Post Malone is getting ready to make perhaps the biggest pivot in a career full of them: a country album. Titled F-1 Trillion, it might seem like a strange move for a man who first came to fans' attention rap-singing over trap beats. His breakout track, after all, was co-produced by a guy best known for working with Tyga, Travis Porter and 2 Chainz.

But Post has never been comfortable sitting still. Over the years, the 10-time GRAMMY nominee has explored a great deal of musical ground, all the while branching out from the trap-influenced sound that first brought him fame in 2015. 

While he has broadened his vision both in terms of musical styles and subject matter, Post has long featured roots music elements in his sound. His country music turn shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to veteran listeners, who surely remember the Texas-raised star referencing George Strait's "All My Ex's Live In Texas" back on his first album.

In fact, Post and country music have a long-standing connection, from covers of genre classics to a Joe Diffie tribute at the 2023 CMA Awards. And with F-1 Trillion already spawning the biggest country hit of the year so far — the chart-topping Morgan Wallen collab "I Had Some Help" — Post's country venture is shaping up to be his latest massive success. 

He further proved that less than 48 hours before F-1 Trillion's Aug. 16 release, when he made his debut at country music's hallowed Grand Ole Opry. Three-time GRAMMY winner Brad Paisley may have put it best as he introduced Post onto the Opry stage: "This is a guy who made his mark in other formats, and has a country heart."

As Post releases F-1 Trillion, GRAMMY.com traces his musical history, from his hip-hop beginnings to his honky-tonk present. Below, see how Post Malone's style has evolved through the years.

Post's debut album, Stoney, and the pre-album mixtape teaser, August 26th, both feel like an expansion of his breakout hit "White Iverson." Like that smash single, most of the tracks on these two projects feature trap-style drums, with their distinctive 808-style kick drums and fast hi-hats. Post is sing-rapping, often about topics that wouldn't sound out of place on any other circa-2016 trap project: luxury brands, jewelry, being at the strip club, and flexing on haters.

But there was something else there, too. Post had his emotional moments, where his still-new success was giving him the blues. There was also rock influence — "Hollywood Dreams" even rewrites a Fleetwood Mac classic. And both projects had moments of roots music, as well as blues and folk overtones that would only grow more prominent as time went on. August 26th's "Oh God," which closes the project, is basically a blues number, as its prominent acoustic guitar and lyrics with ominous Biblical references testify. Stoney likewise closes with an acoustic song, "Feeling Whitney" — leaving his newfound mass audience convinced that he knew how to handle a stripped-down ballad.

Post's second proper album has two main kinds of songs, both of which are reflections on his recent success. There are the songs about the spoils of stardom (parties, drugs, women, money, luxury goods, and especially cars — the album ends with three automotive tracks in a row); and then there are the songs about its downsides, often with very literal titles like "Paranoid" and "Rich & Sad."

Musically, Stoney's trap drums are still there. But Post's melodic taste has expanded, from standard rap-singing to something a little closer to the rock and roll he loves (this is, after all, a guy who will cover an hour's worth of Nirvana songs at the drop of a hat). 

The outlier on this album is "Stay," an acoustic-heavy pop song so Beatles-esque that its working title was "George," for George Harrison. Like "Feeling Whitney," "Stay" further shows Post's affinity for quieter, more stripped-down songs — an ability he'd continue to refine with subsequent albums, including F-1 Trillion's heartfelt ode to his daughter, "Yours."

With 2019's Hollywood's Bleeding, Post dares to leave the trap drums and hip-hop stylings alone for multiple songs at a time. The album does bring in its fair share of rappers to be sure; DaBaby, Future, Young Thug, Swae Lee, and Travis Scott all feature. But the main thing that sets the project apart from its predecessors is not that, nor the subject matter, but the variety.

There is one song that veers close to heavy metal, "Take What You Want," which was produced by classic rock whisperer Andrew Watt and featured the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne. There's a sunny jam band-style track about life on the road ("Myself"). There's an indie-pop number ("Circles"). There's one straight-ahead pop song ("Staring At The Sun"), and a different one with a string section ("Internet"). There are several rockers that could (and did) fit right in on alternative radio.

Hollywood Bleeding was the first time that Post leaned all the way into his versatility. He fully inhabits each genre he tries, exploring almost every nook and cranny of the contemporary rock and pop world along the way. After such a varied album, it only makes sense that his next project should be more focused. In retrospect, this album can be read as an early indication that a country album was all but inevitable: if Post can convincingly pull off so many genres, why not country?

Malone's first album of the pandemic era continues his evolution away from hip-hop trappings begun on its predecessor, and is more cohesive sonically than its predecessor. Even the songs with actual rapping, like a collaboration with Doja Cat, sound more like pop than rap.

Instead, Twelve Carat Toothache is the work of a musician who wants to leave the hip-hop trappings of the likes of "White Iverson" and "Go Flex" — musical and lyrical both — behind him. The project begins with just acoustic piano and Post's voice on "Reputation," and ends with a voice-and-acoustic-guitar demo of album standout "Euthanasia" (titled "New Recording 12, Jan 3, 2020"). 

Twelve Carat Toothache has plenty of ballads: acoustic ones, rap-singing ones, dramatic rock ones. And big emotions are the name of the game — tracks subtitled "A Happier Song" and "A Sadder Song" are back-to-back, and "Euthanasia" and "When I'm Alone" are as feelings-forward as their titles would indicate. 

After the exploration and variety of Hollywood's Bleeding, Twelve Carat Toothache indicates that Post wants to be taken seriously as an album artist — and, as F-1 Trillion's down-home songs would later fully reveal, someone who can tug on the listener's heartstrings. He would continue those quests in a most unexpected way: by looking back to the '80s.

We're a long way from rap now; AUSTIN is fully a rock and pop album. There are no rapper guest appearances — in fact, there are no guest appearances at all. And with his birth name serving as the album's title, it seems that was every bit intentional.

The record has plenty of rootsy, acoustic songs, especially towards the end. But it also has something different for Post: a new wave, 1980s synth-pop feel on a number of tracks. The cohesiveness of Twelve Carat Toothache is retained, and the end product is extremely professional and polished. As a whole, the album (perhaps uncoincidentally) puts Post's songwriting skills on full display. 

At this point, Post has traveled very far from his early days. His next move would have to be something that builds on his now-well-established cred in pop and rock styles, but that would also surprise his current fans — and maybe bring him some new ones. 

Rumors began over a year ago that Post was going to release a country album, and he openly acknowledged it was a possibility in interviews. So it was no surprise when F-1 Trillion was finally announced earlier this year.

As the project's lead single hints, Malone will have plenty of help: F-1 Trillion will feature guest appearances from country titans Morgan Wallen, Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Hank Williams, Jr., Dolly Parton and more. The who's-who-of-country guest list shows that Post has plenty of clout in Nashville — and considering the album reportedly moved more than 500,000 units before it was even released on Aug. 16, he's making waves with country fans, too.

The songs vary sonically from big country-pop hooks ("I Had Some Help") to fiddle-filled romps ("Pour Me A Drink") to tear-jerking ballads that are sure to make their way into the repertoire of wedding bands across the country ("Yours"). Post blends in with his vocal costars, with a little bit of AutoTune on a few tracks marking the only noticeable connection to his trap music beginnings.

Lyrically, he puts plenty of emphasis on clear narrative and the puns and reversals that are country music's stock in trade (in the Combs duet "Guy For That," he has a "guy" on speed dial for every possible need — except, of course, for repairing his girl's broken heart). Now, he's focused on telling a straightforward, compelling story versus evoking mood and emotion — an indication that nearly a decade in, he's still growing as a songwriter.

The fact that Post can convincingly pull off a country album continues to demonstrate to the world that he's as unpredictable as he's always been. There's no telling where he'll end up next, and that's what makes him so intriguing to his fans — a group that now includes people who love both "White Iverson" and "White Horse."

Since bursting onto the scene in 1991 with their debut single and No. 1 hit "Brand New Man," Brooks & Dunn have gone on to not only become country music icons, but an inspiration to countless artists that have followed them. That influence has led to not one, but two albums dedicated to their legacy: 2019's Reboot and Reboot II, which just dropped on Nov. 15.

While the first Reboot is filled with features from fellow country power players such as Luke Combs, Kacey Musgraves, and Thomas Rhett, Reboot II sees the duo dabbling with rock (Halestorm), bluegrass (The Earls of Leicester), and blues (Christone "Kingfish" Ingram). Of course, the 18-track Reboot II has plenty of country to it, too, with the likes of Lainey Wilson, Riley Green and other torchbearers of the modern country movement offering their takes on classics like "Play Something Country" and "She Used to Be Mine." 

Between the two Reboot albums, 15 of Brooks & Dunn's 20 No. 1 hits are reimagined. Six songs appear on both, but certainly don't sound like reiterations; for one, "Boot Scootin' Boogie" went from a true-to-form collaboration with Midland on Reboot to a hard-rock thrasher by Halestorm on Reboot II. Whether the songs stick to the original blueprint or take on entirely different forms, the Reboot albums celebrate the timelessness and versatility of Brooks & Dunn's music — and as Kix Brooks insists, it gives the duo a hint of excitement more than three decades into their career. 

"At least with this Reboot series people will be going, 'Holy crap, I can't believe they freaking did that!,'" Brooks tells GRAMMY.com. "At this point in our careers we want some kind of reaction, good or bad, so let's stir it up."

The two-time GRAMMY-winning duo caught up with GRAMMY.com to talk about their favorite moments from recording Reboot II, how the genre has changed since their breakthrough, and why there's a "good chance" new music may be on the way.

How'd the idea for this Reboot series start?

Ronnie Dunn: It was completely not our idea, but rather our manager's, Clarence, who never has a good idea [Laughs]. He did all the legwork, calling only once so to not pester people. If we didn't get a call back, that was fine, we'd just move onto the next one. But everyone he called got back to him and said they wanted in.

**There's a handful of songs — like "Neon Moon," "Indian Summer" and "Brand New Man" — that are on both Reboot I and II. What was the intention behind that?** 

Dunn: It was more about the freedom of the other artists to choose whatever songs they wanted. We didn't dictate anything. 

**On Reboot II, you went beyond the country realm. What was it like learning to navigate the songs in an entirely new way?**

Dunn: There's an adage that country music fans don't really embrace change that fast, and because of that, there's some stuff on this record that scared me at first. 

At the same time, it's fun to go online on occasion to see the comments about the songs that have some saying, "That's wrong, it shouldn't be done that way," and others saying, "This is great stuff." There's a little danger element for us as a result, like, we could get kicked out of country music for two or three songs here [Laughs]. But it could also be the best way to earn a GRAMMY.

I think it's also evidence of how much your music and legacy is appreciated even outside of country music, when you have all these folks from other music circles involved and resonating with your songs.

Dunn: That's been a key for us, being able to go out and bring in new fans without alienating the steadfast group we have chasing us around now.

Kix Brooks: There's certainly two approaches to making a record like this. The first one is re-cutting the songs the way we always have, but there's already been so many tribute records like that where I've dropped a needle on two or three songs and went, "Okay, now I don't really care anymore." At least with this Reboot series people will be going, "Holy crap, I can't believe they freaking did that!" At this point in our careers we want some kind of reaction, good or bad, so let's stir it up. 

The first [Reboot in 2019] was a bit more organized, but with this one we encouraged everyone to run with their wild ideas. Several of them even brought in their own bands this time, which only Kacey Musgraves did the first time around.

Dunn: She was the only one that deviated from the norm, but this time it's nothing but that in spirit. That's what made it fun — because deep down, Kix and I are just songwriters, so to hear a fresh twist put to this stuff is legitimately really fun.

Speaking of fresh twists, tell me about bringing Halestorm in to record "Boot Scootin' Boogie." 

Dunn: That's the song I'm most afraid of, even though I love what they do and what they did to the song. It was my crazy idea making the call to our manager to see if we could get someone like Metallica to cover the song, and they did everything we asked them to do. This is music, not life and death. We're out here just having fun and seeing what we can do.

Brooks: There were a couple cool moments with [producer] Dann Huff. Halestorm had just come into the studio from having just sold out [OVO Arena Wembley in London] two days prior to making it back to Nashville to cut this thing. Despite this, when they came in, they were prepared. They had rehearsed and learned the song and the way they wanted to do it, then they hit it. 

I remember Dann getting the biggest grin on his face as he looked over to the console and said, "This band is so freaking good!" They were really tight and brought it every time. And the way [Lzzy Hale] can sing is mind-boggling. 

Dunn: She can sing like she's gargling a chainsaw, and the next day still go do a show. If I did that I'd be down for a week! 

That song, along with others like the Earls of Leceister's "How Long Gone," A Thousand Horses' "Drop In The Bucket," and Marcus King's "Rock My World (Little Country Girl)" that deviate from the norm are my favorites on this project. I love how y'all really let each guest artist make the tunes their own.

Brooks: Marcus King was one that really blew me away. That guy sings so high! There was a point in the song where I asked Dann if I could have a moment with Marcus. [I] proceeded to tell him, "[Your] guitar solo is 16 bars, but do you have a problem with going ahead and throwing down 32 instead?" He lit up and yelled to his band, "Alright, enough of this Nashville bulls—. We're freaking South Carolina sons of b—es, now lets play!" Almost like a football cheerleader. It was awesome.

Dunn: Back in the day when we were in college, I lived for guitar solos that go on forever. So it was so refreshing to hear that, especially in Nashville. We've come from a commercial slant of things for so long that it was like freedom breaking away from that formula.

Do y'all have any plans to continue this Reboot series and possibly break into even more genres, like Latin music or hip-hop? 

Dunn: We've been winging it from day one, man. We never plan anything. Never have, never will. 

Brooks: When we were making Reboot I, [if] you asked if we'd make another, I would've said that I don't think there's any room for that. We just did it, and I'm glad as hell we did because it's a totally different experience where you never know what's coming next. 

If you could choose any musician(s) to do a Reboot collab with dead or alive, who would they be? 

Dunn: That's a tough question, but let's start with the [Rolling] Stones, Eric Clapton, Paul Carrack, and Stevie Ray [Vaughan].

Brooks: I was thinking Tom Petty and Mike Campbell…

I guess any collaboration is possible nowadays with AI. 

Dunn: Talk about frightening.

What's the most important lesson y'all have learned in the past 30+ years of Brooks & Dunn?

Dunn: How big a part of the whole success equation that luck plays. Everybody asks what is it? Is it luck? Is it persistence? Is it patience? We're just sitting around here goofing off, and things like this drop out of the sky on us, which they seem to have done for 35 years now.

Brooks: The timing was just right. The fact that we literally got put together by a record [label] guy in 1990 and had four No. 1 hits in a row is just stupid, especially to be here 34 years later still having the time of our lives and selling out shows.

Dunn: In 1988, I was playing beer joints in Oklahoma and sneaking over to Texas with a van and a horse trailer carrying our equipment, loading it up, putting it on stage, and all that. In early 1991 we had our first No. 1 hit ["Brand New Man"]. It just fell out of the sky on us. 

Brooks: That's how weird it was. We didn't even have Instagram or the internet to help us out!

Since you mentioned the internet, I know a lot has changed in country music since y'all were first breaking through. What are your thoughts on that evolution and how things are, or aren't, different now? 

Dunn: We've seen it go through several phases and watched many artists come and go, like with the Bro Country era. 

Brooks: There's some artists like Bailey Zimmerman who got big from throwing stuff up on TikTok before getting a band together and playing in clubs, but they're really good and the songs are there nonetheless. It'll be interesting to see how all that plays out in the long term. However, there's also a bunch of artists out there still piling into vans going from gig to gig trying to figure out who's sober enough to drive tonight, which is where we came from. 

I talk with a lot of young acts and all they want to talk about is their socials and how this one song blew up, but eventually at some point I can't help myself and go, "So, are you playing out? Have you got a band? How many gigs did you do last year? Are you completely obsessed with getting out and playing for people?" because that's where Ronnie and I came from.

Dunn: It's like working out in the gym. If you want to be a professional football player, you've got to go play and come up through the ranks and bang your head in the bars, that kind of stuff. Of course now you don't, which is just kind of hard to digest. But there's nothing negative about the process. It's just a sign of the times and how it's changed. 

Brooks: I have seen some acts that just look real uncomfortable on stage, and I'm like, "I hope you can hang in long enough to figure this out, because you obviously haven't done this very much."

Dunn: We had immediate feedback in those clubs. All you had to do coming through the bars was play covers, you couldn't really get away with doing original songs. 

I remember playing four sets a night and sneaking "Boot Scoot" in during the third one time only to have a group of girls walk over afterward asking if I'd play it again. They didn't know the name and weren't familiar with the lyrics, but it had a beat that immediately appealed to people. Sure enough, that's one of the songs that got us off the ground. I guess that's a role that social media fills now, but I'd rather be looking someone in the face when they tell me that they love my singing or a particular song.

What do you each appreciate the most about one another as bandmates and counterparts? 

Dunn: I think that the biggest thing we appreciate about one another is that we were grown men when we showed up to the game. And we kind of look at the world through the same eyes. We don't always agree, but when we do have those disagreements, we've never raised our voices to one another or had a serious falling out in any way. I'm proud of the way we've kept the partnership alive over the years.

Brooks: It's hard to put a finger on the chemistry that has made us successful and kept us together. Ronnie is obviously a great singer and even though I can sing a little too along with playing guitar and harp, I think it's what we've always brought to the stage that has a lot to do with our longevity, which is what folks want to come and be a part of. We've written some good songs together and I don't think we're done yet, but putting 'em out there live and sharing that love for what we do is really what we both live for.

Has working on Reboot inspired y'all to record any new music in the future? 

Brooks: This last project has been a great reminder how much we enjoy making music. There's a good chance this will motivate us further to release some of these new songs we've been working on.

Dunn: I've been working on trying to make a new record happen over the last three or four years, writing nonstop. I know Kix is working on it, too. We just have to get around to taking the time to sit in the studio after Reboot runs its course and come up with an original Brooks & Dunn record. But it has to be good, dude.

"After you reach a certain age, they think you're over. Well, I will never be over,"  Dolly Parton once declared. "I'll be making records if I have to sell them out of the trunk of my car. I've done that in my past, and I'd do it again." 

Just as proficient with the razor-sharp quip as a timeless song, the inimitable country queen has thankfully never needed to rely on such primitive distribution methods. In fact, more than 60 years after Parton first entered the recording studio, the self-proclaimed Backwoods Barbie is shifting more units than ever before: 2023's Rockstar achieved both her highest first-week sales (128,000) and position on the Billboard 200 (No. 3) of her career.  

That only boosted Parton's already remarkable worldwide record sales total of over 100 million, and took her tally of Top 10 country albums to 49. Throw in the record-matching 25 No. 1s on Billboards Hot Country Songs chart, three billion streams, and 11 GRAMMY Awards from 54 nominations, and it's clear why she'll forever be known as the Queen of Nashville. 

Of course, Parton has had her commercial ups and downs over the years. But the quality of her music has always remained impeccably high, whether the traditional country of her late '60s beginnings, the crossover pop of her early '80s imperial phase, or the eclectic forays into bluegrass, gospel, and good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll that has made her 21st century discography so wonderfully unpredictable.  

Further dispelling the title of her first hit "Dumb Blonde," the bulk of Parton's 50 studio efforts have been self-penned or self-produced, sometimes both. Indeed, "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene," "I Will Always Love You," "9 to 5," and her countless other additions to the Great American Songbook have come from her prolific pen (she's reportedly composed a colossal 3,000 tunes). Yet, as proven by chart-topping renditions of "Heartbreaker," "Old Flames Can't Hold A Candle to You," and "But You Know I Love You," along with covers albums Those Were the Days and Treasures, Parton is just as gifted a song interpreter as she is songwriter.  

The legendary singer added yet another album to her discography on Nov. 15, this time recruiting her loved ones for Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith and Fables. In celebration of Parton's latest LP, look back at the many phases of her career that have helped make her an enduring icon.

The Country Starlet

Having written hits for the likes of Bill Phillips and Skeeter Davis in her teens, the prodigious Dolly Parton became a chart star in her own right when her 1967 debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, reached the Top 20 of Billboard's US Top Country Albums chart. Remarkably, her first label, Monument, had initially been hesitant in allowing her to pursue the Nashville sound that would quickly become her forte. Loyal viewers of "The Porter Wagoner Show" were equally skeptical when she replaced favorite Norma Jean on the weekly country show. 

However, Parton soon won over audiences with her natural charm, distinctive vibrato, and ability to tell a story in the most engaging, tuneful way possible. Over the next eight years, she continually flitted between collaborative LPs with Wagoner and solo efforts, releasing a dozen of the former and 15 of the latter. Key records include 1969's Top 10 smash My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy, on which she received a writing credit on every song; 1971's Joshua, whose title track gave her the first of many country No. 1s; and its swift follow-up Coat of Many Colors, whose eponymous ballad Parton has cited as an all-time personal favorite.   

It was on 1974's Jolene, however, where Parton began to court the mainstream. Both its same-named lead single and future Whitney Houston blockbuster "I Will Always Love You," which she famously wrote on the same day, became much-loved standards, with the former also giving Parton her debut entry on the Billboard Hot 100. 1976's All I Can Do, meanwhile, saw her pick up the first of 54 career GRAMMY nominations (Best Country Vocal Performance, Female). By this point, Parton had outgrown the man who'd helped steer her to country success beyond her wildest dreams. Now, the target was world domination.  

Read More: 10 Songs You Didn't Know Dolly Parton Wrote: Hits By Whitney Houston, Kenny Rogers & More

The Genre-Bending Star 

While Parton has always kept one foot in country waters, her 1977 first self-produced LP New Harvest... First Gathering – featuring covers of Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher" and The Temptations' "My Girl" – kickstarted a genre-hopping streak she continued to pursue throughout the following half-century.  

On the same year's follow-up, Here You Come Again, she teamed up with Barbra Streisand cohort Gary Klein for a million-selling, pop-oriented affair whose title track reached a then-career high of No. 3 on the Hot 100. She flirted with disco on 1978's Heartbreaker ("Baby I'm Burning") and, as its Jerry Lee Lewis-inspired title suggests, classic rock 'n' roll on 1979's Great Balls of Fire. Her star was so rapidly rising that mainstream hitmakers Donna Summer ("Starting Over Again") and Carole Bayer Sager ("You're the Only One") queued up to give Parton some of their best works.  

Free from the shackles of a major label, Parton delved deep into her love of bluegrass at the turn of the century for a trilogy of albums (1999's The Grass Is Blue, 2001's Little Sparrow, 2002's Halos and Horns) that garnered some of the most glowing reviews of her career. There were also ventures into gospel (2003's post-9/11 response For God and Country), children's music (2017's I Believe in You), and seasonal pop (2020's A Holly Dolly Christmas). Then in 2023, at 77 years young, she embraced her previously hidden rock chick side on the star-studded Rockstar (more on that later).  

"I'm willing to try anything," Parton told Newsweek about her impressively eclectic approach. "What's the worst that's going to happen, if I can't do it? So what, at least I tried." 

The Triple Threat 

Having previously showcased her comedic skills on various TV specials, Parton was gifted the opportunity to star alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in 1980's feminist favorite 9 to 5. And she more than held her own alongside the two Tinseltown greats with a pitch-perfect performance as the vengeful secretary Doralee, also scoring a Hot 100 chart-topper with its two-time GRAMMY-winning and Oscar-nominated titular theme.  

Parton continued to prove her double-threat credentials throughout the decade and beyond. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for her magnetic turn as brothel owner Miss Mona in 1982's The Little Whorehouse in Texas, while simultaneously adding to the festive canon with "Hard Candy Christmas." She even managed to draw out a relatively listenable vocal from Sylvester Stallone while starring as a club-singing mentor in 1984's country music comedy Rhinestone.  

After letting her acting do all the talking in 1989 weepie Steel Magnolias, Parton returned to double duty in 1991 TV movie Wild Texas Wind, 1992 rom-com Straight Talk, and 2012 gospel drama Joyful Noise. (All the while, she continued adding to her discography, releasing a dozen solo albums over the same period). While in 2021, she inched closer to the coveted EGOT when Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square was awarded the Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie.   

Having conquered Hollywood, Parton switched her attention in the mid-1980s to the theme park she cleverly rechristened Dollywood. Formerly known as Silver Dollar City, the attraction near her East Tennessee hometown of Pittman Center is only part of the star's business portfolio which also includes waterpark Dollywood's Splash Country, the Dream More Resort and Spa, and amusement park Dolly Parton's Stampede. Thanks to her shrewd business investments under the umbrella of The Dollywood Company – and let's not forget her forays into cake mixes, fragrances, and canine apparel – the singer has amassed a reported fortune of $450 million.  

The Philanthropist

Of course, Parton has often used the vast wealth she's worked so hard to accrue for the greater good. In the mid-'80s, she set up the Dollywood Foundation with the main goal of increasing children's literacy through its Imagination Library initiative.  

Inspired by her father, who was never taught how to write or read, the program has since been adopted by more than 1,600 communities across the world, with approximately 3.1 million children receiving a new book each month from birth to kindergarten. By October 2024, the Imagination Library had sent out an astonishing 254 million books! 

That's far from Parton's only philanthropic endeavor, though. She's also helped to raise funds for various HIV/AIDS-related charities and the American Red Cross, fought for LGBTQIA+ rights (her 1991 song "Family" celebrated same-sex families), and donated $500,000 to a Sevierville cancer center to honor the physician, Robert F. Thomas, who helped bring her into the world.  

Read More: 5 Ways Dolly Parton Has Promoted Peace & Global Unity

In more recent years, Parton has made headlines for her relief efforts in aid of various natural disasters. In 2016, she organized her own telethon for the victims of the Great Smoky Mountain Wildfires, raising $9 million as a result. She also donated a seven-figure sum to Vanderbilt University Medical Center during their research into the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a period she reflected upon on single, "When Life Is Good Again." And in 2024, she pledged $2 million to help with the recovery of her Tennessee hometown in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

"I get paid more attention than maybe some others that are doing more than me," a modest Parton told The Tennessean in 2022 about her status as the music industry's most altruistic figure. "I just give from my heart. I never know what I'm going to do or why I'm gonna do it. I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will."  

The National Treasure 

Parton proved she still had plenty to offer when she returned to pure country in the late 2000s. She achieved her highest peak on the Billboard 200 at the time with the first release through her own Dolly Records label, 2008's Backwoods Barbie (No. 17), only to eclipse it just six years later when Blue Smoke made the Top 10. Soon after, she had 180,000 festivalgoers eating out of the palm of her hands when she performed classic hits including "Coat of Many Colors," "Here You Come Again" and "9 to 5" in the Glastonbury Legends slot.  

A stage musical adaptation of 9 to 5 that reached both Broadway and the West End (and earned her another GRAMMY nod) helped to extend her legacy, too. As did 2016's Pure and Simple, which spawned her biggest U.S. tour for 25 years and became her first country chart-topper since 1991, and 2022's Run Rose, Run, a companion album to a thriller she co-wrote with novelist James Patterson.

If any further proof was needed of Parton's national treasure status, then she also picked up Lifetime Achievement awards at the 2011 GRAMMYS and 2016 CMAs. And although she took some persuading, the star finally accepted her place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, where she also performed her 1991 hit "Rockin' Years" and a star-studded version of "Jolene."  

Even now she's approaching her eighties, Parton has no plans to hang up her towering high heels. "I would never retire," she told Greatest Hits Radio in 2023. "I'll just hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song on stage someday, hopefully, one I've written." 

The Beloved Collaborator 

Few artists have embraced their collaborative spirit more than Parton. She recorded 12 studio albums with mentor Porter Wagoner during their stint as country music TV's golden duo; a 13th was released following a legal dispute five years after their fruitful partnership came to an end.  

She famously shared her considerable talents with a slightly more hirsute crooner, Kenny Rogers, on their worldwide chart-topper "Islands in the Stream" and 1984 LP Once Upon a Christmas. And she formed not just one but two iconic supergroups, firstly teaming up with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt for 1987's Album Of The Year Grammy nominee Trio and its 1999 sequel, and then Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette for 1993's Honky Tonk Angels.  

Parton also duetted on country hits with Willie Nelson ("Everything's Beautiful (In Its Own Way)"), Smokey Robinson ("I Know You By Heart"), and James Ingram ("The Day I Fall in Love") during the same period. She then continued to team up with her fellow veterans throughout the '00s and '10s including Judy Collins (a cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now"), Rod Stewart (festive standard "Baby, It's Cold Outside"), and Yusuf Islam ("Where Do The Children Play?"). 

But Parton also started working with the younger generation of artists who'd grown up listening to her music, too — and not just in the country realm. She guested on Norah Jones' sophomore Feels Like Home, covered one of her signature hits "Jolene" with a cappella vocal group Pentatonix, and even teamed up with Mr. Worldwide himself, Pitbull, on party anthem "Powerful Women." 

She seems particularly keen to pass the baton on to her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus; Parton co-penned (and featured on) a track for the two-time GRAMMY winner's rootsier sixth LP, Younger Now ("Rainbowland"), invited her to perform on seasonal album A Holly Dolly Christmas, and joined her in a rendition of "Wrecking Ball" for Rockstar. The latter is unarguably Parton's collaborative magnum opus, a 30-track foray into rock featuring a who's who of both classic (Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks) and contemporary artists (Lizzo, Chris Stapleton) audibly delighted at the opportunity to sing with a living legend. 

In 2024, Parton kept things in the family with Smoky Mountain DNA — Family, Faith and Fables, another musical epic — this time, rooted in the sounds of her heritage — featuring her niece Heidi, cousin Richie, and, thanks to some vintage audio recordings, her late grandfather Reverend Jake Owens.  

"I cannot believe that it has been 60 years this month since I graduated from Sevier County High School and moved to Nashville to pursue my dreams," Parton remarked while announcing its release. 

As one of the world's best-loved artists both inside and outside of the country world, she undoubtedly fulfilled them in iconic, rhinestone-studded style.

Believe it or not, it's already that time of year again: the 2025 GRAMMY nominations have been revealed.

After a year that saw a pop renaissance and continued dominance by women across genres, the 2025 GRAMMY nominees followed suit. Beyoncé is this year's most-nominated artist, adding 11 more to her GRAMMY resumé (more on that later). Pop's newest reigning queens, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, solidified their thrones; they each celebrate six nominations, and are the only two artists nominated for Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist. 

In fact, six of the eight leading nominees are women. Female artists dominate both the Record Of The Year and Album Of The Year Categories, as well as over a dozen other Categories Best Pop Vocal Album, Best R&B Performance and Best Latin Pop Album.

But that's just one exciting aspect of this year's nominations. As you dive into the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominee list, take a look at some of the most notable feats and firsts from the 2025 GRAMMY nominations — and be sure to tune into Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025!

Beyoncé Adds To Her GRAMMY Legacy

With 11 nominations, Beyoncé isn't just the most-nominated artist at the 2025 GRAMMYs — she's now the most-nominated artist in GRAMMY history. The 11 new nods bring her total to a whopping 99 nominations!

Queen Bey is already the artist with the most GRAMMY wins of all time with 32, a record she achieved upon her album RENAISSANCE winning Best Dance/Electronic Music Album at the 2023 GRAMMYs. 

Artists Are Nominated In Fields/Categories For The First Time

Along with a new GRAMMY record, Beyoncé also adds a new GRAMMY Field to her repertoire. She received her first nominations in the Country & American Roots Music Field, and five at that: Best Country Solo Performance ("16 CARRIAGES"), Best Country Duo/Group Performance ("II MOST WANTED" Featuring Miley Cyrus), Best Country Song ("TEXAS HOLD 'EM"), Best Country Album (COWBOY CARTER), and Best Americana Performance ("YA YA").

Post Malone also tallied the first Country & American Roots Music Field nominations of his career, earning nods for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Country Song for his Morgan Wallen duet, "I Had Some Help," and Best Country Album for F-1 Trillion.

One of Malone's many F-1 Trillion collaborators, Luke Combs, notched his first nomination in the Best Song Written For Visual Media Category for his chart-topping Twisters anthem "Ain't No Love In Oklahoma."

Meanwhile, R&B titans Alicia Keys and John Legend both celebrate nominations in new Categories as well. Keys is nominated in the Best Musical Theater Album Category for the first time (Hell's Kitchen), and Legend received his first nods for Best Children's Music Album (My Favorite Dream) and Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella ("Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Jacob Collier featuring Legend & Tori Kelly).

Charli xcx Continues Her Brat Summer

Pop's longtime cool girl Charli xcx also adds several new Categories to her GRAMMY nomination tally, but her reason to celebrate is a little bigger than that: they're her first nominations as a solo artist.

Charli xcx's previous two GRAMMY nominations came in 2015, and they were for her Iggy Azalea collaboration, "Fancy." Perhaps to fans' surprise, her own work had never received a nod — but brat changed that immensely.

One of the most-nominated artists with seven, Charli xcx earned her first nominations in the Album Of The Year (brat), Best Pop Solo Performance ("Apple"), Best Pop Dance Recording ("Von Dutch"), Best Dance/Electronic Album (brat), and Best Music Video ("360") Categories. She's also nominated in the same two Categories in which "Fancy" were 10 years ago: Record Of The Year ("360") and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance ("Guess" Featuring Billie Eilish).

Album Of The Year Marks Notable Firsts

Three of Charli xcx's fellow Album Of The Year nominees reach milestones with their respective nominations. Taylor Swift received her seventh Album Of The Year nomination thanks to THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT, becoming the first woman artist to receive seven nominations in the Category. 

Billie Eilish notches her third Album Of The Year nomination in a row with HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, making her the first artist to have their first three albums nominated in the Category.

Jack Antonoff also achieved a back-to-back AOTY feat, as it's the second year in a row that he has been nominated for his work with two separate artists in the Category. His latest Album Of The Year nods are for Swift's THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT and Sabrina Carpenter's Short n' Sweet. (Fittingly, Swift was one of the two artists last year too, as Antonoff was nominated for AOTY for his work on Midnights as well as Lana Del Rey's Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.)

Veteran Acts Earn Nods For The First Time In A Long Time

Several artists and creators celebrate their first GRAMMY nominations this year, including big-name stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Carin Léon, Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, and Morgan Wallen. What's more, 32 of those first-time nominees have two or more nominations.

But while the Recording Academy is always excited to honor new nominees — check back to GRAMMY.com in January for the annual Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee series — one of the most interesting stories of the 2025 GRAMMYs centers on those who received nominations for the first time in over a decade.

Perhaps the most unexpected names to see on the list are the Beatles. The Fab Four are nominated for the first time in 28 years thanks to "Now And Then," what Paul McCartney has dubbed "the final Beatles record." The song earned nods for Record Of The Year and Best Rock Performance, which brings their career nominations count to 25; prior to the 2025 GRAMMYs, the Beatles have won seven GRAMMYs.

The longest time between nominations this year goes to the Black Crowes, who received their first nod in 34 years for Happiness Bastards, their first album in 14 years. They earned their first Best Rock Album nomination, as they'd only ever been nominated once previously, for Best New Artist in 1991.

Interestingly, the Rock, Metal & Alternative Music Field spawned a few long-awaited nominations for veteran acts. Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth fame scored the first nominations of her career with her second solo album, The Collective, which is up for Best Alternative Music Album, and its lead single, "BYE BYE" is up for Best Alternative Music Performance.

Pearl Jam celebrated their first nominations since 2011 with their 12th studio album, Dark Matter, which received a nod for Best Rock Album as well as Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for its title track.

They're in company with their fellow '90s punk rock gods Green Day, who earned nods in all three Categories thanks to their latest album, Saviors. Marking Green Day's first nominations since 2014, Saviors is up for Best Rock Album, while singles "The American Dream Is Killing Me" and "Dilemma" are up for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song, respectively.

Elsewhere, Usher earned his first nomination for his own work in 10 years with a Best R&B Album nod for Coming Home, and Eminem earned his first nod for Best Rap Album (a Category he's won six times) in 10 years with The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).

Collaborations helped Erykah Badu, Michael McDonald and Monica snag their first nominations in more than a decade, too. Badu's team-up with Rapsody, "3:AM," earned a nod for Best Melodic Rap Performance, the singer's first nomination in the Category and first overall since 2009. McDonald tallied his first nomination since 2004 thanks to his Lalah Hathaway duet, "No Lie," which is nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance.

Monica received her first nomination since 2011, which also marked a full-circle moment. Her collab with Ariana Grande and Brandy, "The Boy Is Mine," earned a nod for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance — 26 years after her duet with Brandy of the same name won a GRAMMY for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

Will any legends go home with more golden gramophones? Will Beyoncé further her victory lap? Will there be several first-time winners? Tune into CBS on Feb. 5, 2025 to find out!

The Record Of The Year Category honors some of the year's biggest recordings — and at the 2025 GRAMMYs, the nominees are hits by a mix of newcomers and superstars.

Throughout the past year, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, and Chappell Roan proved why they're at the top of pop's current class. The Beatles and Kendrick Lamar both cemented their respective legacies, while Beyoncé and Taylor Swift continue to challenge their own musical boundaries.

With a range of unforgettable music moments, there's no telling who will take home the golden gramophone for Record Of The Year — which is awarded to the artist and the producer(s), recording engineer(s) and/or mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s) — at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. But one thing is for sure: the eight nominees make for quite an exciting contest.

Check out the nominees below and read the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominations list ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.

It can take years for an artist to work on their masterpiece. In the Beatles' case, the journey of "Now And Then" took 45 years. John Lennon originally wrote the demo in the late '70s. It's a mournful, piano-backed confession: "I know it's true/ It's all because of you/ And if I make it through/ It's all because of you."

The song remained unfinished long after Lennon's tragic 1980 passing, but — in a powerful act of love — his bandmates completed it for him. Paul McCartney enlisted Giles Martin (the son of Beatles' former producer and longtime collaborator George Martin) as the song's co-producer, using Lennon's original 1977 demo, George Harrison's guitar melodies from the 1995 Anthology sessions, and Ringo Starr's drumming and backing vocals from 2022. "Now And Then," which marked the Beatles' 35th top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100, is a tearful close to the band's legacy. 

"Obviously, it hasn't been, but it sounds like John's written it for Paul now, in a very emotional way," Martin told Rolling Stone. "It's a bittersweet song, which is very John. But with a combination of happiness and regret." 

McCartney never gave up on the song, which is a testament that true friendship never dies.

Beyoncé — "TEXAS HOLD 'EM"

After shimmying underneath a disco ball for 2022's GRAMMY-winning RENAISSANCE, Beyoncé wanted to keep the dance party going on 2024's COWBOY CARTER — except this time around, she traded Studio 54 for a honky-tonk. But "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," the album's joint lead single alongside "16 CARRIAGES," is much more than an instructional hoedown.

The 32-time GRAMMY winning icon has long incorporated African American history in her music, and "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" is no different. The single, like many tunes on COWBOY CARTER, is rooted in liberation. Country music is the backbone of America, but its roots in Black culture are often hidden. With "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," Beyoncé lifts the veil off the genre's true history by celebrating both her Houston heritage and the Black country artists that paved the way for her.

The song's message is clear, but it's balanced by playful melodies, Beyoncé's signature stacked harmonies and a plucking banjo (played by Rhiannon Giddens, an advocate for the reclamation of country music instruments by Black musicians). While Beyoncé is no stranger to chart-topping hits ("TEXAS HOLD 'EM" is her ninth solo No. 1 single on the Hot 100), she made history as the first Black woman to score a No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Sabrina Carpenter does whimsy so well. Chalk it up to her Disney Channel roots, but the singer's innate ability to craft an earworm is why she's skyrocketed as one of the biggest pop stars of the new generation. "Espresso," the lead single from 2024's Short n' Sweet album and unofficial song of the summer, encapsulates Carpenter's irresistible charm.

"The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that b—," she told Vogue in April. 

That confidence is found all throughout "Espresso," from her cooing vocals to her cheeky songwriting ("I can't relate to desperation/ My give-a-f—s are on vacation"). Topped off by an irresistibly catchy, undulating chorus, "Espresso" helped Carpenter reach several career milestones that kickstarted a year full of them — including her first GRAMMY nominations.

Charli xcx has long been one of the coolest girls in pop, and her sixth album brat cemented that fact. On "360," the album's second single, the British star not only acknowledges her own cool factor, but of those around her. Produced by longtime collaborator A. G. Cook, the song trades in the producer's signature exaggerated hyperpop sonics for more minimalistic synths that complement Charli's auto-tuned vocals.

"I went my own way and I made it/ I'm your favorite reference, baby," Charli xcx exclaims on the cocky opening line before comparing herself to friends like model/musician Gabbriette and actress Julia Fox. "360" is a cheeky reflection of the ever-growing digital era, giving fellow internet "It" girls an anthem for the ages.

Billie Eilish — "BIRDS OF A FEATHER"

The beauty of Billie Eilish's artistry is in her vulnerability. For the nine-time GRAMMY winner's third album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, she pushed herself into her deeper territories with the assistance of her brother and go-to collaborator FINNEAS.

Second single "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" best exemplifies the album title's meaning in both its tenderness and desperation. It was initially intended to be a traditional love song, but given the siblings' unorthodox track record, they couldn't resist making it slightly untraditional: "I want you to stay/ 'Til I'm in the grave/ 'Til I rot away, dead and buried/ 'Til I'm in the casket you carry," Eilish sings on the opening verse in her signature whisper. 

Even with the juxtaposing lyrics, the song's airy production and wistfully gauzy synths still make for a beautiful, adoring statement piece. And the heartfelt sentiment paired with Eilish's breathy vocals quickly made "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" the biggest hit from HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, already garnering nearly 1.5 billion Spotify streams as of press time.

Branding Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" as merely a diss track would be doing it a disservice. The 17-time GRAMMY winner's tune is not just a rap song, but a cultural phenomenon. A seething finale to his (very public) feud with Drake, "Not Like Us" is a triumphant win for both Lamar and rap music as a whole.

Atop a buzzing sample of Monk Higgins' 1968 "I Believe to My Soul" cover, Lamar delivers slick wordplay and calls out Drake's presumed cultural appropriation of Southern rap: "You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars/ No, you not a colleague, you a f—in' colonizer."

Following its release, the song took on a life on its own: tennis icon Serena Williams (Drake's alleged former lover) crip walked to the track at the 2024 ESPY Awards, Megan Thee Stallion and Janet Jackson incorporated it into their concerts, and many national sports leagues used it in their game broadcasts.

Drama aside, "Not Like Us" — which also scored a Song Of The Year nomination — is a celebration of West Coast hip-hop. Lamar, a proud Compton native, enlisted Los Angeles-born DJ Mustard to produce the track. The chopped-up sample is inspired by Oakland's "hyphy" rap subgenre, while Lamar exaggerates his already-animated cadence, paying homage to late Los Angeles rapper Drakeo the Ruler. While "Not Like Us" is a targeted diss, it's also a reminder of California's historical impact on rap — and Lamar's place within that legacy.

Chappell Roan grabbed the world's attention with her bombastic interpretation of baroque pop and her knack for highlighting queer romance. "Good Luck, Babe!," April's breakout hit following her 2023 debut LP, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, ushered in a new chapter.

The song discusses compulsory heterosexuality, as Roan sings about a woman she's dating who tries to deny her feelings for Roan: "You can kiss a hundred boys in bars/ Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling." 

"I knew exactly what I wanted. I wrote it in three minutes," Chappell Roan told Rolling Stone of the song's creation, which she co-wrote alongside Daniel Nigro and Justin Tranter. "I felt so much anger. I was so upset. It all came out and I didn't add anything when I wrote it all done. It was a perfect storm."

The anger definitely explodes on "Good Luck, Babe!," with Roan channeling '80s divas like Kate Bush and George Michael. The singer's goal was to make a "big anthemic pop song," and "Good Luck, Babe!" soared beyond all expectations.

Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone — "Fortnight"

Despite nailing a formula that has made her one of the biggest pop stars of all time, Taylor Swift is still willing to take risks.

"Fortnight," from the 14-time GRAMMY winner's The Tortured Poets Department, serves as both the LP's first single and opening track. The chart-topping smash introduces the album's moodier tones, telling the story of a woman in an unhappy marriage who is now the neighbor to her ex-lover and his new wife. 

Atop '80s-inspired electropop synths courtesy of longtime collaborator and co-producer Jack Antonoff, the lyrics are unexpectedly dismal for Swift: "I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary/ And I love you, it's ruining my life." Featured artist Post Malone then sweeps in with his melancholic harmonies, giving more emotional weight to Swift's brilliant storytelling.