Ella Langley ties Mariah Carey record as 27-year-old unknown singer’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ tops Billboard for 22 weeks

Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ turns heads, tying Carey’s record with 22 weeks at No. 1

The breakthrough of an unknown singer born in 1999 sets a new Billboard record as cumulative listeners surpass 2.25 billion

27-year-old country newcomer emerges as a threat to the ‘Queen of Christmas’

The history of Billboard’s main singles chart, the ‘Hot 100’, appears poised for a rewrite. Billboard officially announced on the 15th, local time, that Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ had claimed the No. 1 spot for its 22nd week. That exactly matches the record for the longest run at No. 1, held by Mariah Carey’s megahit ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You.’

Unlike Carey’s 1994 Christmas carol, which has accumulated 22 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 as it returns to the charts every winter, Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ has shown remarkable staying power. After first entering the chart last November, it reached No. 1 in February this year and established a long-running reign. If it holds the top spot for just one more week, it will set an unprecedented record in Billboard’s 66-year history.

A 2.25 billion-listener phenomenon shaped by the spirit of the South, and tears of joy

Langley, who was born in 1999, spent years in obscurity after her debut album, ‘Hangover’, underperformed. But she completely turned things around by weaving into ‘Choosin’ Texas’ a story about a lover who chooses a woman from Texas, along with elements that evoke the deep nostalgia of the American South, including Jack Daniel’s whiskey and cowboys. The New York Times praised the song, saying, “It is establishing itself as more than a passing hit—as a new anthem for Austin, Texas.”

The overwhelming reach of radio outlets lies at the center of the explosive phenomenon. Billboard data showed that the song had surpassed 977,000 radio plays as of the 11th, generating 2.4 million dollars in revenue. Its cumulative audience has reached an astonishing 2.25 billion listeners.

Upon learning of the unprecedented record, Langley shed tears of joy on social media alongside the short but powerful message ‘22 weeks.’ She also expressed her heartfelt thanks by tagging fellow musicians, including Miranda Lambert and Luke Dick, who helped elevate the song’s quality.