Rich Men North of Richmond

Last updated

"Rich Men North of Richmond"
Oliver Anthony - Rich Men North of Richmond.png
Single by Oliver Anthony Music
ReleasedAugust 8, 2023 (2023-08-08)
Genre Country [1]
Length3:07
Label Self-released
Songwriter(s) Oliver Anthony
Producer(s) Oliver Anthony
Oliver Anthony Music singles chronology
"I've Got to Get Sober"
(2023)
"Rich Men North of Richmond"
(2023)
"Cowboys and Sunsets"
(2024)
Music video
"Rich Men North of Richmond" on YouTube

"Rich Men North of Richmond" is a song by American singer Oliver Anthony that was released in August 2023. [2] The song became an overnight viral hit after gaining traction on social media. Within days of its release, it topped sales and streaming charts, and then debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Anthony the first artist to debut atop the chart without any prior chart history in any form. [3] The song received praise from some conservatives and was discussed at a Republican presidential debate; in response, Anthony rejected attempts to "try to stick [him] in a political bucket" and described the song as a criticism of politicians in both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Contents

Lyrics and musical structure

Map of Virginia; the national capital Washington, D.C. is located to the north of state capital Richmond. Map of Virginia.jpg
Map of Virginia; the national capital Washington, D.C. is located to the north of state capital Richmond.

The song is a little over three minutes with a tempo of 118 beats per minute and is in the key of G minor. [4] It has a verse-chorus form with a pre-chorus and a turnaround. [4] Unlike most other hits, however, it has an outro without an intro. [4] Overall, its song structure is similar to other contemporary hits. [4]

The song's lyrics touch on issues that affect the working class of North America. [5] [6] [7] [8] Its themes include low wages ("for bullshit pay"), food poverty ("nothing to eat"), high inflation ("dollar ain't shit"), high taxes ("taxed to no end"), child trafficking ("minors on an island"), welfare abuse ("the obese milkin' welfare"), and centralization of power ("wanna have total control"). [5] [9] [10] [6]

In a video explaining his songwriting, Anthony said that his lyrics attempt to speak for the working class and that he aspires to be a "voice for those people", noting that "whatever it is they're doing, they can't quite get ahead". [11] The lyrics have been compared to "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" [12]

Production

Completed less than four hours before recording, the song had stood half-way written two days before. [13] There was just one instrument – an acoustic resonator guitar. [4] The recording was quite raw and unpolished, with background noise and clipping, but this helped to give it an authentic, emotional quality. [4]

The song was first uploaded to YouTube on August 8, 2023, [14] by Radiowv, and the video received over 5 million views in its first three days. [5] Prior to the song's success, Anthony was not a well-known musician, and he had previously self-recorded songs on his cell phone. [15] "Rich Men North of Richmond" was Anthony's first professionally recorded song. [16]

Reception

The song has been attributed to a diverse range of influences, and various commentators have described it as an "anthem" for the "everyman", [17] for blue-collar workers, [18] as well as for conservatives, [16] and the right-wing, the latter of which Anthony has rejected. [5] [19] The song was praised by Republican House representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, [5] country singer John Rich, podcaster Joe Rogan, and conservative commentators Dan Bongino and Matt Walsh. [14] [20] Musician and commentator Winston Marshall praised the song in an op-ed for The Spectator as a "raw original tune ... that decries the powers that be in DC, elite pedophiles and the plight of ordinary working Americans" which "has resonated like a National guitar with music-loving Americans starved for something authentic". [21] [10] Not all who championed the song were from the right; Democratic senator Chris Murphy posted that "progressives should listen to this", with the suggestion that the issues raised in the song are "all problems the left has better solutions to than the right". [22] In contrast, conservative National Review 's executive editor Mark Antonio Wright criticized the song's lyrics, arguing that "if you're a fit, able-bodied man, and you're working 'overtime hours for bullshit pay,' you need to find a new job." [23] [10]

Describing the song as "a passionate screed against the state of the country", Rolling Stone writer Joseph Hudak also said that Anthony delves into "Reagan-era talking points about welfare". [14] Jay Caspian Kang wrote in The New Yorker that "depending on your politics, [Anthony] is either a voice sent from Heaven to express the anger of the white working class, or he is a wholly constructed viral creation who has arrived to serve up resentment with a thick, folksy lacquering of Americana." [24] In an interview with Billboard , Radiowv's Draven Riffe said: "We both prayed before we recorded Rich Men North of Richmond." [17] "In our opinion, God has chosen to speak through Oliver and to speak to all Americans through his music, all around the world," he said. [25]

The song was likened to "Try That in a Small Town" by Jason Aldean, a country song popular among conservatives. [5] [15] Emma Keates wrote in The A.V. Club that Anthony's lyrics are "not ... as blatantly threatening" as those in Aldean's single, but "they're generally still based on a number of regressive and gross stereotypes that are filtering into mainstream music in a frightening way". [15] Some criticized the song for its line about "the obese milkin' welfare", claiming that it draws on negative stereotypes about welfare recipients. [26] [19]

The song is described as the "latest in a series of controversial cultural flashpoints" that divided America. [22] In The Washington Post , it is argued that coming after the film Sound of Freedom and Jason Aldean's "Try That in a Small Town", the song is significant in demonstrating that "the far-right is gaining ground in the world of pop culture" previously dominated by "leftist personalities and values". [27] An alternative view, posited in Australian news outlet news.com.au, is that "no matter where you go and who you impress, there will always be a group of people eager" to "misconstrue your message," and so, although the song is "clearly about a working class call to arms, there were some who viewed the song as an 'offensive right wing anthem'". [28]

The song also received a response from British singer Billy Bragg, who wrote a song titled "Rich Men Earning North of a Million" with lyrics encouraging labor organization. [29]

In politics

The song was referenced in the first question of the first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee on August 23, 2023, hosted by Fox News. The question, by Martha MacCallum, was directed to Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis: "Why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now?" DeSantis responded that the country is "in decline" but that the decline is "not inevitable", and that "those rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation." [30] Fox News said they had contacted Anthony prior to the debate and received permission to play the song. [31] [32]

A reference to politicians "looking out for minors on an island somewhere" has been interpreted as a reference to Jeffrey Epstein and his private island, [16] and has led to speculation that Anthony was referencing the QAnon conspiracy theory, which revolves around the belief that politicians and other elites engage in child sex trafficking and other child abuse. [6] [10] [33] The song was played during the Donald Trump town hall in Oaks, Pennsylvania (2024).

Anthony's response

On August 25, Anthony released a video statement on YouTube. On the Republican presidential debate, he said: "It was funny seeing my song at the presidential debate, because I wrote that song about those people, you know. ... That song is written about the people on that stage—and a lot more, too. Not just them, but definitely them." [34] He clarified that he does not support President Joe Biden, either. [35]

Anthony said that his song has been "weaponized" by the right and the left: "I see the right trying to characterise me as one of their own. And I see the left trying to discredit me, I guess in retaliation." [36] He said the people he wrote about in the song have "done everything they can in the last two weeks to make me look like a fool, to spin my words, to try to stick me in a political bucket." He also addressed those who interpreted the song as "an attack against the poor", saying that "all of my songs that reference class defend the poor". He said of "Rich Men": "30-some million people understood what I was saying, but it only takes a few to try to derail the train, to try to send out false narratives." [34]

Commercial performance

"Rich Men North of Richmond" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 dated August 26, 2023, with 147,000 downloads and 17.5 million streams that week. [3] It made Anthony the first artist to debut a song at number one on that chart with no prior entries in any form (five other solo artists debuted at No. 1 but had prior entries in some forms; for example, Baauer's song "Harlem Shake" first appeared in the dance/electronic chart before it reached the Hot 100). [3] [37] It also makes him the third unsigned artist to have a number-one single on that chart, following Lisa Loeb's "Stay (I Missed You)" in 1994 and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us" and "Thrift Shop" in 2013. [3] [38] The song is also the first by a solo male artist to reach No. 1 on both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs simultaneously in its debut week. [3]

The song stayed at number one on the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Digital Songs charts for a second week, with downloads dropping 20% to 117,000, while streaming went up 31% to 22.9 million. Airplay increased by 310% to 2.3 million audience impressions despite the song not being promoted to radio. [39]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [55] Silver200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lonestar</span> American country music group

Lonestar is an American country music group from Nashville, Tennessee. The group consists of Drew Womack, Michael Britt, Dean Sams, and Keech Rainwater (drums). Britt, Sams, and Rainwater co-founded the band in 1992 with original lead vocalist Richie McDonald and bass guitarist/vocalist John Rich. Rich exited the band in 1998 and went on to join Big Kenny as one-half of the duo Big & Rich. Since his departure, Lonestar has relied alternatingly on session and touring musicians for bass guitar accompaniment. McDonald exited the band in 2007 to record as a solo artist, and was replaced by former McAlyster vocalist Cody Collins before returning in 2011. McDonald left a second time in 2021 to join The Frontmen, with former Sons of the Desert lead vocalist Drew Womack replacing him.

The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by Billboard magazine. Although it originally started tracking song sales the week of October 30, 2004, it officially debuted in the issue dated January 22, 2005, and merged all versions of a song sold from digital music distributors. Its data was incorporated in the Hot 100 three weeks later. Since October 2004, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboard's music singles charts. The decision was based on the dramatic increase of the digital market while commercial single sales in a physical format were becoming negligible.

Country rap is a fusion genre of popular music, blending country music with hip hop–style singing or rapping.

Country pop is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres like rock, pop, and country, continuing similar efforts that began in the late 1950s, known originally as the Nashville sound and later on as Countrypolitan. By the mid-1970s, many country artists were transitioning to the pop-country sound, which led to some records charting high on the mainstream top 40 and the Billboard country chart. In turn, many pop and easy listening artists crossed over to country charts during this time. After declining in popularity during the neotraditional movement of the 1980s, country pop had a comeback in the 1990s with a sound that drew more heavily on pop rock and adult contemporary. In the 2010s, country pop metamorphosized again with the addition of hip-hop beats and rap-style phrasing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Rich</span> American country musician

John Rich is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After departing from the band in 1998, he embarked on a solo career on BNA Records in the late 1990s, releasing two singles for the label and recording Underneath the Same Moon, which was not released until 2006. In 2001, he self-released Rescue Me, an album he was inspired to record by a cancer patient named Katie Darnell. By 2003, he joined Big Kenny to form the duo Big & Rich, who released three albums on Warner Bros. Records as well as ten singles, including the Number One "Lost in This Moment". After Big & Rich went on hiatus in 2007, Rich began work on a third solo album, Son of a Preacher Man, which has produced two more chart singles. In 2011, Rich released two extended plays, Rich Rocks and For the Kids, before re-establishing Big & Rich in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss Me (Sixpence None the Richer song)</span> 1998 single by Sixpence None the Richer

"Kiss Me" is a song by American pop rock band Sixpence None the Richer from their self-titled third album (1997). The ballad was initially released to modern rock radio on July 14, 1998, but was only physically released as a single on August 12, 1998 in the United States. It was later issued in international territories the following year. Several music critics compared the song to works by English alternative rock band the Sundays, and it was nominated for a Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 42nd Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar (Nickelback song)</span> 2006 single by Nickelback

"Rockstar" a song by Canadian rock band Nickelback, released as the fifth overall single from their fifth album, All the Right Reasons (2005). It was initially only released in the United States and Canada, and has since been re-released worldwide. The lyrics feature the hopes of someone who desires to be a rockstar. Spoken-word vocals between each verse are provided by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Me to Church</span> 2013 single by Hozier

"Take Me to Church" is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier. It was released as his debut single on 13 September 2013, originally featuring on his extended play of the same name, before being featured as the opening track of his 2014 debut album Hozier. A struggling musician at the time of its composition, Hozier wrote and recorded the song in the attic of his parents' home in County Wicklow. A mid-tempo soul song, its lyrics use religious terminology to describe a romantic relationship in the face of Church discrimination. The song caught the attention of Rubyworks Records, where producer Rob Kirwan collaborated with Hozier on the final recording.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Git Up</span> 2019 single by Blanco Brown

"The Git Up" is a song by American artist Blanco Brown, released as his debut single on May 3, 2019. It has been described as the "sequel" to Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" and the "next viral country rap song". Brown filmed himself performing a line dance to the song, which became a meme and was later used in its music video. It debuted at number 66 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 14. "The Git Up" serves as the lead single from Brown's debut album Honeysuckle & Lightning Bugs. A remix featuring singer Ciara was released on December 23, 2019, containing an altered, "booming" beat.

For music from a year in the 2020s, go to 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fancy Like</span> 2021 single by Walker Hayes

"Fancy Like" is a song recorded by American country music singer Walker Hayes. It was released on August 2, 2021, from his fifth EP Country Stuff via Monument Records Nashville. Hayes co-wrote the song with Cameron Bartolini, Josh Jenkins, and Shane Stevens, and co-produced it with Joe Thibodeau and Shane McAnally. A remix featuring guest vocals from American singer-songwriter Kesha was released on September 10, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">29 (Demi Lovato song)</span> 2022 single by Demi Lovato

"29" is a song by American singer Demi Lovato from her eighth studio album, Holy Fvck (2022). Island Records released the song on August 17, 2022, as the third single from the album. It was written by Lovato along with Oak Felder, Alex Niceforo, Keith Sorrells, Laura Veltz and Sean Douglas. Produced by Felder, Niceforo and Sorrells, "29" is a rock song with lyrics about age gaps in relationships.

"Jerk" is a song by American singer Oliver Tree, originally released on July 17, 2020, as part of his debut studio album Ugly Is Beautiful. Upon release, the song largely stood out to music critics reviewing the album. Noted for its "groan haunts", Pitchfork writer Cat Zhang drew comparisons to Billie Joe Armstrong, while NME's Ben Jolly described the song as "an anti-bullying anthem-in-waiting". Tree sings about his experiences of being an outcast and eventually realizes that his hatred for jerks is "a double-edged sword".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr Right (song)</span> 2023 single by Mae Stephens and Meghan Trainor

"Mr Right" is a song by British singer Mae Stephens and American singer Meghan Trainor, released on 4 August 2023 through EMI Records. Stephens and Trainor wrote it with songwriter Jake Torrey and its producers, Jason Gill and Victor Rådström.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oliver Anthony</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1992)

Christopher Anthony Lunsford, known professionally as Oliver Anthony Music, is an American country-folk singer-songwriter. In August 2023, he released the single "Rich Men North of Richmond" independently, which debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 and made Lunsford the first artist to achieve this without any prior charting history in any form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aint Gotta Dollar</span> 2022 single by Oliver Anthony

"Aint Gotta Dollar" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Oliver Anthony, first uploaded to YouTube on September 10, 2022 and released to streaming services on September 21, 2022.

Radiowv is an American YouTube and TikTok music channel founded in 2018 to promote artists from Appalachia and surroundings that became more widely known in 2023 for videos by the country music artist Oliver Anthony. Radiowv features unsigned Americana and country musicians with videos of them playing unplugged in country settings, and is credited with “jumpstarting” some of its musicians' careers with the assistance of a so-called "Oliver Anthony Effect”.

References

  1. "Controversial country song Rich Men North of Richmond makes US chart history". The Guardian. August 21, 2023. Archived from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  2. Trust, Gary (August 28, 2023). "Oliver Anthony Music's 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Notches Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Trust, Gary (August 21, 2023). "Oliver Anthony Music's 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 David Penn; Yael Penn (August 25, 2023), "What Oliver Anthony Music's 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Has in Common – and Doesn't – With 2023's Other Hot 100 No. 1s", Billboard, archived from the original on August 31, 2023, retrieved August 31, 2023
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rosen, Evan (August 12, 2023). "Newly released country song 'Rich Men North of Richmond,' from unknown artist, instantly becomes right-wing 'anthem'". New York Daily News . Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Cantor, Matthew (August 16, 2023). "Rich Men North of Richmond punches down. No surprise the right wing loves it". The Guardian . Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  7. Mervis, Scott (August 14, 2023). "Breakout country singer branded as right-wing for viral 'Rich Men North of Richmond' video". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  8. Price, Joe (August 16, 2023). "Gucci Mane Wants to Sign Country Singer Behind Divisive "Rich Men North of Richmond"". Complex. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  9. Nicholson, Jessica (August 12, 2023). "'Rich Men North of Richmond' Viral Hitmaker Oliver Anthony: 5 Things You Need to Know". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Willman, Chris (August 15, 2023). "Oliver Anthony's 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Is an Instant Smash Among Conservatives, While Progressives Wonder if He's a 'Plant'". Variety . Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  11. Geller, Wendy (August 13, 2023). "Who Is Oliver Anthony? What to Know About the 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Viral Hitmaker". The Messenger . Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  12. Gregg Opelka (September 5, 2023). "Richmond, Can You Spare a Dime?". The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023. Anthony's anthem has more in common with a surprise hit much older than Mr. Dylan's. The year was 1932, and the show was a long-forgotten musical revue called "Americana."
  13. EMILY ST. MARTIN (August 31, 2023). "Oliver Anthony 'didn't even want to record' 'Rich Men North of Richmond' and had no idea it'd be 'the one'". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023. He called me on a Thursday. He wanted to come that Saturday and record, and I only had the first half of 'Rich Men North Richmond' even written," [...] We recorded it at around 6:30 on the Saturday, and I had the song finished at 3 o'clock on Saturday.
  14. 1 2 3 Hudak, Joseph (August 11, 2023). "Right-Wing Influencers Just Found Their Favorite New Country Song". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 Keates, Emma (August 14, 2023). "What is "Rich Men North of Richmond" and why is it suddenly everywhere?". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 Yang, Angela (August 14, 2023). "How an obscure country artist's viral song became a conservative anthem". NBC News . Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  17. 1 2 "Oliver Anthony's Manager on the Viral Success of 'Rich Men North of Richmond' and Bigger Mission: 'God has Chosen to Speak Through Oliver': Exclusive". Billboard. August 19, 2023. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  18. Oliver, Ned (August 14, 2023). "Farmville singer's blue-collar anthem "Rich Men North of Richmond" goes viral". Axios .
  19. 1 2 Chilton, Louis (August 16, 2023). "Viral 'right-wing anthem' by country singer Oliver Anthony branded 'offensive'". The Independent . Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  20. Currand, Colleen (August 14, 2023). "Farmville singer Oliver Anthony goes viral with 'Rich Men North of Richmond'" . Richmond Times-Dispatch . Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  21. Marshall, Winston (August 14, 2023). "Oliver Anthony and the sorry state of Rolling Stone". The Spectator . Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  22. 1 2 James, Caryn (August 18, 2023). "Rich Men North of Richmond: The hit song that has divided the US". BBC. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  23. Wright, Mark Antonio (August 14, 2023). "Oliver Anthony's Fuzzy Lament". National Review . Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  24. Kang, Jay Caspian (August 15, 2023). "A Close Listen to "Rich Men North of Richmond"". The New Yorker . ISSN   0028-792X . Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  25. Kaufman, Gil (August 30, 2023). "Oliver Anthony's Historic Climb to the Top: A Timeline of the 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Singer's Rapid Rise". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  26. Murray, Conor (August 16, 2023). "Controversial 'Rich Men North Of Richmond'—Oliver Anthony's Hit Song Championed By The Right—Explained". Forbes . Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  27. Branigin, Anne (August 17, 2023). "Oliver Anthony and the 'mainstreaming' of conspiracy theories". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  28. Blair, Alex (August 18, 2023). "Overnight sensation Oliver Anthony reveals why he turned down $12.5 million deal". news.com.au. Archived from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  29. Snapes, Laura (August 21, 2023). "Billy Bragg releases pro-unionisation response song to viral country hit Rich Men North of Richmond". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  30. Vivinetto, Gina (August 24, 2023). "Why Oliver Anthony's song 'Rich Men North of Richmond' became a GOP debate topic". Today. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  31. Lizza, Ryan; Bade, Rachael; Daniels, Eugene (August 25, 2023). "Playbook: What Fox News' moderators wish they asked at the GOP debate". POLITICO. Archived from the original on August 26, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  32. Otten, Tori (November 1, 2022). ""Rich Men North of Richmond" Singer Says It's Ironic His Song Was Played at GOP Debate". The New Republic. ISSN   0028-6583. Archived from the original on August 26, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  33. Piper, Ernie (August 15, 2023). "Newfound right-wing country music celeb Oliver Anthony kept YouTube playlist with 9/11 truther videos". The Daily Dot . Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  34. 1 2 Shanfield, Ethan (August 25, 2023). "Oliver Anthony Clarifies Politics in Teary-Eyed Video, Addresses GOP Debate Question: 'Rich Men' Is 'Written About the People on That Stage'". Variety. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023. Anthony went on to emphasize that "Rich Men North of Richmond" is about people, not politics.
  35. Suliman, Adela (August 26, 2023). "After GOP debate, Oliver Anthony says politicians 'weaponized' his song". Washington Post . Archived from the original on August 27, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023. he clarified that he was not a Biden supporter, either. He said his song criticized "corporate owned D.C. politicians on both sides
  36. Richards, Will (August 27, 2023). "'Rich Men North Of Richmond' singer Oliver Anthony says left-wingers "misunderstood my words"". NME. Archived from the original on August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  37. Millman, Ethan (August 21, 2023). "Oliver Anthony's 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Is the Number One Song in the Country". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  38. Feeney, Nolan (January 25, 2013). "Macklemore's 'Thrift Shop' Is First Indie Hit to Top Charts in Nearly Two Decades". Time. ISSN   0040-781X. Archived from the original on August 26, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  39. Trust, Gary (August 28, 2023). "Oliver Anthony Music's 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Notches Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  40. "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. August 28, 2023. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  41. "Oliver Anthony Music Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  42. "Oliver Anthony Music Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  43. "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  44. "Nederlandse Global Top 40 – week 34, 2023" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on August 26, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  45. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 4, 2023. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  46. "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 36". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  47. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  48. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  49. "Oliver Anthony Music Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  50. "Oliver Anthony Music Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  51. "Oliver Anthony Music Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  52. "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  53. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  54. "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  55. "British single certifications – Oliver Anthony Music – Rich Men North Of Richmond". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved June 25, 2024.