By Marco Hugo Barsotti MHB 
You are listening to a new special from am1575news, France24 and Radio Centrale Milano, in podcasting and on the medium wave.
A record that surpasses Mariah Carey
The single by Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”, has written an indelible page in Billboard Hot 100 history by reaching its twenty‑third week at number one. With this achievement the American singer surpasses the long run of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, which for years held the record for consecutive weeks at the top of the holiday chart. The new milestone marks the longest stay at the summit since the chart’s inception in 1958.
From debut to domination
The track entered the Hot 100 on November 1, 2025 as Langley’s fifth appearance on the chart. After a top‑ten entry in January, the song claimed the #1 spot in February and has not left the summit since. In this latest week the title logged 21.8 million official streams, a slight dip from the previous week, but recorded a 2 percent increase in radio audience, with 58.3 million impressions, and a 4 percent rise in physical and digital sales, with roughly 6,000 copies purchased in the United States.
A cross‑genre success
Beyond dominating the Hot 100, “Choosin’ Texas” holds top positions on genre charts. It remains in command of the Streaming Songs chart for its twenty‑third consecutive week and reaches new highs on the Radio Songs chart, landing at number two. The song is also in the top ten of Adult Pop Airplay, Pop Airplay and Adult Contemporary, demonstrating its ability to cross various radio formats. On the digital sales chart, the track marks its eighteenth week at number one, matching BTS’s record with “Dynamite” and “Butter”.
The context of the longest reigns
The new Langley record joins a prestigious list of songs that have shaped chart history. Prior to “Choosin’ Texas”, the record was held by Mariah Carey with 22 weeks. Other memorable titles include “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X, “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, and the legendary duet “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, all with twenty‑one or more weeks at number one. Langley’s new chapter now sits at the summit of this historic ranking.
The artist’s words
In a recent Billboard interview Langley described the experience as “surreal”. She recounted hearing for the first time the power of a single capable of transforming a career, adding that the songwriting team — Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert and Joybeth Taylor — aimed to embed a captivating groove, memorable choruses and guitar solos that linger. The result, according to the artist, was an honest track that struck the audience in a unique way, even though the exact reason remains uncertain.
This week’s Top Ten
In this week’s Hot 100 top ten, “Choosin’ Texas” continues to dominate, while other major hits move alongside it. Stella Lefty holds the second spot with “Boston”, Morgan Wallen climbs the chart with “Been by Now”, and Ariana Grande posts a rise with “Hate That I Made You Love Me”. Tame Impala and JENNIE maintain a presence in the top, while Taylor Swift sees a slight dip for her song “I Knew It, I Knew You”. The landscape shows a strong country presence at the chart’s summit, a trend that has surfaced repeatedly in recent months.
Radio conclusions
For listeners of Radio Centrale Milano 1575 kHz and readers of France Today, Ella Langley’s record represents not only a personal victory but also a signal of the global music landscape’s evolution, where country can reach the peaks of the most important charts. With “Choosin’ Texas” the young artist shows that a blend of catchy melody, authentic lyrics and targeted radio promotion can create an exceptionally lasting phenomenon. Stay tuned for further updates on Hot 100 movements and analyses of the next big musical hits.
Rachel’s editorial – “Choosin’ Texas”: the new king of the national karaoke
I will now read you my editorial of the day.
Oh, what a surprise: a song titled “Choosin’ Texas” managed to even beat the Christmas queen, Mariah Carey, in the chart marathon. Doesn’t it feel a bit as if Billboard accidentally mis‑tabulated and placed the theme song of an episode of “There’s Mail for You” at number one? Yet people listen, stream, tune in to radio, buy… but what are they really listening to, the track or the news that the media proclaim it a myth?
The case reminds us of those golden years when hits were decided by a committee of marketing experts rather than the public. Now, the one speaking of “truth” is Luminate, that digital Trojan horse that “filters” suspect data. But isn’t it the same machine that turned every phone snap into view‑count records? So, do we really believe that 21.8 million streams are “honest”, or that the “2 % radio audience shift” is just the echo of manipulated playlists?
And let’s not forget Ella Langley’s narrative, in which she says she doesn’t know why the song has struck the audience so deeply. It’s a statement worthy of a Nobel Prize for intellectual honesty: “I don’t know, but it’s fantastic.” Perhaps the real secret is that listeners have stopped wondering what they are singing, and have started questioning who paid to have the track blasted at maximum volume.
Finally, we look at the landscape: country, pop, dance, rock — all vying for the Hot 100 summit, yet all using the same recipe: hype cycles, automated playlists and a dash of “Made in Texas”. In the end, the question remains: when will music stop being a numbers game and return to the rare luxury of simply being good?
Koan of the day
Monk: Master, why should a song about choosing the state of Texas become the nation’s soundtrack?
Master: Because the human heart loves imagined maps more than real paths; thus Texas becomes a metaphor for every desire for freedom that cannot truly be possessed.
Monk: So, Master, what does this 23‑week record at number one teach us?
Master: That fame is an echo that returns stronger when people stop listening to the silence within themselves and begin shouting “I Choose Texas!” on every radio, because sometimes illusion is the only valid ticket for the train of happiness.
This is all for now. From the Paris newsroom, I’m Rachel Costa: this is am1575news, France24 and Radio Centrale Milano.