Streaming figures rose sharply after Dolly Parton’s death was announced, led by her signature songs. Her family and spokesperson announced that Dolly Parton died at age 80 in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 25, 2026.
U.S. Streaming Rose 2,458% on the Day of Her Death
According to a report by the AP citing Luminate data, Dolly Parton’s U.S. audio and video streams increased from about 1.2 million on the Monday immediately before her death to 30.5 million on the day of her death. That represented a 2,458% increase.
U.S. streaming rose further to 46.3 million the following day, August 26. Because the Luminate figures were reported using evolving data, the final confirmed totals may differ.
The key point is that streaming surged after her death, while the figures may continue to change depending on when they are measured.
“Most-Streamed Worldwide” Does Not Mean an All-Time Record
Worldwide audio and video streams also increased 1,549%, from about 2.5 million on the Monday immediately before her death to 41.8 million on the day of her death.
On August 26, 2026, Dolly Parton’s global on-demand audio streams were recorded at 79.7 million. The AP reported that Dolly Parton became the most-streamed artist worldwide for that date.
The important limitation is “one day: August 26, 2026.” This does not mean she set the all-time worldwide record based on cumulative streams.
“Jolene” and “9 to 5” Also Saw Major Increases
The changes in streaming for selected signature songs in the United States were as follows:
| Song | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Jolene” | About 196,200 | 3.3 million | 4 million |
| “9 to 5” | About 208,600 | 3 million | 3.6 million |
Both songs saw higher figures after the announcement of her death, but the available data alone cannot establish a single cause for the increase in streaming.
Key Points to Check
- Date of death announcement: August 25, 2026
- U.S. audio and video streams: 30.5 million on the day of her death, 46.3 million the following day
- Global on-demand audio streams: 79.7 million on August 26, 2026
- “Most-streamed artist worldwide”: Based on a single day, that date
The information was checked on August 30, 2026, at 15:06 UTC. Major sources include the [AP report on her death](https://apnews.com/article/87156f3e6a1547b88bf414529b644ad3), the [AP report on streaming](https://apnews.com/article/169ceb8052c6b0b8c3b41950d6a48569), and [ABC News’ report on the family’s announcement](https://abcnews.com/family/story/dolly-partons-family-shares-final-message-amid-news/?id=135948668).