Lena Tyhurst, Ahona Sarder, Mokshita Venkata, Alice Collins September 13th, 2023
Oliver Anthony, a 31-year-old rising songwriter and artist, recently released a song, “Rich Men North of Richmond,'' that went viral overnight. Released in August 2023 on YouTube, the song was an instant hit. In nearly no time at all, he earned around $1.5 - $2 million. His song reached radios all over the world and inspired many. The empowering words altered several people's opinions and outlooks on our world.
Anthony’s actual name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford. He adopted the stage name, “Oliver Anthony,'' as a way to pay homage to his grandfather. He made history as the first songwriter to debut at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with no prior chart history at all. The phenomenon of a song or artist “going viral” using social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube has gained traction over recent years.
Source RadioWV
“Rich Men North of Richmond” is a song that addresses real-world problems in the working class, such as taxes, politicians, and welfare, along with the struggles he went through. Despite the seemingly overwhelming popularity of the song, certain people who hold right-wing affiliations have called the song offensive, due to its provocative lyrics about government policy. The singer, songwriter, and producer of this song is Oliver.
In Anthony's song, he expresses that not everyone has it as easy as a rich politician. He says, “Lord, we got folks in the street, ain’t got nothin’ to eat” which informs the matter that there are people with no home and food seriously struggling out there, and rich politicians only care about having total control. He also explains how people are buried in taxes and bills and since they live off of terrible pay, have no way to pay it off. He's showing that poverty is real. Even though it may be difficult to comprehend if you are surrounded by wealth, it is happening all around us and our society needs to become aware.
Source Mike Caudill/Billboard via Getty Images
Although the song is not everyone’s cup of tea, we hold the opinion that although the song’s lyrics may be seen as divisive, everyone has the right to express their feelings through their artistry, and this song is a prime example of that.
Sources:
Billboard: https://www.billboard.com
The Palm Beach Post: https://www.palmbeachpost.com
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