Ella Langley (Getty Images)
A country song has broken Mariah Carey’s record of the longest-running No. 1 hit in the U.S.
Ella Langley’s "Choosin’ Texas" has spent 23 weeks at the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100, surpassing previous records set by Carey, Shaboozey, Lil Nas X and Whitney Houston.
Ella Langley breaks Mariah Carey’s record
Big picture view:
With 23 weeks at No. 1, "Choosin’ Texas" has broken Mariah Carey’s record for "All I Want For Christmas Is You," which went 22 weeks at No. 1. Previous records were also set by Shaboozey’s "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," Lil Nas X’s "Old Town Road" and Whitney Houston’s "I Will Always Love You."
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By the numbers: According to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company, "Choosin’ Texas" brought in 911 million on-demand streams in the U.S. and 1.26 billion globally as of mid-August. Langley started in 2023 with under 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Now, she has more than 32 million.
What they're saying:
Spotify senior editor Claire Heinichen says "Choosin’ Texas" "started big," moving from the platform’s leading country playlist, "Hot Country," to its larger, generic offerings because it works across audiences.
"It made its way into ‘Today’s Top Hits,’ which is our biggest global flagship playlist, but it’s also showing up in ‘Mood’ and ‘Moments’ playlists because it fits so well in ‘driving’ or ‘chill’ or ‘cookout,’" Heinichen says. "It really can work everywhere.
"The song’s success on a playlist like ‘Today’s Top Hits’ is an indication that this is working for audiences who are not seeking out one specific genre. It’s definitely growing in every direction."
Langley’s voice is ‘like syrup’
Dig deeper:
Nate Sloan, a musicologist, assistant professor at the University of Southern California and co-host of the podcast "Switched On Pop," told The Associated Press that the main reason for Langley’s meteoric rise is because her voice is "like syrup." She also pulls from other genres and has been compared to singer Kacey Musgraves.
"It’s almost like a trance," Sloan says. "It’s a little more rock or even kind of soul-inflected. Part of the reason songs like ‘Choosin’ Texas’ are able to resonate with such a wide audience is because, musically, they’re bringing in a lot of diverse influences."
"Choosin’ Texas" is an unusual hit, experts say, because it doesn’t possess the features that historically make up a No. 1 smash.
It’s super specific — with its detailed descriptions of characters and geography in the lyrics — which is "antithetical to what you usually expect from a big, hit pop song that’s supposed to appeal to everyone," says Sloan. It’s also "chill," Sloan says. "It’s not bombastic or anthemic."
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press.