Dolly Parton’s music experiences a remarkable 1,280% increase in streams following her passing
Dolly Parton’s passing has led to an extraordinary increase in streaming, with her songs experiencing a remarkable 1,280 percent rise globally.
As celebrations persist in honoring the legacy of Dolly Parton, the flow of tributes to the iconic country star will extend this weekend into movie theaters, as AMC Theaters brings back two of her most cherished performances on the big screen.
AMC CEO Adam Aron has announced that the chain will be screening the provocative 1982 musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, along with the beloved 1989 classic dramedy Steel Magnolias, at the AMT Broadway theater in NYC.
By the 1980s, Parton had already established herself as a prominent figure in cross-genre music. Her role in Whorehouse, which was adapted from the 1978 stage musical, saw her sharing the screen with box office sensation Burt Reynolds. The cast also featured notable talents such as Jim Nabors from The Andy Griffith Show, Charles Durning, a Golden Globe winner for Dog Day Afternoon, and the comedic legend Dom DeLuise, who often collaborated with Reynolds.
The film narrates the tale of Mona Stangely, the cherished madame of the Chicken Ranch, and the disruption in her clandestine affair with the local sheriff, Ed Earl Dodd, portrayed by Reynolds, when TV journalist Melvin P. Thorpe, played by DeLuise, arrives in town with plans to expose the brothel. The film achieved significant box office success and received two Golden Globe nominations, with Parton recognized for Best Actress in a Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy and Durning nominated for an Oscar for his performance as the Texas governor in a supporting role.
While the film included several songs from the Broadway score, it also showcased two original pieces by Parton: the duet “Sneakin’ Around” with Reynolds and a reimagined version of her legendary song, “I Will Always Love You.” This single was released in 1982 and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart that October, eight years after the original version had achieved the same success on the chart.
Steel Magnolias was adapted from a play of the same name that explores the lives of six women in a small Louisiana town. Parton portrays Truvy Jones, a hairdresser operating from her home salon. The impressive cast featured the talented Sally Field in the role of Southern mother hen Mary Lynn “M’Lynn” Eatenton, alongside notable performances from Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Julia Roberts, Tom Skerritt, Sam Shepard, and Dylan McDermott.
The movie achieved significant box office success for Parton and received numerous awards and nominations, including a win for Roberts as Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes—she was also nominated in the same category for that year’s Oscars—along with a nomination for Field in the Best Supporting Actress category at the Globes.
The duo was part of the twelve films that Parton featured in throughout her career, which includes her 1980 breakout role in 9 to 5, along with appearances in 1984’s Rhinestone alongside Sylvester Stallone and the 1992 talk radio comedy Straight Talk.
Dolly Parton was a multifaceted individual: a country star, actor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, theme park enthusiast, and a Christian who emphasized acceptance in her personal beliefs, among many other roles. For many, her passing on Tuesday has highlighted that at the core of her legacy lies her identity as a songwriter. People around the world are streaming her songs accordingly.
Globally, her streams surged by 1,280 percent, increasing from 2.5 million on Monday to 35 million on Tuesday. In the U.S., 10 songs led the way, including “Jolene,” which surged from over 196.2K streams to 2.7 million. “9 to 5” leaped from 208.6K to 2.3 million, while “Islands in the Stream,” her duet with the late Kenny Rogers, ascended from 165.9K to 1.8 million. “I Will Always Love You,” Parton’s rendition of her own classic, a song later popularized by Whitney Houston, increased from 64.9K streams to 1.7 million. “Here You Come Again” followed, rising from 48.7K streams to 1.3 million, among the top five.
