'Islands in the Stream' was another massive crossover hit for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.

Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' 'Islands in the Stream' was written by the Bee Gees.

Prince wrote a song for Kenny Rogers under the name Joey Coco

The enigmatic artist was wildly prolific and, when he wasn't churning out his own records, often wrote and produced other people. He contributed "You're My Love" to country icon Kenny Rogers' 1986 album "They Don't Make Them Like They Used To," though you wouldn't have known that reading the record's credits because the song was attributed to Joey Coco, a pseudonym Prince sometimes used.

'9 to 5' was Dolly Parton's first No. 1 pop hit.

Dolly Parton hosted two separate variety television shows called 'Dolly.'

As disco grew more popular, country star Dolly Parton experimented with the genre.

Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You' is a widely covered standard that's been a No. 1 hit multiple times.

Dolly Parton recorded two albums with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris under the name Trio.

Dolly Parton teamed up with country star Porter Wagoner in 1967 as a cohost on his popular TV show.

Before becoming a country superstar, Dolly Parton recorded girl group-style singles as a teenager, including one that became a hit outside the US.

Country music's popularity skyrocketed in the 21st century, establishing itself as a dominant force on the Billboard charts in the 2010s.

Three rock stars who made great country music

Steven Tyler, Tina Turner, and Darius Rucker all crossed into country. The author claims the trio shared a common trait: they weren't chasing a new audience. Instead, they were delving deeper into a sound already present in their work.

Dolly Parton jumped to Hollywood in the 1980s, where she became a bona fide movie star.

Chris Stapleton's 'Tennessee Whiskey' is the bestselling country record of all time.

Drake has more top-five Hot 100 hits than any other artist

In 2022, the rapper’s collaboration with DJ Khaled and Lil Baby, “Staying Alive,” reached the number five slot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That was his 30th track to reach the top five, surpassing the Beatles’ record of 29, which they achieved in 1970 with “The Long and Winding Road.”

Prince wrote numerous hits for other artists

Prince is renowned as a performer, but he's also one of the great American songwriters, having penned career-defining songs for acts like Sinead O'Connor ("Nothing Compares 2 U"), the Bangles ("Manic Monday"), and many others.

Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You' was written as a goodbye for her musical collaborator, Porter Wagoner.

'Over the Rainbow' became a widely covered standard

Judy Garland’s original 1939 version won the Academy Award for best original song, though it never appeared on the Billboard pop singles chart (which didn’t appear until 1940). Twenty different versions of the song by other artists—including Willie Nelson, Patti LaBelle, and Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole—have appeared on numerous Billboard charts.

Dolly Parton initially declined her nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, though the Hall inducted her anyways.

Check out the records stocked in the jukebox at the Stonewall Inn, the bar responsible for modern Pride celebrations.

Elvis Presley wanted to record 'I Will Always Love You,' but Dolly Parton refused.

Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' was partly based on a real woman who flirted with Parton's husband.

Dolly Parton released her first recording at age 13, a rockabilly number she cowrote called 'Puppy Love.'

Explore the best Dolly Parton songs, including 'Jolene,' '9 to 5,' and many more.

Prince removed the bass from 'When Doves Cry,' creating the song's unique sound.

Country's sound continues to evolve

Country music is having a moment. In 2023, it saw the biggest growth in market share of any genre—up nearly 22%. This overview traces country’s rise from Appalachian folk roots to its current pop, rock, and hip-hop-infused wave, with artists like Beyoncé and Post Malone joining the mix.

A young Dolly Parton felt confined by her partnership with country star and TV host Porter Wagoner.

'Purple Rain' was a massive hit, in theaters and on radio

The semi-autobiographical film featured a first-time director and an amateur cast, yet it became a box-office hit, grossing over $70M. Likewise, the accompanying album was a huge success, with four songs reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. It was a watershed moment for Prince, who became a bona fide pop superstar.

Watch Paul Simon perform 'Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes' in 1987 alongside South African musicians.

Read a 1984 interview with Dolly Parton, conducted by artist Andy Warhol.

Bob Dylan wrote and recorded songs that later became hits when they were covered by artists like Jimi Hendrix, Adele, and Guns N' Roses.

Dolly Parton consistently declined opportunities to align herself with politicians.

Country musicians grappled with the outlaw archetype on screen

As country grew more popular, some of its biggest stars leapt to the silver screen, with Johnny Cash in "Five Minutes to Live," Kris Kristofferson in "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid," and Dolly Parton in "9 to 5." Kristin Hunt notes that all of these films featured country stars toying with the outlaw archetype, a prevalent theme throughout the history of country music.

Dolly Parton wrote the song '9 to 5' on the set of the movie '9 to 5.'

In the '90s, country aimed for stadiums

While the early 1900s built the template for country music as a genre, the 1990s pushed the music into the mainstream, setting the course for country’s modern ubiquity. Artists like Garth Brooks and Shania Twain pushed against the genre’s orthodoxy, turning the music into blockbuster entertainment with a pop sheen.

The artists with the most No. 1 singles

Scoring a No. 1 single is a difficult task—less than 4% of the songs that have made Billboard's Hot 100 chart have ever reached the top spot. This list breaks down the most elite hitmakers in Billboard history, including the Supremes, Taylor Swift, and the Beatles, who released an incredible 20 No. 1 singles.

Whitney Houston's 1991 Super Bowl rendition is the only recording of the national anthem to reach the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Marvin Gaye's soulful take on 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game turned the national anthem into a slow jam.

As a kid, Jay-Z was inspired by the Broadway musical 'Annie,' which he eventually sampled for one of his biggest '90s hits, 'Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem).'

Destiny's Child was the biggest girl group of the 2000s

Before she was the mononymous superstar, Beyoncé Knowles was one-fourth of Destiny's Child, the biggest girl group of the 2000s. The group's second album, "The Writing's on the Wall"—which included hits about female independence like "Bills, Bills, Bills"—sold 13 million copies, making it one of the bestselling girl group records of all time.

Prince's 'Sign O' the Times' was considered a major artistic milestone

The double album was an ambitious collection of songs that traversed musical styles—drawing on the emerging hip-hop records of the genre's golden age and technological experimentation—and explored social issues, including the AIDS epidemic, addiction, and violence. It would go on to be one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year and eventually be considered one of the most important in pop music history.

Paul Simon recorded his landmark album 'Graceland' in South Africa, in defiance of a UN-approved cultural boycott.

Hip-hop gained significant popularity in the 21st century, dominating Billboard's pop chart.

The Shirelles' 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' was the first girl group record to reach No. 1

The 1960 song, composed by husband-and-wife Brill Building occupants Gerry Goffin and Carole King, was more than a little suggestive. The main character wondered if her partner would abandon her after a night of passion, leading to some stations banning the record. But it also propelled the song to the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

Although payola was made illegal in 1960, it likely continued on the Billboard charts through the '70s

In his book “Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves,” music journalist Chris Dalla Riva argues that payola, the music industry term for undisclosed paid publicity, likely continued into the 1970s with the Billboard chart. Dalla Riva cites chart irregularities and reports about Bill Wardlow, Billboard’s then director of sales, who was a known booster for disco label Casablanca Records.

'The Grand Ole Opry' turned Nashville into the country music capital

By 1932, country was being broadcast to 30 states and parts of Canada. That influence turned the Tennessee city into a destination for those interested in working in the budding industry.

Barrett Strong's 'Money (That's What I Want)' was Motown's first hit record, reaching both Billboard's R&B and pop charts in 1960.

Why Robyn's 'Dancing on My Own' became an anthem

Robyn's "Dancing on My Own," was a low-key hit when it was released in 2010, but it's become an anthem in the time since then, influencing artists like Lorde and Charli xcx and inspiring an iconic scene on HBO's "Girls." This article breaks down why that is, studying the song's beats per minute, which match humans' typical walking pace, and the queer experience reflected in its lyrics.

Performance artist Laurie Anderson had an unexpected pop hit with 'O Superman'

Anderson was a working performance artist in New York through the 1970s and pressed a small run of the song—an idiosyncratic, vocoder-driven piece that sounded unlike anything on pop radio. Thanks to a push from influential British DJ John Peel, the song became an unexpected hit, propelling Anderson (and her art) into the mainstream.

Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' is the longest-running No. 1 single

In 2025, the 1994 track spent 20 weeks atop Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. The song has been a popular Christmas number since its release, but streaming has elevated it to a perennial chart-topper: Every time someone plays the song on a service like Spotify (something that’s likely to happen every holiday season), they’re effectively casting a vote for it to hit the chart.

Viral pop artists create systems of participation, not just music

Musicologist (and Swift expert) Paula Clare Harper weighs in on the factors that make music go viral. Tracks designed for shareability that feed well into content algorithms on streaming platforms are able to grow in popularity, with traditional human gatekeepers sidelined.