Ella Langley has stunned the music world by matching one of the biggest records in Billboard Hot 100 history with “Choosin’ Texas.”
On Monday, September 14, the country star took to her Instagram Story to share Billboard’s latest Hot 100 chart update, marking the song spending its 22nd week at No. 1.
“22 weeks,” she simply wrote over the post, adding a face-holding-back-tears emoji and an exploding-head emoji. Langley also tagged collaborators Joybeth Taylor, Miranda Lambert and Luke Dick.
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” Matches Mariah Carey’s All-Time Record
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” has now spent 22 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, tying Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” for the longest reign in the chart’s history.
Carey’s Christmas classic accumulated its 22 weeks at the summit across multiple holiday-season returns between 2019 and 2026.
Langley’s journey to 22 weeks has also been unusual. Rather than spending all of those weeks consecutively at the top, “Choosin’ Texas” repeatedly surrendered the position before climbing back to No. 1 during its remarkable 2026 run. Now, the two very different songs share one of Billboard’s biggest records.
‘Choosin’ Texas’ Passed Some Massive Hits Along the Way
“Choosin’ Texas” first reached No. 1 in February, but its weeks at the summit haven’t all come consecutively. The country hit has accumulated its total across six separate reigns at No. 1.
Along the way, Langley’s song moved beyond two previous Hot 100 giants: Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. Both songs spent 19 weeks at No. 1, meaning Langley’s latest milestone now puts “Choosin’ Texas” three weeks beyond their totals.
The song has dominated beyond the weekly Hot 100, too. Billboard named “Choosin’ Texas” its No. 1 Song of the Summer for 2026 after its extraordinary run through the season. But Langley could have an even bigger milestone ahead.
If “Choosin’ Texas” remains at No. 1 for a 23rd week, she will break the tie with Carey and claim the record for the longest-leading No. 1 in Hot 100 history.
Langley’s Song Carries a Personal Story
“Choosin’ Texas” was co-written by Langley, Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick and Joybeth Taylor during a writers’ retreat, marking Langley’s first time writing with Lambert. “I was on a writers retreat with Miranda, our first time writing together,” Langley previously told Billboard.
The collaboration has since grown into the biggest chart hit of Langley’s career, while its success has accompanied a breakout year filled with other major achievements.
Back in May, Langley was named Female Artist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards. According to a previous EntertainmentNow report, that “Choosin’ Texas” also helped make the night especially memorable for the country star.
That momentum has carried into awards season. Langley leads the field for the 2026 CMA Awards with nine nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year.
Both “Choosin’ Texas” and “Be Her” are nominated for Single of the Year and Song of the Year, giving Langley two entries in each category.
In the Single of the Year race, her two songs will compete against Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You,” Lainey Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo” and Cody Johnson’s “The Fall” when the CMA Awards air on November 18.
For now, Langley shares one of the Hot 100’s biggest records with Carey. If “Choosin’ Texas” can hold the top spot for one more week, however, the country star will have the record all to herself.
