Ella Langley has made Billboard Hot 100 history after Choosin' Texas became the new longest-running No. 1 song in US history. The country smash hit has now spent 23 weeks at the top, surpassing the record held by Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Less than a year after the hit was released, Langley has acquired a place in the Billboard record books with the new record. The song was first released in October 2025 and later climbed to the top of the all-genre Hot 100, where its sustained run has carried it past several major chart successes from previous decades.
A New Billboard Hot 100 Record
Before Ella Langley's achievement, Mariah's holiday favourite had held on to the record with 22 weeks at No. 1. All I Want for Christmas Is You was first released in 1994 and has accumulated No. 1s through repeated returns to the top of the chart during the Christmas season. Choosin' Texas has now moved one week beyond Mariah's 22-week record.
The new milestone also places Choosin' Texas ahead of other lengthy chart runs, including Lil Nas X's Old Town Road and Shaboozey's A Bar Song (Tipsy), both of which spent 19 weeks at No. 1. Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You and Mariah Carey's hit with Boyz II Men, One Sweet Day, also rank among the songs previously associated with extended Hot 100 reigns.
Speaking to Billboard, Langley described the success of her track as 'surreal', saying, 'I think this has been the biggest moment for me, where I've seen where fans can change your career. For so long, you're like, 'Alright, one song at a time, one record at a time.''
The singer added that fans have consistently embraced her music, but the response to Choosin' Texas had reached an entirely different level. She said, 'But with this one song – and they've done it continuously for me – but really with 'Choosin' Texas' ... man, have they taken ahold of it. It's wild,' she said.
The Story Behind Choosin' Texas
Langley's hit song Choosin' Texas centres on a woman dealing with the end of a relationship after her partner leaves Tennessee for another woman in Texas. Its narrative uses the two states as part of the breakup story, giving the track a distinctly country setting while keeping the emotional premise familiar.
The hit track was co-written by Langley with Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor and Luke Dick. Langley told Billboard that the song came together during her first writing retreat with Miranda. Miranda shared a story about once being stopped by police while travelling with a pet kangaroo, which she said helped her avoid a ticket.
'I was on a writers retreat with Miranda, our first time writing together. At a young age, she had a pet kangaroo. She told me how she got pulled over once with the kangaroo in the passenger seat. The kangaroo got her out of a ticket and she said, 'Of course, I had Texas plates, too,'' she told Billboard, also mentioning that the vehicle's Texas plates inspired Langley to build on the connection. The song was completed in about 45 minutes.
Why the Song Has Stayed on Top
Industry figures cited by AP point to the song's ability to connect with listeners outside a strictly country audience. Luminate data showed that Choosin' Texas had generated 911 million on-demand streams in the US and 1.26 billion globally by mid-August, while Langley's Spotify audience had grown dramatically since her early career, from under 1 million when she made her debut to over 32 million.
Spotify Senior Editor Claire Heinichen described the success of the hit song as 'explosive and consistent', per AP. 'It made its way into 'Today's Top Hits', which is our biggest global flagship playlist, but it's also showing up in 'Mood' and 'Moments' playlists because it fits so well in 'driving' or 'chill' or 'cookout',' she said.
'The song's success on a playlist like 'Today's Top Hits' is an indication that this is working for audiences who are not seeking out one specific genre. It's definitely growing in every direction,' Heinichen added.
The track's restrained production and mixture of country elements with touches associated with other genres have also been associated with its success, which reflects a combination of streaming, radio and the song's ability to travel across different listener groups.
