has legitimate staying power if he continues down his current, authentic path, as long as he wants it, according to a longtime music marketing guru.
"Oliver Anthony has captured the outlook that people have, by and large, far and wide. The song really speaks to the economic disparities that are in the country and people from different walks of life to people who transcend demographic make they see themselves in the song, in the music. And that's what music is supposed to do. It is cultural production. It's a way by which a community expresses how they see the world and reflect who they are," Collins said.
Anthony's blue-collar anthem,"Rich Men North of Richmond," gained internet fame earlier this month after YouTube channel Radio WV shared Anthony's passionate performance on their channel. The politically-charged song, explaining the frustrations felt by blue-collar workers over corrupt politicians in Washington, racked up millions of views on YouTube and X, the platform previously known as Twitter.
Oliver Anthony performed in front of thousands of fans in Moyock, North Carolina, as part of a free concert on Saturday. "He made a social media post where he expressed that he's not really in it for music to be a long-time job for him. Instead, he said that he did this as a form of therapy. It's cathartic for him to deal with some of the mental issues he was struggling with, some depression he was struggling with," Collins said, noting that mystique surrounding Anthony has created intrigue.