Dolly Parton’s music has surged back up the UK charts in the wake of her death, with three of her singles re-entering the Top 20.
The country legend died aged 80 in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday (August 25) following a brief battle with cancer, sparking a flood of tributes from around the world.
Leading the way with 17,790 sales is Jolene, which leaps to No.9 in the UK singles chart. The track originally peaked at No.7 in 1976, and was last inside the Top 40 in July that year.
Jolene, which experienced a 364% week-on-week uplift, has now amassed 2,127,139 UK chart units since 1994, according to the Official Charts Company.
Meanwhile, Parton's 1980 classic 9 To 5 reaches the Top 40 for the very first time, clocking in at No.12 on 16,518 sales following a 350% week-on-week increase. The song previously stalled at No.47 in 1981 but has gone on to become the singer's biggest song of all time in the UK with 2,433,372 post-1994 sales.
Just behind at No.13 is Islands In The Stream, Parton's iconic duet with Kenny Rogers, which reached No.7 in 1984 and is up 276% in weekly consumption. Its total sales to date (post-1994) are 2,195,255.
While chart rules limit primary artists to three singles entries, raw streaming data shows Parton would have had five songs in the Top 40, including I Will Always Love You (10,874 sales) and Here You Come Again (10,111).
These chart returns are a fitting celebration of Dolly’s incredible life, career and lasting impact
Becca Monahan & Chris Austin, Official Charts
Parton's impact is also evident in the UK albums chart, where her Diamonds & Rhinestones: The Greatest Hits Collection smashes its previous No.32 peak to rise to No.6 on 8,464 sales while another compilation, The Very Best Of Dolly Parton, is at No.46 on 2,936 sales.
“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary legacy continues to shine through the Official Charts," said Official Charts co-MDs Becca Monahan and Chris Austin. “To see Jolene, 9 To 5 and Islands In The Stream return to the Top 40, alongside Diamonds & Rhinestones reaching the Albums Chart Top 10, is a powerful reflection of the UK’s enduring love for her music.
"A true icon whose songs have crossed generations, these chart returns are a fitting celebration of Dolly’s incredible life, career and lasting impact.”
Elsewhere, Deezer reports that Parton was the most popular artist on the streaming service on August 26, the day after her passing. Between August 25-26, streams across her entire catalogue increased by 455.8% in the UK and 101.7% worldwide.
“Dolly Parton made country music a universal language, one capable of connecting with audiences across generations," said Deezer's senior global music editor Rod Glacial. "In many ways, she brought country into the pop mainstream long before Taylor Swift. Her influence can still be heard in the work of countless young artists, far beyond the country genre. They draw on her instinct for unforgettable melodies, her talent for storytelling, and her ability to blend tradition with modernity, all while staying true to a musical heritage firmly rooted in popular culture.
"Her appeal is truly intergenerational, as shown by her Deezer audience in France: 41% of her listeners are aged 46 and over, while 39% are between 26 and 45.”
PHOTO: Getty Images
