Dolly Parton, who died on 25 August 2026 at the age of 80, spent her six-decade career resisting the "pop" label despite widespread crossover success, insisting instead that her music be recognised simply as "Dolly Parton music." The point is explored in the latest episode of Billboard's Pop Shop Podcast, hosted by Katie Atkinson and Keith Caulfield, which looks back at her complicated relationship with pop, including her hit collaborations and her bond with goddaughter Miley Cyrus.

The podcast draws on a 1977 interview Parton gave to Country Music magazine, the same year she released the pop-leaning hit "Here You Come Again," in which she said she would eventually "go pop" but only "as me," refusing to be something other than what she was, and preferring her sound not be labelled at all. The episode also covers current chart news: Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" has spent a 20th week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, the most for any non-holiday song, while on the Billboard 200 albums chart ENHYPEN scored its first No. 1 and Parton re-entered at No. 5 with the compilation Ultimate Dolly Parton.