A Traditional Country Song is Now The #1 Song in All of Music
Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve heard ad nauseum about how country music just isn’t popular enough to compete with other genres, and to be featured in America’s most high profile musical moments.
This was the case at the 2026 Grammy Awards where not a single country album, song, or artist competed in the Grammy’s big all-genre categories. There was also no country performer featured during the 3 1/2-hour televised presentation, aside from Reba McEntire who sang background during an In Memoriam segment.
Then the Super Bowl came along the next week, stimulating discussions about how there hasn’t been a primary country performer in 32 years. “Country music just isn’t popular enough” was the regular refrain, even from a lot of country fans, strangely.
Well everyone might be surprised to hear that the #1 song in all of music at the moment is from a country artist. Even more remarkably, it’s from a woman in country. It’s also a solo cut, meaning it’s not receiving some boost from a featured artist or collaboration from outside of the genre. Even more inexplicable, it’s fair to characterize the song as traditional country as opposed to contemporary pop country.
We’re talking of course about Ella Langley’s landmark, and now historic song, “Choosin’ Texas,” that was named Saving Country Music’s Single of the Year for 2025.
Already a #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for 11 straight weeks, “Choosin’ Texas” rose to #1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 this week. It also rose to #1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart this week as well. This is a massive, massive achievement for a country song featuring steel guitar, talk of Texas two-steppin’, and a story of sincere heartbreak.
Some expected Bad Bunny to dominate the index after his massive win that the Grammy Awards on February 1st. His Super Bowl appearance on Feb. 8th wouldn’t really register until next week. But even with the Grammy boost, all Bad Bunny could achieve is a rise in his song “DtMF” to #10 on the Hot 100 chart.
According to Billboard, “Choosin’ Texas” racked up 22.1 million official streams (up 22% week over week), 34.4 million radio airplay audience impressions, and sold 12,000 downloads in the United States from 1/30 to 2/5. The song also tops Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart for the second week, and is also #12 on the Radio Songs chart, meaning it’s a massive radio track across platforms.
Ella Langley topping the Billboard Hot 100, the Hot Country Songs chart, and the Billboard Country Airplay chart makes her the first woman to ever simultaneously top all three charts since Billboard updated its chart structure in 2012. “I can’t thank y’all enough for what you’ve done with this song, it blows my mind every single day. Here’s to women & country music,” Ella Langley said.
Along with being the first all-genre #1 for Ella Langley, the song’s success is shared in by another woman of country: Miranda Lambert. Miranda co-wrote and co-produced the song, and also sings background vocals on it. This is the first time Lambert has also gone to #1. Other writers on the track include Luke Dick and Joybeth Taylor. Players on the track include Charlie Worsham and steel player Spencer Cullum.
What does all this mean for country music, and traditional country specifically? It means the mainstream momentum neotraditionalist Zach Top has stimulated has spread to other artists, and to country women. This can only bode well for the entire trajectory of traditional country, which continues to see an adoption with younger performers and listeners. Country music is very much a copycat business. Rest assured folks in the industry are paying attention to Langley’s music topping success.
Traditional country will not always be in a resurgence, and country in general will not always top the charts. Country music has never wanted to dominate culture. It just wants a seat at the table. “Choosin’ Texas” has earned that seat, and proven traditional country can still be transcendent.
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February 9, 2026 @ 7:29 pm
I love this song, but it very much feels to me like a female version of a Midland song. The whole sound/vibe is so similar to me.
February 9, 2026 @ 7:43 pm
You’re right, and that’s a good thing. I love Midland’s sound, capturing the best of the Urban Cowboy era.
February 9, 2026 @ 8:00 pm
Yeah, I love that sound also.
February 9, 2026 @ 7:37 pm
Imagine a world in which Trigger just congratulates Langley for her achievement instead of using it to whine about that events that happened up to 2 weeks ago…
February 9, 2026 @ 8:32 pm
Country advocate advocates for country.
Story at 10.
February 9, 2026 @ 7:55 pm
Congrats Ella!!
February 9, 2026 @ 8:34 pm
The paradox, of course, is we don’t WANT our traditional country artists to have “the #1 Songs in All of Music.” We want them to live life on a human scale.
Alan Jackson never had anywhere near the #1 Songs in All of Music,” but he still did pretty damn well for himself. I bought his CDs and I loved how half his songs seemed to be autobiographical. I liked how he went from learning how to drive on a beat-up old half-ton shortbed Ford… engine was smoking… couple of burnt valves, and he had it going” to teaching his daughter to drive on “an old worn out jeep…Rusty old floor boards hot on [her] feet.
We don’t want to hear him sing about–and he doesn’t tell us about the specs of his jet plane or that he’s buying a Maseratti for his daughter for her 16th birthday.
It will be hard for Ella Langley is to be “traditional country,” if she’s living the “rockstar” lifethat comes with having the # songs in all of music.
February 9, 2026 @ 8:45 pm
Is it me or are the current mainstream females way more country on a whole than their current male counterparts. I mean you have Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson, Hailey Whitters, Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde, Miranda Lambert, Carter Faith, Kacey Musgraves, Castellows, and now Kaitlin Butts is entering the mainstream. I mean that’s a heavy hitting talented group of musicians. Huge Congratulations to Ella and hopefully this will help to boost more traditional leaning country in the independent and maistream and also boost the talented women making it also.