Ella Langley Shatters a 49-Year Billboard Hot 100 Record With ‘Choosin’ Texas’
11 Weeks at No. 1 · Billboard Hot 100 · 2026 Chart Milestone
“Choosin’ Texas” now claims 11 weeks at Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 — more than any woman with a country single in chart history. That total breaks Debby Boone’s 49-year-old benchmark of 10 weeks, set in 1977 with “You Light Up My Life.” The milestone cements Ella Langley as the defining country crossover story of 2026.
“Choosin’ Texas,” on SAWGOD/Columbia Records, also commands the Hot Country Songs tally for a 29th week at No. 1. The track co-written by Langley, Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, and Joybeth Taylor keeps outlasting every rival on both charts. No country single by a woman has ever run this deep on the all-genre Hot 100.
Ella Langley Breaks Debby Boone’s Record — 11 Weeks at Hot 100 No. 1
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” now owns 11 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 — the most for any woman with a country-identifying single in the chart’s history. Boone’s “You Light Up My Life” held that record for 49 years after logging 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in 1977. Billboard reports Langley’s total surpasses that mark with room to spare.
“Choosin’ Texas” spent 36 total weeks on the Hot 100 after debuting at No. 39 in November 2025. Langley’s single first reached No. 1 in February 2026 — its 16th week on the tally — and returned to the summit across 11 frames in total. Boone’s “You Light Up My Life” reached No. 4 on the Hot Country Songs chart, qualifying the 1977 hit as a country-identified record that stood untouched until now.
For Ella Langley, 26, from Hope Hull, Alabama, the record caps a climb from the indie country circuit to the very top of American popular music. She debuted on the Hot 100 in mid-2024, posted multiple hits from her debut album Hungover, and never slowed down. Shattering a 49-year record in her sophomore era places her inside a conversation that includes only the genre’s biggest names.
Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ — 29 Weeks at Hot Country Songs No. 1
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” commands the Hot Country Songs tally for a 29th week at No. 1 — an extraordinary run on the multimetric chart that blends streaming, airplay, and sales. The track has maintained its grip on country music’s primary Billboard ranking across the same 36-week stretch it has spent on the all-genre Hot 100.
“Choosin’ Texas” also topped the Country Airplay chart — the radio-based ranking built from broadcast spins alone. Ruling all three charts simultaneously places Langley’s single in a group of only four songs to accomplish the triple crown at once. The others: Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” for seven weeks in 2024, Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen for one week in 2024, and Wallen’s “Last Night” for eight weeks in 2023.
Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” became the first song by a woman to lead the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay simultaneously — a standard no female artist had reached before. Track the songs Langley performs each night on the full 2026 Dandelion Tour setlist page.
Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert — The Writers Who Built a Record-Breaking Song
Ella Langley co-wrote “Choosin’ Texas” with Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, and Joybeth Taylor on a writing retreat roughly one year before the song’s release. Lambert also co-executive produced Dandelion alongside Langley and Ben West — a creative investment that shaped the album from the ground up.
Lambert told American Songwriter of her collaborator: “Ella may have grown up in Alabama, but she has a rowdy, fiery side that us Texas women recognize and respect.” The song’s spark arrived when Lambert shared a wild Texas story at the retreat. Langley answered with: “Well, she’s from Texas, I can tell” — and the room knew that line was the record.
Both Langley and Lambert earned their first Hot 100 No. 1 credits as writers and producers when “Choosin’ Texas” reached the summit in February 2026. That dual triumph, co-production credit included, confirmed Lambert’s bet on Langley as a long-term investment. See the Miranda Lambert page for the full story of their ongoing partnership.
Ella Langley Joins an Elite Seven — The Women Who Topped Both Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs
Ella Langley now belongs to a seven-member group of solo women to simultaneously lead both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs tally with the same track. The group covers 58 years and includes some of the most iconic names in American music.
Jeannie C. Riley opened the ledger in 1968 with “Harper Valley PTA.” Dolly Parton joined in 1981 with “9 to 5.” Taylor Swift added her name twice — with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” in 2012 and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” in 2021. Kacey Musgraves, Beyoncé, and Tate McRae followed between 2023 and 2025.
Langley enters that group carrying the longest Hot 100 No. 1 run any of them managed. Her 11 weeks at the summit rewrite the record on two dimensions at once — total weeks and simultaneous chart command. Browse all 2026 concert dates to see the record-setter perform the history-making track live.
Ella Langley ‘Choosin’ Texas’ Record — FAQ
How many weeks has “Choosin’ Texas” spent at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100?
“Choosin’ Texas” has spent 11 weeks at Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 across 36 total weeks on the tally. It debuted at No. 39 in November 2025 and first reached No. 1 in February 2026.
What 49-year record did Ella Langley break with “Choosin’ Texas”?
Ella Langley broke Debby Boone’s record of 10 weeks at Hot 100 No. 1, set with “You Light Up My Life” in 1977 — the prior record for any woman with a country-identifying single on the all-genre chart.
How many weeks has “Choosin’ Texas” been at No. 1 on Hot Country Songs?
“Choosin’ Texas” commands the Hot Country Songs tally for 29 weeks — on the multimetric chart that blends streaming, airplay, and sales data for country music.
Who wrote “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley?
Ella Langley co-wrote “Choosin’ Texas” with Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, and Joybeth Taylor on a writing retreat. Lambert and Ben West co-executive produced the track alongside Langley.
What label releases Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas”?
“Choosin’ Texas” releases on SAWGOD/Columbia Records, with Triple Tigers handling radio promotion. SAWGOD is Ella Langley’s own imprint, distributed through Columbia Records.