RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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On the Jan. 26, 1974-dated Billboard Hot 100 , “Jolene” debuted at No. 92, marking Dolly Parton ’s first entry on the chart and beginning a legendary history of hers that has stretched over more than 50 years.
As previously reported , the iconic entertainer died Tuesday (Aug. 25) in Nashville at age 80.
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When “Jolene” made its first Hot 100 appearance (in between songs by Ashford & Simpson and Marvin Gaye), Parton had already logged more than 30 titles on the Hot Country Songs chart, including her first No. 1, “Joshua,” in February 1971. A week after its Hot 100 debut, “Jolene” became her second of 25 Hot Country Songs leaders — the most among women in the chart’s history.
In 1978, Parton earned her first Hot 100 top 10, and top 40, hit with the No. 3-peaking “Here You Come Again.”
The early ‘80s, meanwhile, marked Parton’s most high-profile era as a recording artist on the Hot 100, as she landed her two career No. 1s in that role: “9 to 5,” for two weeks in 1981, and the Bee Gees-penned “Islands in the Stream,” with Kenny Rogers, for two weeks in 1983.
In 1992, Parton began her longest Hot 100 reign overall — as the writer of “I Will Always Love You.” After her version had reached No. 53 in 1982 (while topping Hot Country Songs, as her original 1974 take had), Whitney Houston’s soaring cover, from the soundtrack to The Bodyguard , dominated for 14 weeks into 1993 — then the longest command since the chart originated in 1958. (A subsequent recording of the ballad by Parton, with Vince Gill, hit No. 15 on Hot Country Songs in 1995.)
Parton most recently reached the Hot 100’s top 40 as a singer in 2006, when Brad Paisley’s Parton-featuring “When I Get Where I’m Going” — her 25th Hot Country Songs No. 1 — rose to No. 39.
In 2024, Parton extended her Hot 100 history to more than a half-century with two more collaborations: “Tyrant,” with Beyoncé, and “Have the Heart,” with Post Malone.
The same year, and 50 years on after Parton first sent the composition onto the Hot 100, Beyoncé’s interpretation of “Jolene” launched at its No. 7 best . (This May, Parton scored a country sales chart hit with singer-songwriter Belles on a further reimagination of the song, “Son of Jolene.” )
Below, Billboard counts down Parton’s five biggest Hot 100 hits as a recording artist. Plus, click here for her 25 top titles on Hot Country Songs.
Dolly Parton’s b iggest Billboard Hot 100 hits chart is based on performance on the weekly Hot 100, through the Aug. 29, 2026-dated ranking. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted to account for different chart turnover rates over various periods.
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