Columbia Records is enjoying its hottest week in years, with flagship Sony topping both the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 album charts this week thanks to country hits with Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” and Megan Morrone’s “Choosin’ Texas.” cloud 9, While Harry Styles is now on top of one of the most anticipated albums of the year Kiss all the time. Disco sometimes It was finally released Friday.
Morrone’s chart was the first number-one opening for a country album by a female artist since fellow Columbia star Beyoncé. Cowboy Carter Nearly two years ago. She is the 10th woman to top the Billboard 200 with a country album this century, the magazine confirmed earlier this week. Cloud 9 It opened with approximately 147,000 units. Meanwhile, Langley has the biggest song in the country at the moment as “Choosin’ Texas” spent its second week at No. 1 after topping the chart for the first time the week of February 14.
“While Ella and Meghan have an amazing moment, they come from very different artistic perspectives,” Columbia CEO Ron Perry said. THR In a statement, they added that they remain “intentional” about the artists they sign regardless of genre, noting that Langley and Morrone are the only two female acts on the roster. “Ella brings a real country edge and Southern rock energy to her music. Megan is an exceptional storyteller. Her songs are incredibly detailed and emotionally honest, and fans see themselves in those stories.”
Columbia was one of Nashville’s most active coastal record labels, between Langley (signed to Columbia through Sawgod) and Morrone (partnering with Sony Music Nashville) along with neighboring country music acts like Maren Morris, Lil Nas said Columbia Records general manager Joe Gallo THR Last year of coastal invasion in the last several years: “This has been simmering for a long time.”
“The maturity of streaming and the reach of these platforms has allowed anyone to consume practically anything, bringing the country to a much larger number of people,” he said.
The Coasts’ increasing involvement with country has come in large part due to the success of Zach Bryan, who has signed with Los Angeles-based Warner Records. He had his debut album last month, moving 134,000 units in the first week with his sixth album With heaven above.
With the week now over, all attention now turns to Styles, who has finally ended a long hiatus with his fourth album Kiss all the time. Disco sometimeswhich was released on Friday. The single “Aperture” topped the Hot 100 in January. The album follows in 2022 harry house, Which featured the global hit “As It Was” and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2023. Styles’ fourth solo effort is one of the most anticipated albums of a year that already includes new music from stars like Bryan, Bruno Mars, A$AP Rocky and J.K. Cole.
Cole currently has the biggest opening of 2026 as Falling It opened with over 280,000 units. Mars’ Romantic He could take that throne next week, marking the star’s first album in a decade. After that, the big question on the chart will be how Styles will fare. Harry’s house It opened with over 500,000 units in the first week in 2022.
