Additional Coverage:
- Ella Langley is on the Brink of Dethroning Mariah Carey: ‘It Could Be the Biggest Song of All Time’ (parade.com)
Mariah Carey’s iconic holiday hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has long held the crown as one of the biggest songs of all time. However, that reign may soon come to an end thanks to rising country star Ella Langley and her breakout single “Choosin’ Texas.”
According to Marissa Moss, senior writer at Rolling Stone, Langley’s summer country anthem is on the verge of surpassing Carey’s beloved Christmas classic-a surprising development Moss said she never anticipated.
At just 27, Langley is a relatively new name in country music. She released her debut album Hungover in 2024, which included the popular duet “You Look Like You Love Me” with Riley Green.
Her sophomore album, Dandelion, launched in 2026 at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with “Choosin’ Texas” as its lead single. The track, co-written in just 30 minutes alongside country superstar Miranda Lambert, has spent 19 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart-a run matched only by hits like Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.”
Moss highlighted on Vox’s Today, Explained podcast that Langley’s song is poised to outlast Carey’s seasonal classic because “we’re a little ways off from Mariah Carey declaring once and for all that it’s Christmas season.” This gives “Choosin’ Texas” plenty of opportunity to climb even higher and potentially become the biggest song ever.
Beyond its commercial success, Langley’s rise carries significant meaning for female country artists. Moss pointed out that women currently represent less than 10 percent of country radio airplay. Langley’s breakthrough offers hope that the industry might begin to address this imbalance, encouraging Nashville to sign and promote more female talent and challenge the long-standing gender disparities in country music.
Ella Langley’s impressive achievements on the charts not only threaten one of music’s most enduring records but also signal a potential shift in the country music landscape, spotlighting female artists in a genre often dominated by men.