Country music legend Dolly Parton’s passing on Tuesday has triggered a global surge in streaming of her music and sparked renewed calls to rename Nashville International Airport in her honor. Data from industry analytics firm Luminate shows that on the day of her death, audio and video streams of Parton’s work in the United States jumped 2,458%, soaring from 1.2 million streams on Monday to 30.5 million Tuesday. By Wednesday, that figure climbed further to 46.3 million streams. Globally, her streaming numbers increased 1,549%, from 2.5 million on Monday to 41.8 million on Tuesday, reaching 79.7 million on-demand audio streams worldwide by Wednesday, positioning her as the most streamed artist globally that day.
In the United States, ten songs topped streaming charts in the wake of her death, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Islands in the Stream,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “Coat of Many Colors.” Book sales related to Parton’s life and work also surged, with three titles ranking among the top five bestsellers on Amazon as of early Friday.
Simultaneously, a movement led by fans to rename Nashville International Airport after Parton gained momentum. The campaign, which began in January 2025, saw a resurgence following her death, with an online petition amassing more than 155,000 signatures by Friday. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority both expressed support for the name change, which is slated for discussion at the airport authority’s September 17 meeting.
If approved, the renaming would make Parton the first woman to have her name on one of the 50 busiest airports in the United States. Governor Lee highlighted Parton’s enduring legacy, stating that as Tennessee’s “favorite daughter,” her music, generosity, faith, and kindness embody the spirit of the state’s gateway to the world.
Parton, who rose from poverty in the Great Smoky Mountains foothills, transcended musical genres and cultural boundaries throughout her career. Besides her extensive songwriting and recording achievements, she also acted in Hollywood films such as “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias.”
American airports named after cultural icons are not uncommon, with examples including Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. However, most U.S. airports that bear individuals’ names honor men. Notable exceptions include Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Arkansas and Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport in Kansas.
The potential renaming would require the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority to reconsider its current naming policy, which stipulates that airport properties can only be named after individuals who have been deceased for at least two years. Discussions on this policy and the proposal to rename the airport are expected at the upcoming airport authority meeting.