Chart Commentary — FEBRUARY 14, 2026

“CHOOSIN'” A NEW #1

“Choosin’ Texas” becomes the 31st song to have topped both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts, dating to 1958, when the Hot 100 originated and Hot Country Songs became the country genre’s singular Billboard chart.  It’s the first song by a woman to triple up at No. 1 on the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. Only three titles previously led the lists simultaneously: Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” for seven weeks in 2024; Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen, for a week in 2024; and Wallen’s “Last Night,” for eight weeks in 2023. (Plus, Wallen’s “Love Somebody” commanded all three charts in 2024-25, although not at the same time.)

COLUMBIA LANDS TOP 2

With “Choosin’ Texas” on SAWGOD/Columbia Records, with Triple Tigers handling radio promotion, the SAWGOD imprint and Triple Tigers label each top the Hot 100 for the first time.

Plus, as “Choosin’ Texas” dethrones Harry Styles’ “Aperture,” which debuted atop the Hot 100 a week earlier, Columbia reigns back-to-back with two non-holiday titles for the first time since October 2021, when Adele’s “Easy on Me” succeeded Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow’s “Industry Baby.”

STATES OF ACHIEVEMENT

Thanks to “Choosin’ Texas,” by Hope Hull, Ala.-born Langley and “Texas Hold ‘Em” by Houston’s Beyoncé, Texas has now appeared in the title of two Hot 100 No. 1s, in less than two years. It’s one of three U.S. states in the name of leaders, with three each previously shouting out California and Georgia.

Hot 100 No. 1s With U.S. States in Their Titles:

• “Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley, hit No. 1 Feb. 14, 2026
• “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé, March 2, 2024
• “California Gurls,” Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg, June 19, 2010
• “How Do U Want It”/“California Love,” 2Pac feat. K-Ci & JoJo, July 13, 1996
• “Hotel California,” Eagles, May 7, 1977
• “Midnight Train to Georgia,” Gladys Knight & the Pips, Oct. 27, 1973
• “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” Vicki Lawrence, April 7, 1973
• “Georgia on My Mind,” Ray Charles, Nov. 14, 1960

OFF TO A “GREAT” START

Noah Kahan claims his highest-charting Hot 100 hit, and first top 10 debut, as “The Great Divide” bounds in at No. 6.   The singer-songwriter previously hit the Hot 100’ top 10 with “Stick Season” (No. 9, April 2024).

THE BUNNY HOPS

Bad Bunny’s “DtMF” reenters the Hot 100 at No. 10 after his unprecedented night at the Grammy Awards Feb. 1, when his Debí Tirar Más Fotos became the first Spanish-language set ever to win Album of the Year.  Two other songs from the album re-enter the Top 40 – BAILE INoLVIDABLE at #19 and NUEVAYoL at #28.

Jarrett Nolan

I was born a poor Black child into a family that put the “fun” in dysfunction. But through that fun, there was A LOT of music. At a very young age, my parents introduced me to everything ranging from Doo Wop to the British Invasion to Motown to Philly Soul to Psychedlic Rock to Funk.

Since I’m a Jersey boy born-n-bred, I landed a job at WHTZ (Z100) as a producer. I gave the DJs info about artists to read on-air – most of mine were chart-related, naturally.

I did double duty at WSBG, a small market radio station in the Poconos, as a DJ because I have a face for radio.

Through a random twist of fate, I wound up at BMG Distribution in Times Square. Shortly after, I ended up at Arista (shouldn’t have done that!). My career in the music industry ended with a stint at being a personal assistant to alterna-rap act PM Dawn.

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