LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Dolly Parton performs onstage during MusiCares Person of the Year ... [+]
Last week, Dolly Parton earned a new hit single on the Hot 100—her first in many years. The country superstar joined Beyoncé on the tune “Tyrant,” which is featured on her latest album Cowboy Carter. That track wasn’t just another win for Parton, but rather a very special smash that helped her join a very, very exclusive club that includes two of the most successful women in music history.
When “Tyrant” debuted on the Hot 100 at No. 44, it brought Parton back to the weekly ranking of the most-consumed songs in the U.S. for the first time in nearly 20 years. The cut marked her first placement on the tally this decade, and it extended her time-tested winning streak on the chart.
Parton is now one of only three women who have debuted a new song on the Hot 100 in five different decades. She joins both Madonna and Cher in this incredible show of longevity.
Madonna was the first female musician to land a Hot 100 hit—a debut, that is—in five different decades. She launched her historic career in the ‘80s, and she’s managed at least one placement on the list in every decade since. Just last year, she added the ‘20s to that list as “Popular,” her collaboration with The Weeknd and Playboy Carti, hit the chart.
Cher joined Madonna in this showing only a few months after this bit of history was made for the first time. The Oscar-winning actress’s run started in the mid-’60s, and she’s remained a household name ever since.
Unlike Madonna, however, Cher skipped a decade. She failed to produce a new Hot 100 smash in the ‘00s decade. She also managed a new placement in six different decades, which sets her apart. She last returned to the roster in very late 2023 with her holiday single “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” which marked her first smash in many years.
Parton first appeared on the Hot 100 as a soloist in 1973 with “Jolene,” which, coincidentally, returned to the ranking last week as a cover by Beyoncé. She then collected new wins on the tally for the next four decades in a row. The country favorite didn’t debut anything on the Hot 100 in the last decade, but now she’s added a fifth decade to her successful career.
