Blown Away
by Carrie Underwood
  • Record Label: Arista
  • Release Date: May 1, 2012
Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. Billboard.com
    May 1, 2012
    89
    In an already impressive, multi-platinum career, Blown Away is a landmark achievement.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    May 2, 2012
    83
    When she's a good girl, she's very good--but Bad Carrie just sounds better.
  3. Country Weekly
    May 10, 2012
    80
    This is easily Carrie's most well-rounded and confident work to date.
  5. American Songwriter
    May 8, 2012
    80
    While previous efforts seemed a bit unfocused and disseminated, Blown Away is more thematic and unified, resulting in Underwood's strongest effort to date, which easily leaves her previous releases twisting in the wind.
  6. AllMusic
    May 2, 2012
    80
    She's meant to be be a superstar and she's never seemed as comfortable with her calling as she does on Blown Away.
  7. PopMatters
    Aug 30, 2012
    70
    Everything else [besides "Good in Goodbye" and "One Way Ticket"] is worth hearing, learning, and trying to love.
  8. The New York Times
    Apr 30, 2012
    70
    While the album starts bold and mechanically impressive, it gets progressively quieter over the course of its first half, as if she were taking a break from fire-breathing... [Yet] relaxation is not her milieu.
  9. The Guardian
    Jun 14, 2012
    60
    However predictable the package, there's fun to be had in these tales of bad dads, cheating husbands and cold, cold hearts, and Underwood delivers them with sweet purposefulness.
  10. Boston Globe
    May 1, 2012
    60
    This is nebulous pop music dressed up in country fringe, zoomed out so far that Underwood never nails anything in particular.
  11. Slant Magazine
    Apr 30, 2012
    60
    Although the album is still a far cry from being great on its own merits or from being a fully realized, well-calibrated statement of artistic identity, it's nonetheless a welcome surprise to hear Underwood finally making some substantive headway toward recording music that aspires to be more than merely pleasant and safe.
  12. Rolling Stone
    May 8, 2012
    50
    Underwood's voice is as powerful as ever, but Blown Away tries too hard, ratcheting up melodrama with strings and effects.
  13. Los Angeles Times
    May 1, 2012
    50
    Mostly, though, Blown Away finds her using her remarkable voice to deliver feel-good bromides.

Awards & Rankings

56
#56 Most Discussed Album of 2012

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 122 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 77 out of 122
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 122
  3. Negative: 43 out of 122
  1. marchighman
    Sep 22, 2017
    0
    Carrie Underwood, and all of the American Idol contestants, are a deterrent for music in the 21st century. Even worse, she promotes murderingCarrie Underwood, and all of the American Idol contestants, are a deterrent for music in the 21st century. Even worse, she promotes murdering an unfaithful partner as if it's a moral thing to do. All while acting like a good Christian girl. What's even more worse is that conservative Republicans (her core music fan base) look the other way and instead focus on those "thug" rappers. It's unfair that African Americans are held to more scrutiny, especially if they avoid singing about gang warfare. It's shown by people ignoring good R&B singers (not just Beyoncé) and propping up mediocre country/pop singers, especially the ones that come from American Idol. Hopefully, America can wise up over this.… Full Review »
  2. wolflover
    Aug 6, 2012
    3
    Sorry, Carrie Underwood trying to have a dark side? Laughable. And trying to cross over into Pop? Gotta say, just a little too much twangSorry, Carrie Underwood trying to have a dark side? Laughable. And trying to cross over into Pop? Gotta say, just a little too much twang in there to be believable. She has a nice voice, sort of like a Barbara Mandrell, but not as entertaining - very bland.… Full Review »
  3. djterrible
    Dec 23, 2016
    0
    My brain cells are "blown away" from my head after prolonged listenings of this music selection. I follow the hawk, Carrie is a good ChristianMy brain cells are "blown away" from my head after prolonged listenings of this music selection. I follow the hawk, Carrie is a good Christian girl that advocates murdering someone that did you wrong. But that's okay, because she is not a rapper.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »