Think Oliver Anthony‘s song isn’t resonating across America?
Just released two weeks ago, the Virginia native’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” has become a cultural phenomenon, becoming the #1 song on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart and racking up 36 million views on YouTube and 20 million streams on Spotify.
The song, which presents a scathing rebuke of DC politicians who have seemingly abandoned working Americans, clearly touched a nerve with many listeners who feel that their voices aren’t being heard.
In fact, the song has become such a rallying cry that it was the subject of the first question during tonight’s GOP presidential debate.
Just five minutes into the debate, hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum pointed out that anti-DC anthem is currently #1 on the charts:
“As we sit here tonight, the #1 song on the Billboard chart is called ‘Rich Men North of Richmond.’
It is by a singer from Farmville, Virginia named Oliver Anthony. His lyrics speak of alienation, of deep frustration, with the state of government and of this country. Washington D.C. is about 100 miles north of Richmond.”
They then played a clip of the song, before asking presidential candidate and Governor of Florida:
“Governor DeSantis, why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now? What do you think it means?”
DeSantis responded by taking a shot at the DC political class, and at President Joe Biden’s son:
“We cannot succeed as a country if you are working hard and you can’t afford groceries, a car or a new home while Hunter Biden can make hundreds of thousands of dollars on lousy paintings. That is wrong.
We also cannot succeed when the Congress spends trillions and trillions of dollars. Those rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation.”
Say what you will about the song, but it’s had a cultural impact that’s made its way into presidential politics.
