A few weeks ago, Oliver Anthony was an unknown. Today, thanks to a bare-bones song and video heralded by right-wing pundits, he sits atop the Billboard Hot 100.
As much of Nashville’s music community condemned the track, prominent Republican presidential candidates rushed in to support it.Yet Anthony’s song is similarly naive in its political calculation: Where Aldean paints a hysterical portrait of urban chaos, Anthony muddies his critique of government malfeasance by complaining about obese people “milking welfare” to buy “bags of Fudge Rounds,” as though food stamps are the reason he’s been working “overtime hours for bulls— pay.
Hard-right influencer Matt Walsh crystallized a widely espoused view when he credited the song’s ascent to its “raw and authentic” quality at a moment when “everything around us is fake” — a boring trope, to be sure, though not one any more tedious than the insistence of some on the left that “Rich Men’s” virality could only have been the result of some nefarious astroturfing plot.
Indeed, one thing “Rich Men” has demonstrated is that country music, having long since absorbed hip-hop’s sound and attitude , has finally absorbed its scrappy methodology as well: Think of Oliver and his viral hit as a rural spin on what Lil Nas X accomplished a few years ago when he harnessed social media to create a DIY smash with “Old Town Road.”
Asked whether he thought those offers were legit, a prominent Nashville manager told me, “I doubt that very much.” One label head said an eight-figure record deal “wouldn’t be where the market has been right now” and that perhaps Anthony was referring to an offer from a concert promoter.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Oliver Anthony Brings ‘Rich Men’ Hit to Weekend North Carolina ShowThe country singer performed songs including “Rich Men From North of Richmond” and “Ain’t Gotta Dollar” to the thousands who attended.
Read more »
‘Crazy plane lady’ Tiffany Gomas could have learned from viral sensation Oliver Anthony, author saysTiffany Gomas should have taken a page from the playbook of viral singing sensation Oliver Anthony, according to author Chris McMurray, who is familiar with a sudden rise to fame.
Read more »
'Oliver Anthony for President': What We Saw at Viral Songwriter's ConcertThe “Rich Men North of Richmond” singer read from the Bible and signed autographs for a passionate crowd on a North Carolina golf course
Read more »
Oliver Anthony says ‘Rich Men’ has ‘touched people globally’: 'Don’t have to be blue-collar’'Rich Men North of Virginia' singer Oliver Anthony said the blue-collar anthem is a song for people around the world in his first on-camera interview.
Read more »
Oliver Anthony performs across US as hit song continues success streakCountry singer Oliver Anthony, whose hit song 'Rich Men North of Richmond' has taken the country by storm, performed in front of another live audience over the weekend.
Read more »
Oliver Anthony predicts US will not last ‘more than another generation’ unless country changes course'Rich Men North of Virginia' singer Oliver Anthony said that he does not believe the United States will last more than another decade at its current rate.
Read more »