Ella Langley and Megan Moroney have made history by becoming the first pair of women in country music to simultaneously top the US albums and singles charts. Langley's 'Choosin' Texas' unseated Taylor Swift's 'Opalite' on the Billboard Hot 100, while Moroney's album 'Cloud 9' reached number one on the Billboard 200, driven by Target exclusive physical editions and strong streaming numbers.
This achievement comes despite country radio's persistent gender parity problem. Leslie Fram, co-founder of FEMco, noted that only one female artist appears in the current top 15 on country airplay charts. 'The fans and streaming metrics are speaking louder than gatekeepers,' she said, highlighting that Moroney built her base through touring and social media buzz, while Langley's song has crossover appeal.
The duo's success is part of a broader generational boom for country music, with pop stars like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter dabbling in the genre, and Nashville hitmakers like Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs smashing streaming records. Moroney has expertly toed the line between country and pop, featuring duets with Ed Sheeran and Kacey Musgraves on 'Cloud 9', while Langley collaborated with Miranda Lambert on 'Choosin' Texas' and Lambert's pet kangaroo inspired the song.
Langley has also connected with country foremothers, inviting Jo Dee Messina to perform on stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Cameo Carlson, CEO of mtheory, described this as 'a very country thing', emphasising the genre's tradition of respect and legacy between generations. Both artists are fluent in social media virality, with Moroney's breakthrough in 2022 coming from a Swiftian ballad and a strategic Instagram post featuring Morgan Wallen's shirt.
