Dolly Parton grew up one of 12 children in a one-bedroom home in eastern Tennessee to become one of the greatest female country singers of all time. In a career that spans almost 70 years, Parton’s appeal has transcended genres and brought her repeated crossover successes as well as country hits.
To determine Dolly Parton’s biggest hits, 24/7 Tempo reviewed performance data on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Songs were ranked based on an inverse score wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 100 worth one point. Chart data is current through the week of Oct. 15, 2022.
The 10-time Grammy winner has had 20 songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Two have reached the summit – “9 to 5,” also the name of a hit movie she starred in, and “Islands in the Stream,” performed with the singer she’s most associated with, Kenny Rogers. (Parton is one of the women who have won the most Grammys of all time.)
Parton has also collaborated with other country artists, including Billy Ray Cyrus and Brad Paisley. (She is certainly responsible for some of the best duets in country music history.)
She has also had 44 Top 10 country albums and 110 of her singles have charted on the Billboard country music charts – 25 of which reached the top, a record she shares with Reba McEntire.
Click here to see Dolly Parton’s biggest hits
She is a prolific songwriter as well, composing more than 3,000 songs, such as “Jolene” (her first crossover success in 1974), “Coat of Many Colors,” “9 to 5” (nominated for an Academy Award) and “I Will Always Love You” – which Whitney Houston turned into the biggest-selling single by a female singer ever.
20. Real Love (with Kenny Rogers)
> Entered Hot 100: June 8, 1985
> Peak position on Hot 100: #91 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 3
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19. Light of a Clear Blue Morning
> Entered Hot 100: June 18, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #87 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 5
18. Sweet Summer Lovin’
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 29, 1979
> Peak position on Hot 100: #77 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 3
17. Downtown
> Entered Hot 100: April 14, 1984
> Peak position on Hot 100: #80 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 4
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16. The House of the Rising Sun
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 19, 1981
> Peak position on Hot 100: #77 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 4
15. The Greatest Gift of All (with Kenny Rogers)
> Entered Hot 100: Dec. 22, 1984
> Peak position on Hot 100: #81 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 4
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14. You’re the Only One
> Entered Hot 100: June 30, 1979
> Peak position on Hot 100: #59 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 6
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13. Jolene
> Entered Hot 100: Jan. 26, 1974
> Peak position on Hot 100: #60 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 8
12. But You Know I Love You
> Entered Hot 100: April 4, 1981
> Peak position on Hot 100: #41 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 10
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11. I Will Always Love You
> Entered Hot 100: July 31, 1982
> Peak position on Hot 100: #53 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 14
10. Romeo (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus and others)
> Entered Hot 100: March 13, 1993
> Peak position on Hot 100: #50 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 14
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9. Starting Over Again
> Entered Hot 100: March 29, 1980
> Peak position on Hot 100: #36 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 10
8. Heartbreaker
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 26, 1978
> Peak position on Hot 100: #37 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 10
7. Save the Last Dance For Me
> Entered Hot 100: Dec. 10, 1983
> Peak position on Hot 100: #45 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 12
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6. Two Doors Down
> Entered Hot 100: March 18, 1978
> Peak position on Hot 100: #19 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 12
5. Baby I’m Burnin’
> Entered Hot 100: Dec. 9, 1978
> Peak position on Hot 100: #25 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 14
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4. When I Get Where I’m Going
> Entered Hot 100: Dec. 3, 2005
> Peak position on Hot 100: #39 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 20
3. Here You Come Again
> Entered Hot 100: Oct. 15, 1977
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 19
2. 9 to 5
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 29, 1980
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 26
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1. Islands in the Stream (with Kenny Rogers)
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 27, 1983
> Peak position on Hot 100: #1 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 25
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