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Even With Ella Langley’s Extended Run, 2026 Has Been a Banner Year So Far for Numerous Hot 100 No. 1s
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” has spent 17 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the chart’s fourth-longest run at the summit. It also set a record for the longest No. 1 run by a non-holiday song by a woman, while its six separate returns to the top are the most for one song in a release cycle. Despite that dominance, the article argues that 2026 has seen relatively broad success among chart-toppers.
By mid-August, 10 songs had reached No. 1 for the first time in 2026, compared with six at the same point in 2025 and 13 in 2024. Only seven years since 2000 have reached 10 or more first-time ascents by then, although 2026 sits mid-table among years in the 2020s. Notable milestones included Bruno Mars and Ariana Grande gaining their 10th Hot 100 No. 1s, Taylor Swift reaching 15, and Bad Bunny’s “DtMF” becoming one of few mostly Spanish-language leaders.
In short
- Ella Langley’s hit has led for 17 weeks.
- Ten songs reached No. 1 in 2026.
- Several major artists achieved chart milestones.
Explained simply
The Billboard Hot 100 ranks songs by measures of listening and sales in the United States. A song can leave the top spot and return later, so its total time at No. 1 may include separate spells.
A long-running chart-topper can dominate while other songs also reach No. 1 during the year. Counting first-time leaders helps show how often new songs make it to the top, though the total varies from year to year.
The chart also tracks milestones for artists, such as the number of songs they have taken to No. 1. Its rankings offer a snapshot of popular music in the US, including songs in languages other than English.
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