
To be fair I pulled up a sampling of her music on Spotify as I have not listened to her music before. Good voice and some good songs, but overproduced. Nothing at this point compels me to listen to her music. That being said, I would have said that about Patty Loveless and Lee Ann Womack before they got a little older and their music reflected a return to the roots they grew up with. Maybe in several years Carrie Underwood will ditch the Nashville Machine and hook up with some folks on the east side of town to make some music with. Hey, it could happen. Until then, I got a whole lot of great music to listen to.
Theresa Daniels
January 13, 2018 @ 6:09 am
Nobody cares about your comments,Bill!!She doesn’t make music to please people like you anyways!!There are other people who like her music & her record sales reflect that!!Overproduced?Give me a freaking break!!You don’t deserve to be in her fanbase anyways!!She’s sold a lot more records and could probably sing better than you ever could,so shut up!!Carrie is never going to ditch the Nashville machine so get over it and take your opinion somewhere else!!Stick in the mud much?Get lost!!
Warning:
January 13, 2018 @ 8:25 am
You have nearly exceeded your daily exclamation point usage. Proceed with caution
Bill Weiler
January 13, 2018 @ 9:01 am
Talk to me about music when you graduate high school.
Hummer1258
January 13, 2018 @ 9:25 pm
I do not understand the hostility and pure contempt in Theresa’ s comments. She’s what is wrong with this world, can’t disagree without ridiculous emotion and spews nothing but uncontrolled rage. If see someone about that childish temper.
P.s. No such word as anywayS.
ScottG
January 13, 2018 @ 11:31 am
Good example of not caring.
Also, this website and I think at least a good deal of its readers aren’t here to merely celebrate and be in awe of record sales or what is “trending.” You can read billboard or other such propaganda if that’s what you want to talk about and idolize. It’s always funny when people show up and say something like the sales number prove my point! It must be good! The irony of posting on this particular website, and telling people to “get lost,” is pretty amusing.
Bill Weiler
January 13, 2018 @ 4:38 pm
I feel kinda sorry for her. Shouldering chips that large must get exhausting for a young girl.
Mike
January 13, 2018 @ 9:23 pm
Adults are talking. Come back when you grow up, Theresa.
Joni
January 14, 2018 @ 3:34 pm
Sad thing these days is that, although there are ridiculously juvenile rants posted everywhere, one can’t always be certain they are coming only from juveniles.
Mike
January 14, 2018 @ 2:01 pm
Theresa Daniels HAS to be Shane McAnally’s or Bobby Bones’s receptionist.
nicole
January 14, 2018 @ 6:23 pm
You don’t need others to like Carrie to enjoy her music. I cant wait for her to release music and her amazing performing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwx_L7GPHXU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPoj5CbcWBE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aorVBzKFp-E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPeVlPa2LVw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=182KST_Fi5k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7qCo8ePS4c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6RtZIa8MS8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8PplNum1Dg
ScottG
January 14, 2018 @ 7:28 pm
By the way, what does “her music” mean?
Granted, she can sing / perform. I just looked at her top 3 biggest hits and she didn’t even co-write one of them (I do see she has written SOME of her music). Not all country greats wrote their own music all the time, I know. Some not much at all. But then again there are some serious bad ass artists that did / do. It’s like another superstar, whose name I won’t mention, that has like 20 producers and songwriters essentially make “her music.” I’m picking on semantics maybe, but add it to the list ast to why I can’t get into pop country – even the ones that are countryish.
nicole
January 14, 2018 @ 9:47 pm
I assume you are asking about her songs she has co wrote ?
Some Hearts she co wrote “I Ain’t In Choctaw Anymore” 3 people all together wrote it which incudes Carrie.
Carnival Ride: Carrie co wrote 3 songs with three writers and
Play On she so wrote 4 songs with 3 people all together and 3 song with 4 people all together.
On Blown Away she co wrote 8 songs they all had three people all together.
Storyteller has 6 songs she co wrote with 3 writers all together for each song.
She also co wrote Something In the Water and Little Toy Gun had 3 writers all together for each song.
For Soundtrack There was A Place Foe Us for Narnia she co wrote with 3 all together.
Sorry ot took so long. Had to loom some of it up.
I know she co wrote with Ashley Gorley, Kelley Lovelace for song called Eighteen Inches and Lauren Aliana happen to pick it up and also co wrote “Not Tonight” song with Brett James, Chris Lindsey that Krity Lee Cook ended up taking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wPYu31VLw8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c-H-eBucQI
Here is song she has co wrote she is talking about. She has other videos talking about songs she has co wrote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCSweSm41i8
Is this what you are asking for?
ScottG
January 15, 2018 @ 7:47 am
Nicole,
Thanks for sharing that. Well, at least she tries. I still have a few questions though:
A. Why ALWAYS a co-writer. If she can write, how come she always needs help. A lot of people co-write and that may be the trend these days. But I’m always curious,as with TS, what constitutes her part of the co-write. Did she write a few lyrics?
B. Her hit songs that carry her still don’t seem to be “written” by her.
C. In the last video. Are thos facial expressions for real? When she’s talking about “forever home” and “this is ok, someday I’ll be where I’m supposed to be.” I don’t buy it. Anyone else reading this, seriously, click on that last link. Is that for real?
Again, good for her but trying but when there are so much better and creative songs and songwriters out there, why this?
nicole
January 15, 2018 @ 1:43 pm
I have felt the sentiments in Temporary Home song growing up so its easy for me to believe. I’d say Carrie needs help writing when she co writes.
Taylor has written some songs on her own. I’d say she writes good deal of her songs even when she co writes. She has seemed to write solo less as pop singer. Here are one of her videos for writing song for recent cd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu2Djx2ejlA
I listen to a lot of music.
ScottG
January 15, 2018 @ 4:43 pm
That’s cool Nicole…thx for the links and the banter.
nicole
January 15, 2018 @ 5:46 pm
Thank you 🙂
White Cleats
January 14, 2018 @ 7:33 pm
No one? Really? Hey nitwit, *I* care about Bill’s comments. So that’s one.
Isn’t there a Carrie Underwood fan forum you can take your psychotic ass to??
Tom
January 17, 2018 @ 2:14 pm
“……get over it and take your opinion somewhere else!!”
Are you new here or something? Because the opinion you’re referring to is pretty much the whole point of this site. I think you’re pointing the finger in the wrong direction here.
Kaye
January 13, 2018 @ 4:47 am
ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!!!
Made me get out of my chair and dance like a CHAMPION!……and I’m 70 yrs old.
Thank you.
Gran
David
January 13, 2018 @ 7:09 am
I think you’re freaking out over nothing. I’m pretty sure this is strictly for the Super Bowl. There isn’t really a reason to send this to radio, pop or country. If this were going to r
David
January 13, 2018 @ 7:10 am
adio it would have been promoted more than it has been.
jessie with the long hair
January 13, 2018 @ 7:30 am
Don’t care enough to even listen. Her legs won’t quit!
Derek Sullivan
January 13, 2018 @ 7:32 am
it will be interesting to see if country radio plays this. It’s important to point out, that country radio doesn’t play females, so it’s not a given. Yes, it’s Carrie, but we used to say it’s Miranda, of course radio will play her song. The times are changing. This is a great song to test radio willingness to play females. Not a cookie-cutter country song, but a song that radio would play only if the star forces them too. We can all agree that if Blake sang a song like this, it would find a way to the top of the charts. Will it for Carrie? We will have to wait and see.
Emmyloufan
January 13, 2018 @ 8:58 am
If I heard this on the radio and was not told who it was, I’m not sure I would have guessed Carrie. And even though it’s not a horrible song, I probably would have turned it off before it was done. As usual, another fine piece by Trigger giving everyone lots to think and talk about. My favorite comment posted above was the one that began with “I’m a own -ya “.
Cindy
January 13, 2018 @ 10:29 am
Carrie’s move to Universal was in part for her to become more of a global star so I can see this continuing in her new album. Her voice has always been remarkable, I just wish she concentrated on doing Country songs but she has always been a more pop artist a la Faith Hill. Anyway wish here well but her best country songs are never released to radio.
ScottG
January 13, 2018 @ 12:35 pm
This is only slighty off topic but still related. I wonder what goes on in the minds of artists that seem to like a certain type of music and, presumably (though this is debatable), WANT to be a certain type of musical “artist” but then get approached with these types of opportunities with $$$ attached. It’s interesting to see how many successful country artists jump at the chance to be pop. Garth being probably the easiest example. Why do that? Is money and additional fame that important at that point? It’s hard to argue that money isn’t important, but if you can already live comfortably for the rest of your life, how much is enough? Anyway, that’s human nature I guess.. However, to me at least anyway, loving country music is isn’t about loving superstars. So I guess my point is, what does it say about artists’ love of country in the first place, and their previous work if they so quickly want to jump on the $$$ pop bandwagon, even if it means releasing a “song” like this. In other words, did they always have this in mind and Country was just a stepping stone? Or was it that Country is the only genre that would have them at the time? Not that I ever really took Carrie Underwood seriously, but this really makes me wonder about whatever sincerity there was (or maybe will be) in her country music. It all seems like just an easily swayable act. I know his is no revelation by a long shot, but it’s something I think about it a lot and applies to most mainstream country (and other mainstream) “artists.” Makes me appreciate financially poorer but good artists that have integrity and a real love for their genre and what they do, more and more each day. Lastly, stuff like this makes me appreciate SCM more as well. Thx
Nate
January 13, 2018 @ 10:24 pm
When Carrie won American Idol, she was told she would be making a pop record to follow in the footprints of Kelly Clarkson. She was adamant that she was going to make a country record so they sent her to Arista Nashville and she became the country singer she is today. Point is, she could have made songs like this a long time ago if that was her intention, but her heart was in country music. When it comes to music that she likes to listen to, it’s all over the board as is evidenced by her workout playlists on Spotify. I think when making this song, she wanted to make something commercially viable, that could be played in the gym while working out, or over highlight reels at the Super Bowl, and also tie in with her athletic apparel. While we’ve seen country songs work like this before (All My Rowdy Friends), it’s more fitting to make a pop/hip-hop song, which we’ve seen massive success with. I have little doubt she’ll stick in country music for her next album. We’ve seen her dabble outside the genre before (Aerosmith) and she came right back. I don’t think the only mainstream artist who actually pays their Opry dues should be questioned on whether their heart is in country music based on a one-off song.
ScottG
January 14, 2018 @ 9:51 am
Good point about her dues. I’d forgotten that. Funny enough she talks about paying her dues right before she says “I’m-a own ya.”
I guess it’s just hard to reconcile that someone who does pay their Opry dues when others don’t, would make a song like this. There’s no rule that says artists can’t do other things and expirment. That is usually better, IMO, when it’s about making something good. This is beyond formulaic, commercial, heavyhanded, superficial, wanna be urban sounding cheese. So back to my original question, why do it? Of course the answer is that this will be huge for her, increase her exposure, make her money. Unless that is, she is doing this because it’s so great to work with a legend like Luda or something like that, Excuse me for being doubtful of that, and still having the opinion that making a song like this dilutes my impression of how seriously she takes Country. But I’ll stop there, I don’t even know why I care what the intentions are of a pop country artist… and why I’m surprised that there seems to be nothing they will say no to.
albert
January 14, 2018 @ 11:55 am
I’m of the same bewildered mind you are with this kind of move , ScottG . The conclusions I’ve come to are these:
1. You crave / need/ ache for / desire attention and success so badly that you will do almost anything ( short of shaming yourself or your family ).
2. You become somewhat addicted to the acclaim /praise/money/ taste of success/power and ‘love’ associated with extreme measures of notoriety .
3..You are signed to contracts with agents, management , labels which MUST be honoured by law or you risk losing the support , attention and ‘handling skills’ of that team of career -keepers .
4. You simply lose sight of what your initial goals may have been amidst the demands .
Carrie Underwood , Garth Brooks , Justin Bieber , Shania Twain …..ALL of these successful careers are products which must be marketed carefully to ensure they maintain long-term appeal and earning power across marketing demographics……not just for the artist but for the thousands of people employed by them whose livelihoods , careers and families are so dependent upon that long term success . I’m not suggesting that this should excuse someone like Carrie for some choices ( Somethin Bad About To Happen , backing up Urban …..THIS new crap ) …only trying to rationalize the choices . IN the end ….who the hell really knows ……but the extreme result is what happened to Elvis when he tried to be all things to all people all the time . You become a wealthy parody of yourself ( Urban….Garth ….etc… ) and the love of the song , the genre seems to become a smaller and smaller part of the bigger picture .
There is never a time when I listen to Carrie Underwood when I don’t feel a sadness about how GREAT a country record she could make and what a HUGE influence and inspiration it could be to REAL artists , writers and musicians who are passionate about the REAL traditions of the genre …the REAL narratives ….the REAL talent required to do it justice and the respect for the artform . Selling out to commercial considerations undermines whatever cred ANY artist may have built along the way .
ScottG
January 14, 2018 @ 12:34 pm
Maybe a combination of all of the above.
I realize she’s part of the machine, and why I, at the end, said I don’t know why I would be surprised. Board room music isn’t really about music.
Nate
January 14, 2018 @ 8:57 pm
It could be argued that she has tried everything she can to win Female Vocalist of the Year for the last 10 or whatever years and they just keep giving it to Miranda so maybe instead of her not taking country music seriously, she feels country music hasn’t taken her seriously.
Rachel
January 14, 2018 @ 6:19 pm
Do you feel the same way about artists who write sub-par/non-country music for other artists, i.e. Stapleton? Because wouldn’t those same questions/assumptions about a lack of sincerity apply? I guess for me, it’s kind of a weird bone to pick that an artist gets asked to do a one off hype song for two of the biggest sporting events of the year, but she should turn it down just because of her genre? Assuming this doesn’t get pushed to country radio (which seems highly unlikely at this point), I’m not sure what the big deal is. For me, that argument would make way more sense if she put out a straight pop album (although, yes, the criticism that she doesn’t release overly country music is valid), not a one off song. But I do get where you are coming from.
ScottG
January 14, 2018 @ 9:16 pm
No I don’t feel the same about that. I respect songwriters immensely. In fact, I feel it’s sad that most often (not always)…. the song has to be sung by a prettier or more bro’ishly handsome performer.
Songwriting is where the art is for me. Performance is important too, but when it’s both, that’s the shit.
ScottG
January 14, 2018 @ 9:30 pm
Sorry I didn’t answer the part about the genre. I don’t think she should turn this down because it’s not her genre. I personally think this song, regardless of genre is terrible, bland, cheesy, heavy handed, plaid out, wannabe “urban” sounding (in an embedding way)… I’m just wondering what it would take or just how much worse it would have to be for her to turn it down, or if she even could, as someone else pointed out above. And yes, I do question the motivations of pop country superstars and their sincerity, when you compare them to any one of the nominees for best of 2017 lists on this website. Maybe it is bone picking…..but it’s an important bone to pick IMO. I know not everyone would agree. Thx for listening 🙂
Sam Cody
January 13, 2018 @ 12:38 pm
Definitely Ludacris.
Gena R.
January 13, 2018 @ 1:15 pm
“Yo. Off the tone. Put your tape decks on ‘Record’!
Ludacris. Blizzard Man. Nineteen ninety-five!”
Sorry, SNL reference; I couldn’t resist… 😀 As for the song itself, seems to be trying for an R&B sound more than anything. Reminds me a bit of Destiny’s Child — “Survivor” or something like that — but the vocals sound processed to hell. :p
Steve Reynolds
January 13, 2018 @ 3:11 pm
Who produced this gargabe? Please tell me it wasn’t Mark Bright
Suw
January 13, 2018 @ 3:23 pm
I really love the song. But can I say Carrie has ALWAYS wanted to deep down be a pop artist. From her choosing American Idol over Nashville Star to now finally having the nerve after more then ten years to not only release a pop song but work with a rapper. Miranda Lambert has topped iTunes numerous times on her own (very recently) so you don’t need a pop song with a rapper to do it. You do that because you want to, Carrie wants to and she gets to hide behind it being a Superbowl song. She just needs to stop fighting it and come on out. Then her fans need to apologize to tswift asap cuz right now her fans are still hiding behind it being “Superbowl” and the “Olympics” as her excuse to temporarily leave the genre that they claimed Taylor used for fame. Same can be said for Carrie.
nicole
January 14, 2018 @ 12:39 am
Its not single from her album. Carrie was specifically asked to do new song for Superbowl and Olympics picked it up. When Carrie won AI they wanted her to be pop but she refused. They wanted her to completely remix her songs to pop send to pop radio and she refused. She said something to the effect of that she doesn’t remix. If it crosses over as it originally is that its fine. Hate Carrie all you want. Be repulsed by her music and hate this song. Carrie loyalty to Opry is proof enough that she loves country genre. If she didn’t care then she would ditch it and not bother performing like other members. Miranda is one of my favorite writers in music. She is too twang to do anything but Country. Carrie does side projects like one year she did Frank Sinatra tribute (https://vimeo.com/148105724 .. wish she would sing this way for one of her singles on an albums.. so gorgeous). Another time she co wrote specific song for charity event that is not on any of her albums. Its just extension of her doing something else between cds.
Clyde
January 13, 2018 @ 4:15 pm
I AM UNSPEAKABLE!
Mo Crawford
January 13, 2018 @ 7:02 pm
Terrible pop song..Ludacris was from rap’s bro-country-ish early 2000s
Chad Perry
January 16, 2018 @ 4:27 pm
You think that was rap’s bro country era? What do you call today’s mumble rap?
Aidan
January 13, 2018 @ 7:08 pm
I certainly wasn’t expecting Carrie Underwood to release a purely pop song with the guy who sings “Move Bitch.” Ew.
Jackie Treehorn
January 13, 2018 @ 9:19 pm
Damn she got some tree trunks for quads man. Her legs look like she’s been pushing sleds with James Harrison.
Hummer1258
January 13, 2018 @ 9:31 pm
Hate this song. Hate rap. How can anyone get tired of Queen? Now THAT is ludicrous. Football music went downhill when they quit playing Hank singing about his rowdy friends coming over for football!
Greg
January 13, 2018 @ 9:39 pm
Considering the fact that it’s labeled as pop on iTunes and is nowhere to be found on the country charts I don’t think she is gonna release it to radio. Especially since she should be having a lead single to a new album coming out soon.
Ulysses McCaskill
January 14, 2018 @ 1:49 am
I love good country music and I can respect good pop music and good rap music. This song is none of the three.
DJ
January 14, 2018 @ 10:27 am
My comments have been used already.
Ludicrus!
Check those legs!
Mike
January 15, 2018 @ 4:48 am
Dear Powers that Be in Pop Music:
The magic of “We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions” cannot and will not ever be recreated. Stop trying. Every attempt gets worse over time!!!
Charlie
January 15, 2018 @ 6:18 am
I can’t help thinking that this hurts women in country music in general. On its face it seems like a win-win, but in the back of my mind I end up thinking it marginalizes CU in particular, and other women by association–at least in the narrow minds of the relevant powers-that-be.
OlaR
January 15, 2018 @ 6:29 am
Meh.
It’s the kind of tras…song you can win the ESC (European Song Contest) with.
Before i listen to “The Champion” again i spend my time with much better music:
Briana Adams – “You Only Know The Name” (EP: Dive Bars & Old Guitars)
Arna Georgia – “Broke & Single” (EP: Midnight Carousel)
Homegrown – “Wildflower Bruises” (EP: Wildflower Bruises – Release Date 01/19)
Craig Gerdes – “Slide Off Of Your Satin Sheets” (Album: Smokin’, Drinkin’ & Gamblin’ – Release Date 02/16)
Kristy Cox & Travis List – “I’ve Got One Of Those Too” (New Kristy Cox Album: Ricochet – Release Date 01/19)
Marmarbama
January 15, 2018 @ 4:33 pm
I thought it was a song written for NFL commercial. Or promotion. She has been teasing the song for several months now. I can see why it would be great for sports, but if I wasn’t watching a game, I would never listen to the song. It gives me a headache with the yelling and the lyrics. I really like Carrie Underwood but she can’t possibly be serious about this song outside of the sports arena. It’s beneath her talent.
Willie Potter
January 15, 2018 @ 8:22 pm
Yeah….country music needs her right now.
There are so many artists out there who are actually relevant to the genre that could be getting reviewed, but instead we get an article on this.
Hysterical.
Trigger
January 15, 2018 @ 11:22 pm
Yeah, and you passed up four such articles to leave a comment on a four-day-old article. But keep preaching to me about my skewed priorities.
And whether Carrie Underwood is going to release a song to country radio that features a rapper is the essence of relevance to saving country music. If you don’t understand that, then you’re not ready for this site.
LimaOhio09
January 15, 2018 @ 10:24 pm
I mean is anyone surprised? Clearly was done for the NBC $$$. Has she ever really promoted country music?
Jen
January 16, 2018 @ 5:03 am
All I needed to read was “…featuring Ludacris”, and I knew I wasn’t going to bother with this song. It’s time the artists that give a flying fck about country music, tell these damned hipster millenia idiots running the labels to take a flying leap, and let them release what they want to release! If they all did it, there would be no choice, but seems illuminati has infiltrated some of these fools, and have destroyed the industry! I no longer even listen to mainstream, anymore, unless I tune into some older country (Hank FM has been ruined!), or Christian music, which sounds 1000× better than the best country radio has to offer!
Leroy
January 16, 2018 @ 7:09 am
How come no one has mentioned how the words don’t apply to the game? I will be the last one standing? I, I, I, Me, Me, Me. One person, (unless your name is Leroy), is NOT football. ONE person AGAINST the WORLD is not the GAME. It is this site, One person against all you nut cases and LEROY is going to win. Seriously though, WE’RE in this Savingcountrymusic world together. And together we will stand against pop country, we will win, because we are a team. We will be champions.
glendel
January 16, 2018 @ 9:01 am
instead of “country” Carrie Underwood collaborating w/ “rapper” Ludacris, if had been Leann Rimes or Lee Ann Womack or Ashley McBryde collaborating w/ Jay Z or Public Enemy or Run the Jewels, it would have been an actually listenable fusion of country and hip hop. 🙂
Jude
January 17, 2018 @ 7:03 am
The songs doing well on iTunes but not as well as it appears. Both Perfect and Havana are outselling it, they have other versions taking the percentage away from the main version. Perfect is actually #1, Havana is #2 and Champion is #3 where it has been pretty much from the start of the week. If perfect and Havana did not have other versions taking away sales, champion never would have gotten past #3 on iTunes. Iow, this song is not doing any better then any other song she has released, it’s simply giving the “appearance” of being the top selling song because the two songs she’s in front of are splitting sales. Champion will not be the top selling song of the week. It’ll be #2 or #3. I predict #3 with sales less then “smoke break,”. Hopefully her team explains this to her before she thinks a pop song with a rapper is her key to success. Not really. You’ve done better on your own before, just didn’t hit #1 because the songs above you at that time weren’t splitting sales.
Whiskey_Pete
February 1, 2018 @ 12:27 pm
Fuck, those legs.
Steve
February 11, 2018 @ 12:15 pm
The first time I heard this song on XM The Highway, I thought I was listening to a male rapper. I did a double take to ensure my radio was set to where I thought it was. I’m very disappointed in my favorite radio station to play this rap music. I’ve always liked country music and actually most ALL music….but this song with Ludi…no way.
the realist
February 15, 2018 @ 4:03 pm
Carrie Underwood is no different than the other frauds that will sell out in a heartbeat for a quick buck. I wouldn’t be surprised if she employs a focus group of hollywood leftist entertainment advisors telling her what to sing and how to sing it.
Todd D. Glynn Sr
May 31, 2019 @ 7:12 am
I don’t care what anyone says this young lady can sing and it’s not about black and white it’s about talent and how hard they had to work together to get the song correct with each other and video come on ppl give it a break life has so many opportunities to become a talented person as Carrie and Ludacris does it really matter or going to hurt anyone listen to the song and watch video it’s about all ppl trying to be great preformers and make them selves as great as they can black, white, handicapped just ppl coming together for the things they believe in. I don’t know maybe I’m wrong but honestly stop the complaining and just enjoy what they have accomplished serious why can’t no one be happy it’s entertainment and my opinion is there great together couldn’t think of another song that helps through my life I suffer from bone cancer and phrephrial nerophty headaches and pain everywhere everyday her music helps me make it through the day and that’s with whoever Carrie is singing with words in the song are strong and keep my hopes up so if I get it all correct if ppl complaining or not music is music but I’m sure Carrie Underwood knows what she’s doing country is here life and if she chooses to do something alittle different everyone as a person has a choice to listen and watch or turn the channel but as I said I believe Carrie Underwood knows what she’s doing. Live and let live.