Country music icon Dolly Parton died on 25 August 2026 at the age of 80, bringing to a close a career spanning more than six decades that produced some of American music's most enduring songs. Beyond her chart-topping hits, Parton was celebrated as a gifted songwriter who transformed themes of heartbreak, poverty and everyday life into deeply relatable music, while her philanthropy, including the Imagination Library scheme, extended her influence well beyond the country genre.

Following her death, this list ranks ten of Parton's greatest songs. Her Imagination Library has distributed more than 300 million free books to children worldwide, alongside her wider charitable giving to disaster relief and medical research. Among the songs highlighted are "Just Because I'm a Woman" (1968), which challenged sexual double standards in country music; "Two Doors Down" (1977), praised for turning heartbreak into an upbeat anthem; and "The Bargain Store" (1975), noted for its metaphor of a woman's recovery from emotional pain.