Dolly Parton may be gone, but the Queen of Country is suddenly ruling the charts all over again.
As fans mourn Parton's death at 80, they are flooding streaming and download platforms with her music. Her 1973 classic "Jolene" has rocketed to No. 1 on Apple Music's U.S. songs chart, more than five decades after it was released.
But "Jolene" is far from the only Dolly song enjoying a stunning comeback. Parton-related recordings have seized all seven top positions on the U.S. iTunes sales chart, creating a posthumous takeover few artists could achieve.
"I Will Always Love You" currently leads the iTunes chart at No. 1, followed by "Jolene" at No. 2 and the workplace anthem "9 to 5" at No. 3. "Islands in the Stream," Parton's beloved duet with the late Kenny Rogers, sits at No. 4, while "Here You Come Again" and "Coat of Many Colors" occupy Nos. 5 and 6.
Completing the sweep at No. 7 is "When I Get Where I'm Going," Parton's faith-filled collaboration with Brad Paisley. The song's message about reaching heaven has acquired an especially poignant meaning following her death.
Dolly's Christian collaborations are also finding new audiences. "There Was Jesus," her Grammy-winning duet with Zach Williams, has returned at No. 9, while her collaboration with for KING & COUNTRY, "God Only Knows," has reached No. 15.
Other returning favorites include "Hard Candy Christmas," "Two Doors Down," "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That" and two versions of "Light of a Clear Blue Morning." The recent all-star version featuring Miley Cyrus, Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson and Queen Latifah has climbed to No. 12.
Even Whitney Houston's blockbuster rendition of "I Will Always Love You"-a song written by Parton-is back on the chart at No. 16, proving that Dolly's songwriting legacy extends far beyond the recordings released under her own name.
Fans are not stopping with individual songs. The 2003 compilation Ultimate Dolly Parton has surged to No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes albums chart, while The Essential Dolly Parton follows at No. 2.
The extraordinary resurgence means Parton is now competing against herself across multiple generations of recordings. Her earliest country classics are charting alongside rock collaborations, gospel duets and songs recorded with some of music's biggest names.
There is one important chart distinction: "Jolene" reached No. 1 on Apple Music's streaming chart, while Dolly's complete seven-song sweep is occurring on the separate iTunes download chart.
Still, the message from listeners could hardly be clearer. As the world says goodbye to Dolly Parton, millions are choosing to do it through the songs she left behind-and they will always love her.
