Carrie Underwood Is "Now" Hot

Carrie Underwood rocks it at the 43rd Annual ACM Awards Sunday, May 18, 2008 in Las Vegas, NV. Photo courtesy of Getty Images and the Academy of Country Music.

Sept. 4, 2008 — NOW That’s What I Call Country packages 20 hits by a variety of artists in one collection, so it’s no surprise that the CD is the top-selling country album in its first week out. According to Country Aircheck, the disc — featuring music by Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Sara Evans and Lady Antebellum, among others — moved more than 50,000 copies.

Carrie, in fact, is becoming a poster child for the NOW series. Even before "All-American Girl" landed on this album, her recording of "Before He Cheats" appeared on an installment in the pop series, NOW That’s What I Call Music 25, which went gold and platinum last year.

In addition, Carrie’s version of "Do You Hear What I Hear" is being added to The Essential NOW That’s What I Call Christmas, which comes out Sept. 23. Three holiday versions of the NOW series have been previously released, and the new Essential project mostly culls songs that appeared previously on those earlier editions. Carrie’s yuletide performance is an exception. Still, some of the repeats slated for the Essential Christmas project include Elvis Presley’s "Blue Christmas," Gene Autry’s "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," Brenda Lee’s "Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree" and Elmo & Patsy’s "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer."

Meanwhile, look for Carrie on Friday in the "Stand Up To Cancer" TV special airing on ABC, CBS and NBC. She’ll perform the charity single "Just Stand Up" along with LeAnn Rimes, Mariah Carey, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge and Mary J. Blige, among others.

"If by participating in this charity effort I entice just one person to give funds for cancer research," Carrie says, "then it will be so worthwhile."

Also appearing on the "Stand Up" special is Sugarland.