Dolly Parton’s Half-Century Hot 100 Legacy: ‘9 to 5,’ ‘Islands in the Stream’ & More
Plus, the Parton-penned “I Will Always Love You” became a 14-week No. 1 smash for Whitney Houston.
On January 26, 1974, Dolly Parton's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart occurred with her song "Jolene," debuting at No. 92. The iconic entertainer passed away at the age of 80 on August 25. Prior to her Hot 100 debut, Parton had already scored over 30 titles on the Hot Country Songs chart, including her first No. 1 hit, "Joshua," in February 1971.
After "Jolene," Parton achieved her second Hot Country Songs No. 1, "9 to 5," which peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 1981. The early 1980s marked her most prominent era as a recording artist on the Hot 100, with her two career No. 1s, "9 to 5" and "Islands in the Stream" with Kenny Rogers. In 1992, Parton began her longest Hot 100 reign as the songwriter of "I Will Always Love You," which was covered by Whitney Houston for 14 weeks in 1993.
Parton's most recent Hot 100 appearance as a singer was in 2006 with Brad Paisley's "When I Get Where I'm Going," her 25th Hot Country Songs No. 1. In 2024, she extended her Hot 100 history with collaborations with Beyoncé and Post Malone, "Tyrant" and "Have the Heart," respectively.
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