For the first time in Billboard history, two female country artists have simultaneously topped the all-genre Billboard 200 and Hot 100 charts. Megan Moroney's album Cloud 9 debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while Ella Langley's single 'Choosin’ Texas' returns to No. 1 on the Hot 100. This milestone, occurring on the charts dated March 7, 2026, highlights a rare achievement for women in country music.
The Billboard charts dated March 7, 2026, mark a historic moment for female country artists. Megan Moroney's second studio album, Cloud 9, debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 147,000 equivalent album units in its first week, including 78,000 in pure album sales. This is Moroney's first No. 1 on the chart; her previous album, Am I Okay? from 2024, peaked at No. 9. The album's success follows four pre-release singles that reached the top 40 on the Hot Country Songs chart, building on her consistent chart performance since her debut Lucky, which featured the top 10 hit 'Tennessee Orange'.
Meanwhile, Ella Langley's 'Choosin’ Texas' reclaims the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for its second non-consecutive week, after briefly yielding the top position last week to Bad Bunny's 'DtMF' following the Super Bowl. The track, co-written and co-produced by Miranda Lambert, benefits from Langley's rising profile. Langley and Moroney, labelmates at Sony—formerly Lambert's longtime label—represent the first pair of female country artists to lead both charts at once since the Hot 100's inception in 1958 and the Billboard 200's in 1956.
Billboard staffers described the event as highly historic, with ratings from 9 to 10 out of 10. Katie Atkinson noted it signals a 'changing landscape that is long overdue,' amid studies showing country radio's bias toward male artists. Lyndsey Havens emphasized the artists' hard work, while Melinda Newman reflected on the nearly 70-year wait. Jessica Nicholson highlighted fans' demand for more female representation, and Andrew Unterberger called it a breakthrough after a male-dominated streaming era in country.
Looking ahead, Langley's debut album Dandelion arrives April 10, 2026, with potential to follow Cloud 9 to No. 1, facing possible competition from releases by BTS and Harry Styles in March. Staffers predict strong prospects, citing recent country successes by artists like Morgan Wallen and Beyoncé on the Billboard 200. Other women eyed for future No. 1s include Lainey Wilson, whose Whirlwind peaked at No. 8 in 2024, and emerging talents like Carter Faith and Tiffany Stringer.
This double No. 1 underscores both exceptional individual peaks and broader shifts, though experts caution more progress is needed for gender equity in country music.
