Carrie Underwood’s “album was the third-biggest seller in the calendar year of 2006”

Carrie Underwood continues her rise to actual idol, not just television show winner. Besides winning five Billboard awards and a CMA award for best female vocalist last year, her album did extremely well.

Some Hearts “was the third-biggest seller in the calendar year of 2006, according to Nielsen SoundScan,” USA TODAY’s Idol Chatter reports.

In addition, “Carrie was also the fourth-best-selling album artist overall in 2006, not bad for an artist with only one album (the three above her — Rascal Flatts, Johnny Cash and Nickelback — all have multiple albums).”

She’s undoubtedly the series’ most successful winner next to first-season winner Kelly Clarkson, who the blog notes “was the second-most-played artist on radio, according to Nielsen BDS.”