Oliver Anthony: Who Is This New Music Sensation?
There is a new name in country music and in music in general. Oliver Anthony has topped not only Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, but Billboard’s Top 100 Chart with his song…
There is a new name in country music and in music in general. Oliver Anthony has topped not only Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, but Billboard's Top 100 Chart with his song "Rich Men North Of Richmond." According to Billboard, he is the firt act to open at No. 1 on the Hot 100.He's beating out songs from Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen and he's doing it without a record label or even a management team. As a matter of fact, you can email him directly at oliveranthonymusic@gmail.com. He says he's been combing through over 50,00 emails but will try to answer everyone.
His song, "Rich Men Nort Of Richmond," describes how the world is today. Oliver sings in the first verse, "I've been sellin' my soul, workin' all day / Overtime hours for bulls--- pay / So I can sit out here and waste my life away / Drag back home and drown my troubles away / It's a damn shame what the world's gotten to / For people like me and people like you / Wish I could just wake up and it not be true / But it is, oh, it is."
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The song came out on Radio WV, a local YouTube channel dedicated to local talent, on August 8, 2023. The video already has over 33 million views.
No one knew much about Oliver, so on August 17, he formally introduced himself through a lengthy Facebook post. He said in part, "I never wanted to be a full-time musician, much less sit at the top of the iTunes charts. Draven from RadioWv and I filmed these tunes on my land with the hope that it may hit 300k views. I still don't quite believe what has gone on since we uploaded that. It's just strange to me."
He added that being a country superstar is not something he is interested in being. He said in the post, "People in the music industry give me blank stares when I brush off 8 million dollar offers. I don't want 6 tour buses, 15 tractor-trailers, and a jet. I don't want to play stadium shows; I don't want to be in the spotlight. I wrote the music I wrote because I was suffering with mental health and depression."
Oliver said of himself, "My legal name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford. My grandfather was Oliver Anthony, and "Oliver Anthony Music" is a dedication not only to him but to 1930s Appalachia, where he was born and raised. Dirt floors, seven kids, hard times. At this point, I'll gladly go by Oliver because everyone knows me as such. But my friends and family still call me Chris. You can decide for yourself; either is fine."
He also stated in the post that he owes about $60,000 on it his land and is currently "living in a 27' camper with a tarp on the roof" that he got off of Craigslist for $750.
As for his fame, he is currently setting up several free shows for fans to come to see him. Anthony promises that he will hang around till the very last person has met him and shakes his hand.
Oliver has almost two million followers on TikTok and nearly a million on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, respectively.
We've compiled the top 10 most impactful and beloved country music songs from the 2010's. Do you agree with our lineup? Who's missing?
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images#10 Darius Rucker - “Wagon Wheel” (2013) This song is just infectious and while it didn't win any awards, it sure did get a lot of nominations for Song of the Year at both the CMA's and ACM's as well as a nod for Billboard's Top Country Song in 2014. The song was a remake of Old Crow Medicine Show's version in 2004. Darius actually heard the song while attending his daughter's dance recital.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images#9 Kacey Musgraves - “Follow Your Arrow” (2013) Kacey Musgraves won the CMA's Song of the Year award in 2014 for this catchy song that sings about being who you are including references to the LGBT community with the lyrics, "Make lots of noise / And kiss lots of boys / Or kiss lots of girls / If that's something you're into."
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images#8 Cole Swindell - "You Should Be Here" (2015) This touching song was written by Cole after the sudden death of his father. Although there were many nominations, the song didn't win any major awards but has some of country music's best lyrics straight from Swindell's heart of how his father should be "here" enjoying his son's success in the music business in Nashville. The chorus sings, "You should be here, standing with your arm around me here / Cutting up, cracking a cold beer / Saying cheers, hey y'all it's sure been a good year / It's one of those moments, that's got your name written all over it / And you know that if I had just one wish it'd / Be that you didn't have to miss this / You should be here."
Jason Merritt/Getty Images#7 Carrie Underwood - “Something in the Water” (2014) So many of Carrie Underwood's songs are powerful, but this one stands out as Carrie sings about being reborn after experiencing "Something' In The Water" shortly after baptism. The song won a Grammy in 2015 for Best Country Solo Performance at a Billboard Music Awards for Best Christian Song also in 2015. That same year it won CMT's Music Video of The Year.
Robin Marchant/Getty Images#5 Luke Combs - "Beer Never Broke My Heart" (2019) This song is what catapulted Luke Combs to superstardom! The catchy and so relatable song hits home with fans as the video for the song that topped the Billboard Country Charts and has been viewed over 59 million times.
Bob Levey/Getty Images#6 Keith Urban - “Blue Ain’t Your Color” (2016) This romantic song from Keith Urban reached number one on Billboard's Country Airplay chart and number one on the Hot Country Songs chart and remained there for twelve consecutive weeks. It was released in August 2016 as the fourth single from Urban's album Ripcord. The song possesses a certain grove that's simply hard to get out of your head once you've heard it.
Amanda Edwards/Getty Images#4 Dan + Shay - “Tequila” (2018) Dan + Shay's "tequila" would be considered as the song that made this duo a major headliner in country music, sad part is just as they were getting ready for their first major tour as the headliner, COVID-19 stopped all touring. However, the song did win the duo many awards in 2019 including a Grammy and a couple of ACM awards for both Song of the Year and Single of The Year.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images#3 Little Big Town - “Girl Crush” (2014) This song seemed to bring country music to their knees as it won a Grammy for best Country Song in 2016 as well as a couple of CMA Awards for Song and Single of the Year in 2015 and the CMT Video of the Year in 2016. The simple yet addictive song sings the tale of a woman who has a "Girl Crush" on the next woman her man loves with the lyrics singing, "I want to taste her lips / Yeah, 'cause they taste like you / I want to drown myself / In a bottle of her perfume."
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images#2 Tim McGraw - "Humble and Kind" (2016) This incredible song was one that Tim McGraw had trouble recording because he kept breaking down and crying while he was recording it. A song that all parents should sing to their children, the father of three young woman, McGraw sang it beautifully. It's no wonder the song won Best Country Song at the 2017 Grammys as well as at 2016 CMA Awards and "Country Song of the Year" at 2016 American Music Awards.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images#1 Miranda Lambert - “The House that Built Me” (2010) This song has become a staple for Miranda Lambert, who recorded it after her then soon to be husband Blake Shelton passed on it when Lambert wanted to do it so badly. She performed the song during the 2010 Academy of Country Music Awards on April 18, 2010 and received a standing ovation. She won the Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2011.
