It’s official: almost a year since it was first released as a single in October 2025, Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” is the longest running Number One song in Billboard Hot 100 history. The classically country tune written by Langley with Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick and Joybeth Taylor has passed tracks by Harry Styles, Morgan Wallen, and now former leader Mariah Carey (and Christmas itself) to cement itself as the new record-holder with 23 weeks atop the chart. Carey, whose “All I Want For Christmas Is You” could retake the top slot once holiday season begins, has yet to comment.
Coming in at Number Two is Stella Lefty and “Boston” (which just became a Number One song on country radio) with Wallen’s “Been By Now” at three. With all three slots taken by country artists, it’s clear that the genre’s wave of dominance is not going anywhere soon.
It’s a cherry on top of a record-breaking year for Langley. The Alabama native made history when “Choosin’ Texas” hit Number One on the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay charts at the same time in February. Langley is also the top nominee at the 60th Annual CMA Awards, with a total of nine, including entertainer of the year, and her sophomore LP, Dandelion, just returned to the top of the album charts. Even Drake is trying to get in on the action, teasing a potential “Choosin’ Texas” remix.
“Everyone can relate to wanting something that doesn’t want you back, whether it be a relationship or a job,” Langley told Rolling Stone about why the song of the summer has resonated so widely. “I’m giving my heart to people a lot. And that’s scary to constantly do, because no one wants their heart broken.”
Langley is well aware of how powerful it is to have women in country music breaking through the bro-dom: Dandelion includes a cover of Kitty Wells’ 1952 hit “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” which was the first solo song by a woman to top the country charts. And Langley’s doing her best to make sure the success of “Choosin’ Texas” isn’t just relegated to her alone. On her current Dandelion tour, she made sure to spotlight other female musicians as her opening acts, including Gabriella Rose, Kaitlin Butts, Avery Anna, Laci Kaye Booth, and Madeline Edwards.
“Ella is such a role model for what skyrocketing with grace looks like,” Butts told Rolling Stone. “She’s put me up for an acting role in her iconic music video for ‘Choosin’ Texas’ and now she’s taking me on tour with her. That’s what I love about her, a win for her means a win for all of us women in country music because she’s one of the ones that’s turning around to help the next in line.”
