Carrie Underwood

In terms of sheer sales and fame, Carrie Underwood may be the biggest star generated by the American Idol behemoth in the 2000s. She took home the American Idol crown in the show's fourth season and, at first, she appealed primarily to the program's wide pop audience: her coronation song "Inside Your Heaven" reached number one on Billboard's Top 40 but didn't crack its country Top 40. While Underwood always retained an element of stylish showbiz appeal -- the top of the charts was never a stranger to her -- she made her mark in country music. Some Hearts, her 2005 debut, produ...