Ella Langley introduced herself to country music-loving audiences several years ago with her debut album Hungover. The set was considered a success at the time, as it reached the top 40 on the Billboard 200 and produced multiple singles that hit the Billboard Hot 100.
It is with her follow-up Dandelion that Langley proves herself to be not just a genre favorite, but a true superstar. The singer-songwriter delivered her single “Choosin’ Texas” earlier this year, and it quickly became a shockingly popular breakout smash. Months after it launched on the Billboard Hot 100, “Choosin’ Texas” earns another stay at No. 1 on the list of the most popular songs in America, and Langley nearly topples herself.
“Be Her,” the second official single from Dandelion, climbs to a new high of No. 2, giving the rising talent control over the highest pair of spaces on the most competitive songs ranking in the United States. That’s an incredibly rare showing, and one that only a few artists have managed in the tally’s more than half-century-long history.
As Langley scores the two biggest songs in the nation, she matches several of the most successful women of all time.
Ella Langley Joins an Exclusive Club with Two Top Two Hits
According to Billboard, only 27 musical acts have appeared at Nos. 1 and 2 simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100. That group includes solo men and women working on their own, as well as bands, and many genres are represented.
Ella Langley Matches Taylor Swift and Mariah Carey
Just half a dozen solo female musicians have landed No. 1 and No. 2 smashes at the same time. Langley joins Ariana Grande, Ashanti, Iggy Azalea, Mariah Carey and Taylor Swift, now that “Be Her” has soared all the way to No. 2.
Justin Bieber, Bad Bunny, Drake and Future
Nearly three times as many solo male acts have accomplished the same feat as Langley, Grande, Swift and company. The roundup of men who have filled at least the loftiest pair of spaces includes 50 Cent, Akon, Bad Bunny, DaBaby, Diddy, Drake, Future, Ja Rule, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Metro Boomin, Morgan Wallen, Nelly, Pharrell Williams, T.I., the Weeknd and Usher.
This week, Langley and Wallen appear inside the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10 together, although they’re several spaces away from either No. 1 or No. 2. Last frame, the country powerhouses debuted their duet “I Can’t Love You Any More” at No. 7. In its second frame on the roster, the tune dips just one space to No. 8, giving Langley a trio of top 10s.
The Beatles and The Black Eyed Peas Did It Too
Only four groups have landed at Nos. 1 and 2 simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100. The Beatles, the Bee Gees, the Black Eyed Peas – it seems that bands beginning with the letter B are particularly successful – and hip-hop duo OutKast has accomplished the rarely seen feat. Of that collection, only one, the Black Eyed Peas, is a mixed-gender act, while the other three are composed entirely of men.
“Choosin’ Texas” Continues to Rule Multiple Charts
“Choosin’ Texas” sits at No. 1 on half a dozen of the 13 Billboard charts on which it currently appears. “Be Her” occupies a spot on nine rankings, and it climbs to a new high on three of them.
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