Oliver Anthony: America’s Next Viral MAGA Star
Now, they sound tired, but they don’t sound Haggard
They’ve got money, but they don’t have Cash
They got Junior, but they don’t have Hank
I think, I think, I think, the rest is
A long time gone-Darrell Scott, Long Time Gone (Also performed by The Chicks)
“The Rich Men North of Richmond” apparently lives in all of our heads rent-free right now. Written and performed by Oliver Anthony, a previously unknown singer/songwriter, Rich Men was released online two weeks ago and is currently the #1 song in America. There was clearly an organized effort — by fans, Anthony’s team, right-wing influencers, or a combination of all three — to amplify the artist and the song, but that effort has paid off. Everyone seems to be listening, responding, and writing endless hot takes about the song, the man behind it, and what it all means.
I wasn’t surprised that the song went viral in MAGA-land. All the elements are there: white male grievance, anti-government populism, punching down, and hints of QAnon. All wrapped up in a country music package. Anthony’s story certainly fits the mold as well. On Facebook, Anthony has emphasized his Appalachian roots and personal struggles. He’s also bragged about turning down “8 million dollar offers” from the music industry and says that his music has “no editing, no agent, no bullshit. Just some idiot and his guitar.” If you were casting the perfect character to appeal to MAGA America, Oliver Anthony would be your guy.
But the Left’s reaction to all of this did surprise me. At one point, Patrick Ruffini, a Republican pollster, tweeted the song and asked, “What’s the left’s answer to this?” Judging from my social media feed and all the think pieces I’ve seen since a lot of people on the left felt compelled to provide one. It’s been wild to see everyone from Senator Chris Murphy to Hamilton Nolan, Charlotte Clymer, and Jamelle Bouie respond and write about it. Billy Bragg, a singer/songwriting legend, even wrote a whole other song to respond!
I don’t begrudge anyone for writing about Anthony or “Rich Men North of Richmond,” especially as I’m sitting here writing my own piece about it. But I’m gobsmacked that outside of the MAGA Right, we’re talking about it this much and treating it as some kind of cultural moment that must be taken seriously. I haven’t seen folks on the left this obsessed over something from supposed “real America” since “Hillbilly Elegy” came out in 2016.
In many ways, “The Rich Men North of Richmond” feels similar to “Hillbilly Elegy.” Both claim a connection to Appalachia and count on that link to give them credibility and authenticity. Both are ultimately about despair and, on the surface, blame the powerful before taking a turn and showering resentment on those with even less than they have, namely welfare recipients. Anthony claims that his politics are actually “dead center,” and in 2016, Elegy author JD Vance claimed to be anti-Trump in interviews promoting the book. (Of course, Vance changed his tune as a Senate candidate in 2022, embracing Trump and accepting his endorsement. Authenticity might sell books, but it doesn’t win you an election in increasingly red Ohio.)
I also can’t help but think about “Old Town Road” and Lil Nas X. Mostly because of how “Old Town Road,” like Rich Men, showed up on the Billboard charts from an unknown artist online, with almost no radio airplay.
“Old Town Road” was removed from the country chart before hitting #1 and drove a conversation and debate around what is and isn’t country music. It’s telling that while the Internet has anointed Oliver Anthony the next big thing in country music, Lil Nas X had to argue for his right to be there at all. Even after longtime country singer Billy Ray Cyrus recorded a second version of “Old Town Road,” that made the song an even bigger hit. And I don’t remember any conservative pundits falling all over themselves trying to figure out what “Old Town Road” told us about Democratic voters or lefty country music fans in America.
My best guess is that Oliver Anthony won’t have the staying power of Lil Nas X. Where can he go from here? The problem with launching as a MAGA viral star is there isn’t a path to mainstream success. And as we’ve seen repeatedly, keeping MAGA’s attention generally requires becoming more and more extreme, outrageous, and conspiratorial over time.
To Anthony’s credit, he seems to realize the limitations of being labeled a right-wing artist. In his most recent video, Anthony expressed frustration that Rich Men had become political fodder and claimed that it wasn’t intended as a “conservative anthem,” nor was it about Joe Biden. I suspect Anthony is either trying to pivot to the Everyman archetype for his persona or at least that he would prefer a more reactionary/MAGA-adjacent one, like Joe Rogan. But more than likely, it’s too late for either of those evolutions.
Meanwhile, the audience that initially embraced Anthony might be turning against him. Because Anthony made the mistake of calling the US a melting pot, saying that diversity is our strength and encouraging America to “harness that and appreciate it.” That might be Oliver Anonthy’s authentic view. But MAGA only loves authenticity when it stays on message.