The Essie Country “Choosin’ Texas” Challenge
Essie Country is about promoting independent traditional country artists and their music that are not getting the recognition they deserve. Why? As I have stated numerous times, the country music industry has purposely made country music into something other than what it once was—redefining country music along the way.
Yet, from time to time, real country talent and music make it past the gauntlet of pop country and become contenders for the top spot on the national charts. Artists such as Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, and Zach Top have proved that genuine country music can muscle its way through the pop-country dominance of today’s mainstream country music.
That brings me to the subject of this week’s Essie Country Notes—“Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley.
We can’t ignore the musical earthquake that has shaken up the landscape of today’s country music industry—and the music world. That earth-shaking realization? Real country music can outsell pop country.
Nashville, are you listening?
“Choosin’ Texas” is more than a smash hit. It has become a record-breaking phenomenon. As of August 26, 2026, “Choosin’ Texas” has reached No. 1 on a remarkable number of charts—at least 12—including Billboard’s Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, the Canadian Hot 100, and Canadian Hot Country. It has spent an unprecedented 19 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
The song also made history by becoming the first song by a woman to simultaneously top Billboard’s Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay charts on the same chart date. It was only the fourth song by any artist to accomplish that feat.
It is extremely satisfying to see a real country song do so well—especially on the pop charts.
Essie Country congratulates Ella Langley for recording a mega real-country hit. Being not only at the top of Billboard’s country charts but also at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 is an awesome achievement. More importantly, the extraordinary success of “Choosin’ Texas” is powerful evidence that real country music still has a place in mainstream country music.
Okay, I think we’ve established that “Choosin’ Texas” is a monster hit.
But what makes “Choosin’ Texas” so special?
To be honest, I don’t know.
But this isn’t really a story about how successful “Choosin’ Texas” has become. It’s about a question its success raises—and an Essie Country challenge I’m going to give you.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s good—a really good, genuine country song. However, there are other real country songs that, in my opinion, are just as good, or maybe even better, that never charted at all.
For example:
“Two Steppin’” by Charlie McCabe
“Neon Cowgirl” by Kalsey Kulyk
“Wish It Was Me” by Gunnar Latham
(Essie Country’s 2025 Song of the Year)
Those are just three songs, and there are many more, that I believe are every bit good enough to compete with “Choosin’ Texas.” Yet none of them charted on a national chart.
Why didn’t they chart? In my opinion, it wasn’t because they weren’t good enough. It was because they never received the mainstream access and exposure that songs like “Choosin’ Texas” receive.
Of course, music is subjective, and you may disagree with me. But I think it would be difficult to argue that any of those songs aren’t good enough to be at or near the top of a national country chart that recognizes real country music.
And that raises an interesting question:
If “Choosin’ Texas” can become one of the biggest songs in America while sounding unmistakably country, how many equally good traditional-country songs are being overlooked simply because they never get the same opportunity to be heard?
Now, about that challenge I promised you.
Remember those three songs I mentioned earlier?
I’ve created a playlist so you can listen to them and compare them with “Choosin’ Texas” for yourself.
Think “Choosin’ Texas” is in a class by itself?
Take the Essie Country “Choosin’ Texas” Challenge.
Listen to all four songs. Forget about chart positions, radio airplay, record labels, streaming numbers, and name recognition. Just listen to the music.
Then decide for yourself.
Are those three virtually unknown songs really any less deserving of being heard than one of the biggest “real” country hits in years?
You may not agree that they are just as good—or maybe even better—than “Choosin’ Texas.” But if you love real country music as much as I do, I think you’ll be choosin’ to play this playlist more than once.
Choosin’ Texas’ has achieved extraordinary commercial success. Here are three recent country songs that haven’t. Listen to all four and decide for yourself whether the difference in musical quality is anywhere near as great as the difference in commercial success.
The Essie Country “Choosin’ Texas” Challenge ⬇️
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeQkHRVsDB64&si=P4ITSWbhb4jFyU0P
Gene Johns
Founder, Essie Country
Essie Country: Home of 21st Century Real Country Music 