Carrie Underwood has been turning out one number-one hit right after another…and even though she’s already topped the charts three times with songs from her Carnival Ride album, it’s her new single, “Just a Dream,” that was the first song she loved for the record. It’s a powerful ballad about a young love tragically lost — and already the most popular new song on country radio stations this week — it’s clear that people are reacting to “Just a Dream” the same way that it affected Carrie. “I think it was actually the first song that I made up in my own little mind that was goin’ on the album, and I mean, the first time I heard it, I thought, ‘Wow, this is incredible.'” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

• “Just a Dream” was written by Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson, and Steve McEwan. Hillary has become one of Carrie’s favorite songwriters, co-writing four! of her big hits, including the GRAMMY-winning “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” also written with Gordie and Brett James.
• “Just a Dream” is Carnival Ride‘s fourth single, following the chart-topping success of “So Small,” “Last Name,” and “All-American Girl.”
• Watch for Carrie this weekend as GAC re-airs the special Opry induction episode where she officially became the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry! Re-live the magic on the Saturday airing of Opry Live (8pm, ET).

  Carrie Underwood says her new single, “Just a Dream,” was the first song she decided to record for her Carnival Ride album. (:20)
“‘Just a Dream,’ I think it was actually the first song that I made up in my own little mind that was goin’ on the album, and I mean, the first time I heard it, I thought, ‘Wow, this is incredible.’ It was so exciting to hear that one and say, ‘Okay, we’ve got a start. We’ve got a fabulous song as a start.’ And it’s just…it’s incredible.”