Legendary American songwriter Dolly Parton has once again proven she is in a league of her own. A new poll released this week shows the country superstar has won the hearts of the world, leaving political heavyweights like Barack Obama in a distant second place.

The survey, conducted by the University of Massachusetts and YouGov, tracked the favourability of more than 20 famous public figures. The results were not even close.

While many celebrities and politicians struggle with divisive reputations, Parton remains almost universally loved.

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Parton topped the list with a massive net favourability score of +65. According to the data, 70% of those surveyed held a positive opinion of the music legend. In contrast, only 5% viewed her unfavourably.

Former US President Barack Obama took the second spot, but he trailed Parton by 51 points. Obama achieved a net score of +14, with 50% of people viewing him favourably.

According to the research, Obama and Parton were the only two figures on the list to be liked by at least half of the respondents.

The Power of Staying Neutral

Parton’s enduring popularity is often linked to her "apolitical" public image. In a world of fierce political divides, she has famously refused to take sides.

She previously stated that she has as many Republican fans as she does Democrats. "I don't want to make any of them mad at me, so I don't play politics," she explained in an earlier interview.

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This strategy has allowed her to maintain a broad appeal that few others can match.

Her reputation is also bolstered by her extensive philanthropic work. Her "Imagination Library" has donated more than 270 million books to children worldwide.

The Full Leaderboard

The poll revealed a sharp divide between beloved entertainers and polarising political figures. While some stayed in positive territory, others saw their reputations sink into negative figures.

The Net Favourability Rankings:

Dolly Parton: +65
Barack Obama: +14
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: +13
Bernie Sanders: +6
George W. Bush: +5
Taylor Swift: +3
Elon Musk: -16
Donald Trump: -18
Joe Biden: -19
Vladimir Putin: -65

The poll also highlighted struggles for tech founders.Tesla CEO Elon Musk recorded a net rating of -16, while Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg was viewed favourably by only one in ten people.