Dolly Parton recently took to Instagram to express her surprise at being ranked No. 1 on Billboard‘s 100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time list.
“I just learned that Billboard Magazine just released their list of greatest country artists of all time, and they have my name sitting at the top! Can you believe that?” Parton exclaimed in a video she made in response to the honor.
“Now, when I was a little girl, I would sit around the radio and listen to the Grand Ole Opry and hearing all those great big stars like Hank Williams and Kitty Wells and Johnny Cash, I dreamed about what my life could actually become as well,” she continued.
Parton, who released her debut album Hello, I’m Dolly in 1967, has 25 No. 1s to her name on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart, the most among all women. She also has 49 top 10s on the Country Albums chart, including nine No. 1s, most recently in 2023 with Rockstar.
Parton thanked Billboard for the honor. She thanked her fans as well, saying, “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to take my music all around the world and to see all my dreams come true.” She concluded by singing a line from one of her most famous songs.
To determine the ranking, members of the Billboard editorial staff selected their top artists from a list of nearly 200 names spanning the past century, setting certain parameters, including focusing primarily on mainstream country artists, instead of embracing adjacent genres like Americana or bluegrass.
Although commercial success was considered a big factor, artistry, longevity and enduring influence counted just as much.
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