The incredible story of Oliver Anthony gets more incredible by the day. Going from a farmer and factory worker to a global music phenomenon in two weeks' time - we've never seen something like this. His "Rich Men North Of Richmond" now has 32M views on YouTube in just two weeks - and has gained the attention of big players in the music industry, as well as working-class Americans who are fed up with the way things are going. This "perfect storm" has led to Anthony's song doing something no artist and no song has ever done in the history of popular music. Not the Beatles, Elvis, Taylor Swift - no one.
In the song's very first week of eligibility, it sets a record that can only be equaled and never topped:
A new artist's first song hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its first week. Established artists have done it; new artists have hit #1. But never have we seen a brand new artist hit #1 in Week 1 with their first song. Oh, and to add to that: he's also the first musician since 1994 (Lisa Loeb) to hit #1 as an unsigned artist. And, almost as an afterthought, the song debuts at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
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Oliver Anthony Has the Number One Song in America
Oliver Anthony's"Rich Men North of Richmond" debuted at Number One on the Hot 100 right off the bat. And that's historic. "Billboard" says he's now the first artist to have their first single enter Number One, without any previous history on the charts.
I think we're all itching to see him in concert. He hasn't announced a tour yet but is performing at this year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival. Unfortunately, it's already sold out. . . but it's good to know he's getting out there.
By the way, other artists do parodies when your song becomes a cultural touchstone. British singer Billy Bragg released a response to "Rich Men North of Richmond." He calls it "Rich Men Earning North of a Million."
According to Billy, the person "working overtime hours for B.S. pay" should "join a union and fight for better pay" . . . because the "rich men earning north of a million wanna keep the working folk down."
(There are profanities in the video.)