Fame and fortune in equal measure have found country singer Oliver Anthony with his breakout viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” debuting Monday at the very top of the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.
In doing so, Billboard reports the new Virginia icon becomes the first artist ever to launch atop the list with no prior chart history in any form.
Anthony spoke exclusively to Billboard, telling the outlet,“The hopelessness and frustration of our times resonate in the response to this song. The song itself is not anything special, but the people who have supported it are incredible and deserve to be heard.”
His now No. 1 song takes aim at the moneyed elites in Washington, DC, the backroom dealmakers happy to cruise through life while everyday men and women sweat and toil just to get by.
Watch and listen for yourself below:
“Rich Men North of Richmond” has been viewed and enjoyed countless millions of times across a multitude of platforms and voices the struggles of working-class families in the era of Bidenflation and upper-class opulence (note the veiled reference to Jeffrey Epstein’s island).
Prior to this week, Oliver Anthony had not appeared on any Billboard chart in any form, making him the first such artist ever to debut atop the Hot 100.
He’s just the sixth artist ever to debut a first solo Hot 100 entry at No. 1, following Zayn, Baauer, Carrie Underwood, Fantasia and Clay Aiken.
The story doesn’t stop there.
Oliver Anthony performed a free concert in Barco, North Carolina, earlier this month, firing up the crowd by quoting the Bible at his first live concert after his song “Rich Men North of Richmond” raced ahead on multiple platforms. (Screenshot)
As Breitbart News reported, a top country producer has been so inspired he has stepped forward to offer his own assistance with the young man’s music career.
John Rich — who has topped the iTunes charts multiple times over the past few years with anti-establishment anthems — shared Oliver’s song, helping rocket the phrase “Rich Men North of Richmond” to the trending topics list.
Jason Howerton, an alumnus of The Blaze, announced Rich would lend his talents to the recording, while other conservative influencers will step forward with distribution and promotional offers.