America keeps choosin' Texas as Ella Langley's heartbreak anthem just replaced Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" as the longest-running hit at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
Billboard announced on Sept. 22 that Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" earned its 23rd week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the Alabama-born singer-songwriter — who just won Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards —the most weeks ever at No. 1.
In a social media video captioned "Texas Forever," posted Sept. 22, Langley said she was left speechless after receiving the news.
"Just thank you, thank you so much," Langley said. "It's changing my life. It's changing lives of the writers of this song. It's changing lives of my family, and it is truly growing
an atmosphere for something I'm going to be able to do the rest of my life."
Theearworm of a song about a woman who loses her man to a Texas girl after taking him home to Abilene was co-written by Langley, Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick and Joybeth Taylor. Lambert also sings background vocals.
During the Sept. 11-17 tracking week, the song had 21.8 million official streams in the U.S. and 58.3 million radio airplay audience impressions, according to Billboard. The country hit also sold about 6,000 downloads during that time frame.
Claiming it's new place, the song has surpassed the following songs, ranked by the most weeks spent at No. 1 on the Hot 100 since its inception in 1958:
- 22, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey, 2019-26
- 19, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey, 2024
- 19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019
- 16, “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023
- 16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, 2017
- 16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, 1995-96
To celebrate, here's a look back at the Texas nods packed into the song of the summer.
'Back to Abilene'
As the Abilene Reporter-News, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported, "Choosin' Texas" put the West Texas town back on the map, as it's not a stranger to country music.
Some of the prominent country artists like Waylon Jennings and George Hamilton IV have been singing about the town between Lubbock and Fort Worth since its early cattle-shipping days.
With a population of 125,182, the town is known as the Official Storybook Capital of America, according to Tour Texas, and also has a zoo.
'Amarillo by Morning'
Now, if you didn't catch this reference, you can't call yourself a country fan.
The lyric, "He always loved 'Amarillo by Morning'" is a nod to a George Strait ballad about a town in the Texas Panhandle as the narrator drives on up from San Antone (San Antonio).
With a population of 203,729, the city lies on the iconic Route 66 and serves as the gateway to Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It's also home to the Cadillac Ranch, the roadside art installation where visitors are invited to spray-paint the buried Cadillacs.
'I-40 gets lonelier with every mile'
This is a more obscure reference to the interstate that runs through the Texas Panhandle, connecting the state with New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the east.
The interstate runs past the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo and The Big Texan Steak Ranch — home of the 72-ounce steak challenge, free if diners finish it within an hour.
The interstate also runs parallel to the historic Route 66.
'Two steppin' 'round the room'
This lyric refers to the Texas two-step, which consists of two quick walking steps followed by two longer, slower steps with a partner.
Notably, "Choosin' Texas" is in a 4/4 time signature, making it a good two-step song to grab a partner to dance with.
Ella Langley's Texas tour dates
Langley is on her first solo tour, named after her sophomore album, "Dandelion."
While her tour has already visited most of her Texas tour locations in Austin, Fort Worth and Corpus Christi, there is one more opportunity to see her — Oct. 10 in Lubbock.
Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ella Langley breaks Billboard Hot 100 record with 'Choosin' Texas'
