Country artist Ella Langley has set a new historic record in the American music industry: her single Choosin' Texas has held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a 23rd week. This surpasses Mariah Carey's long-standing result, whose Christmas hit All I Want for Christmas Is You had accumulated a total of 22 weeks at the top of the chart by the start of 2026. As a result, Choosin' Texas has become the track with the longest run at No. 1 in the history of the chart, which has been tracking since 1958.
How Carey's Christmas Hit Ceded the Top Spot
Before Langley, the top of the Billboard Hot 100 had for many years been associated with Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You. The song first climbed into the top in 2019, and in subsequent years it returned to No. 1 during the Christmas season, accumulating weeks at the top. By the start of 2026, its cumulative total stood at 22 weeks. It is important to understand the methodological difference: for Carey this is a cumulative result across several Christmas seasons, whereas for Langley it is a continuous run of 23 weeks, which makes the new record all the more significant.
Behind the Hit: the Writers and the Dandelion Album
The track Choosin' Texas was released in October 2025 as the lead single from Langley's second studio album, Dandelion. The song was written by Ella herself, along with Luke Dick, Joy Bell Taylor, and Miranda Lambert. According to the artist, the writers aimed to make the song melodic and catchy while working on it. The track's success was driven not only by frequent radio airplay but also by strong streaming and sales figures. In an interview with Billboard, Langley admitted that she herself is not entirely sure why this particular song became such a massive hit.
More Than Choosin' Texas: Langley's Other Hits in 2026
Choosin' Texas is not the only work by the singer to have achieved success on the American chart in 2026. The song Be Her reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the track I Can't Love You Anymore, featuring Morgan Wallen, climbed to No. 4. Taken together, these results confirm Langley's sustained presence in the top 5 of the chart and her status as one of the leading country artists of the season.
Can the Record Be Challenged?
Despite the record set, the battle for the top of the chart may continue: Mariah Carey's song traditionally returns to No. 1 during the Christmas season, so its cumulative number of weeks at the top may still grow. This means that Langley's record is not yet absolute and could be challenged in the coming months, which adds an extra layer of interest for observers of the Billboard Hot 100.
