Choosin’ Texas: How Ella Langley’s Hit Became the Longest-Running No. 1 Ever

“Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley is the longest-running No. 1 song in Billboard Hot 100 history. As of the chart dated November 14, 2026, it has spent 27 weeks at the top, passing even Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Here is how the song came together, what it is about, and every record it has broken so far.

Choosin’ Texas Quick Facts

How Many Weeks Has Choosin’ Texas Been No. 1?

Twenty-seven, and counting. Billboard’s countdown for the Hot 100 dated November 14, 2026, confirmed the song’s 27th week at No. 1, even as Halloween pushed Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” up to No. 2.

Before this song, the record for a non-holiday hit was 19 weeks, shared by Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” “Choosin’ Texas” tied that mark at 19 weeks and took it alone at 20. By late September, the AP reported that it had also passed “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” the holiday song that had owned the overall record.

Who Wrote Choosin’ Texas?

Ella Langley wrote it with Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert and Joybeth Taylor at a writing retreat in October 2024. Lambert had been telling Langley funny stories from her younger days, and one line from those talks grew into the hook. According to Wikipedia’s account, the whole song took about 30 minutes to write.

Lambert also co-produced the track with Langley and Ben West, and she sings background vocals on it. Tom Bukovac and Ben Flanders play guitar, and you can hear steel guitar all through the mix.

What Is Choosin’ Texas About?

The song is about a woman who slowly realizes the man she loves is going to leave her for a woman from Texas. At first she thought he was falling for her and for Tennessee. Then she looks back at the signs she missed. He kept playing Texas songs, he danced like a Texan, and his heart was never really in Tennessee.

The song also nods to country classics. It mentions “Amarillo by Morning,” the Terry Stafford song George Strait made famous, plus Jerry Reed’s “East Bound and Down” and Ronnie Milsap’s “Smoky Mountain Rain.”

The Riley Green and Megan Moroney Rumor

Because of the cover art, some fans tied the song to a rumored love triangle between Langley, Riley Green and Megan Moroney. The cover looks a lot like a fan photo of two people thought to be Green and Moroney driving in Alabama. However, all three singers have denied the rumor. And the cover also shows a “Welcome to Amarillo” road sign, while none of the three is from Texas.

The Music Video

The official video came out on April 1, 2026. Langley directed it herself with Wales Toney and Caylee Robillard, and they filmed it at the Stagecoach Ballroom, a dance hall in Fort Worth, Texas.

Every Record the Song Has Broken

• Langley’s first No. 1 and first top 10 on the Hot 100. It reached the top in February 2026.
• The first song by a woman to lead the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay at the same time.
• The longest-running No. 1 by a female country artist.
• The longest-running Hot 100 No. 1 of any song, holiday hits included.
• Her first No. 1 on the Billboard Streaming Songs chart.

It took off overseas too, though more slowly. In the UK, the song needed 25 weeks to reach the top 10 and hit No. 1 in its 35th week. In Ireland, it got to No. 1 in its 15th week and stayed there for three weeks.

Covers and the Drake Remix

Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman covered the song on their joint tour in 2026. Then Drake previewed a remix with Don Toliver in his September 2026 film Fear of Missing Out. That remix, called “Solar Eclipse,” came out on October 2, 2026, but without Langley on it.

For more on the singer herself, read our Ella Langley biography. You can also see where the song sat in a recent Billboard Hot 100 chart. Since it came out within the eligibility window, it is also in the running for the 2027 Grammy nominations on November 16.

FAQ

Who sings Choosin’ Texas?

Ella Langley, the country singer from Alabama. Miranda Lambert sings background vocals.

When did the song come out?

October 17, 2025, as the lead single from her album Dandelion.

Is Choosin’ Texas still No. 1?

Yes. It was No. 1 on the Hot 100 dated November 14, 2026, its 27th week on top.

Did Choosin’ Texas break Mariah Carey’s record?

Yes. It passed “All I Want for Christmas Is You” to become the longest-running No. 1 in Hot 100 history.

Is Choosin’ Texas about Riley Green?

Langley has not said so, and Langley, Riley Green and Megan Moroney have all denied the love triangle rumor.

Photo: Ella Langley performing at Alan Jackson’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Fest in West Palm Beach, Florida, June 12, 2026, by Rick Munroe via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and text added by MusiccStar.