Two iconic Dolly Parton recordings have reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 40 for the first time following the entertainer’s death, with “Jolene” reentering the Sept. 5-dated chart at No. 16 and “I Will Always Love You” debuting at No. 27.
Parton died Aug. 25 in Nashville at age 80.
Both 1974 songs were written solely by Parton, reportedly on the same day. “Jolene” was her first of 23 career Hot 100 entries, peaking at No. 60 that March; the original “I Will Always Love You” had never charted on the Hot 100. Each topped Hot Country Songs and became the second and third of her record 25 No. 1s on that list among women.
A 1982 re-recording of “I Will Always Love You” reached No. 53 on the Hot 100—her only version of the ballad to chart there until now. Whitney Houston’s cover held No. 1 for a then-record 14 weeks in 1992-93; Beyoncé’s 2024 remake of “Jolene” peaked at No. 7.In the Aug. 21-27 tracking week, “Jolene” earned 10.2 million official U.S. streams (up 583%), 5.5 million in radio airplay audience and 15,000 sales, according to Luminate.
Three other Parton favorites also reentered the Hot 100: “9 to 5” at No. 18, “Islands in the Stream” (with Kenny Rogers) at No. 26 and “Here You Come Again” at No. 44.“9 to 5,” which in 1981 became the first of Parton’s two Hot 100 No. 1s, posted 9.5 million streams (up 520%), 7.2 million airplay impressions and 15,000 sales. “Islands in the Stream,” a 1983 chart-topper, returned with 7.2 million streams (up 1,472%), 4.2 million in radio listenership and 13,000 sales. “Here You Come Again,” her first top 40 hit and the first of three top 10s (No. 3 in 1977), totaled 5 million streams (up 1,088%), 2.9 million in airplay audience and 10,000 sales.