Ella Langley‘s “Choosin’ Texas” might be one song you want to keep an eye on the speedometer while listening to.
The 2026 smash landed at No. 7 on a new list of 10 songs most likely to make drivers speed, according to a study from the Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert.
The study looked at popular songs and ranked them based on musical qualities that researchers believe could encourage drivers to speed up.
How the Study Determined Which Songs Make You Speed
Researchers analyzed 45 songs featured on Spotify’s U.S. Daily Top Songs chart on Oct. 4, 2026. They looked at three things:
- How fast each song is.
- How energetic it sounds.
- How long it plays.
Tempo was measured in beats per minute, while energy was based on Spotify’s own rating system. Song length was also included because researchers reasoned that a longer, high-energy song could keep a driver in that heightened state for more time.
Each factor was converted to a score from zero to 100 before the researchers combined them into one overall Speed Score. Tempo accounted for 45 percent of the score, energy made up 35 percent and song length accounted for the remaining 20 percent.
The study was based on previous research suggesting that faster music, particularly songs with high energy, may encourage drivers to accelerate or take more risks… which totally makes sense.
Read More: Ella Langley Honors Dolly Parton With a Powerful ‘Jolene’ Performance [Watch]
However, the researchers ranked songs using these musical characteristics rather than directly measuring how people drove while listening to them. The results therefore don’t prove that any particular song causes speeding.
Songs That Make Drivers Speed The Most
Langley’s No. 7 placement puts “Choosin’ Texas” in some unexpected company. The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” topped the rankings with a tempo of 148 beats per minute.
Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” had the fastest tempo of any song on the list, clocking in at 169 beats per minute.
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drop Dead” also made the rankings, giving the list a mix of older hits and newer music.
The 15 Best Ella Langley Songs
Ella Langley showed up in country music’s mainstream as a dark horse with an unlikely hit: “You Look Like You Love Me,” a Riley Green duet that was catchy as all get-out but featured some unusual (and old-school) stylistic choices like talk-singing.
But it was a smash. And that turned out to be just the beginning of what Langley had to offer. She’s continued to dominate with hits like “Weren’t For the Wind” and the crossover mega-hit “Choosin’ Texas,” becoming one of the most high profile acts in country music and a bonafide star even beyond the genre.
Keep reading for Taste of Country’s countdown of 15 Ella Langley songs that put her on the map, and then rewrote the rules of what traditional country sounds like — and how successful it can be even beyond the genre.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
14 Unlikely Country Hits That Broke All the Rules
Any Nashville music industry executive can tell you that there’s a certain secret sauce that goes into creating a country radio hit: A catchy hook, a relatable lyric, and a few mentions of beer, momma and trucks don’t hurt, either.
But these 14 country songs broke all the rules and proved ’em all wrong. Read on for Taste of Country’s list of the most surprising hits to ever light up country radio.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
