Underwood plans to write more songs for her upcoming third album, as she is "getting more comfortable" with her writing abilities. However, she will not be writing the entire album. The album is expected for a late 2009 release. She performed "I Know You Won't" at the People's Choice Awards on January 7, 2009, where she won in all her nominated categories - Favorite Female Artist, Favorite Star 35 and Under, and Favorite Country Song for "Last Name". The fifth single "I Told You So" was officially released on February 2, 2009. The song is currently active on the country charts. On March 18, she performed the song live with Randy Travis, who originally recorded the song. Their version was released later that night onto the charts and replaced her solo single that was currently charting.

On February 11, 2009, The nominees for the 44th Academy of Country Music Awards were announced, and Carrie Underwood was nominated for four major awards, including Top Female Vocalist, Video of the Year for "Just a Dream", Album of the Year for "Carnival Ride" and The Highest honor of the said Award-Giving body, Entertainer Of The Year. Underwood was the only female nominee for this year's Entertainer of the Year, alongside Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney and George Strait. On April 5, 2009 Underwood won her third consecutive Academy Of Country Music Award for Female Vocalist Of the Year, as well as the prestigious trophy for Entertainer Of The Year, thus making her only the 7th female to take the award (previous female winners include Loretta Lynn in 1975, Dolly Parton in 1977, Barbara Mandrell in 1980, Reba McEntire in 1994, Shania Twain in 1999, and most recently Dixie Chicks in 2000) in the award show's 4-decade run.

Underwood recorded a cover of Mötley Crüe's "Home Sweet Home" as the farewell themesong for the eliminated American Idol contestants. It was put up for download on iTunes on March 10, 2009 and was first used on American Idol the following night. A collaboration with Mötley Crüe and Sixx: A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx has also recently been confirmed by Sixx himself. On April 5, 2009, Underwood joined Brooks & Dunn, Taylor Swift, Sugarland, and Rascal Flatts in an opening duet to the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM Awards). She performed a snippet of "All-American Girl".

• "CMT Top 20 Countdown" (13 episodes, 2007-2009)
       - Episode dated 20 March 2009 (2009) TV episode (performer: "I Told You So")
       - Episode dated 13 March 2009 (2009) TV episode (performer: "I Told You So")
       - Episode dated 6 March 2009 (2009) TV episode (performer: "I Told You So")
       - Episode dated 27 February 2009 (2009) TV episode (performer: "I Told You So")
       - Episode dated 3 January 2008 (2008) TV episode (performer: "So Small")
        (8 more)
• "American Idol: The Search for a Superstar" (1 episode, 2009)
  ... aka "American Idol 2" (USA: promotional title)
  ... aka "American Idol 3" (USA)
  ... aka "American Idol 4" (USA: fourth season title)
  ... aka "American Idol" (USA: new title)
       - Live Results Show: One Contestant Eliminated (2009) TV episode (performer: "I Told You So")
• New in Town (2009) (performer: "That's Where It Is")
• The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards (2009) (TV) (performer: "I Know You Won't")
• "Saturday Night Live" (2 episodes, 2007-2008)
  ... aka "NBC's Saturday Night" (USA: complete title)
  ... aka "SNL 25" (USA: alternative title)
  ... aka "SNL" (USA: informal title)
  ... aka "Saturday Night Live '80" (USA: sixth season title)
  ... aka "Saturday Night" (USA: first season title)
       - Tina Fey/Carrie Underwood (2008) TV episode (performer: "All-American Girl", "Flat on the Floor")
       - Peyton Manning/Carrie Underwood (2007) TV episode (performer: "Before He Cheats", "Wasted")
• "Grand Ole Opry" (1 episode, 2007)
  ... aka "Opry Live!" (USA: short title)
       - Best Opry Moments of 2007 (2007) TV episode (performer: "Before He Cheats")
• Movies Rock (2007) (TV) (performer: "The Sound of Music" (1959))
• 41st Annual Country Music Association Awards (2007) (TV) (performer: "So Small")
  ... aka 41st Annual CMA Awards (USA: informal title)
• Enchanted (2007) (performer: "Ever Ever After") ("Ever Ever After")
• The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (2006) (TV)
  (performer: "Islands in the Stream")
• 40th Annual Country Music Association Awards (2006) (TV) (performer: "Before He Cheats")
  ... aka 40th Annual CMA Awards (USA: informal title)