Oliver Anthony, whose real name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford, is an American country-folk singer-songwriter.
He was born in 1991 or 1992 in Farmville, Virginia, and describes himself as a Piedmont-born and raised man.
Anthony adopted his grandfather’s name, Oliver Anthony, as his stage name in homage to the Depression era in which his grandfather lived.
Before his rise to fame, he worked various low-wage plant jobs and in sales, traveling across Virginia and the Carolinas and getting to know tens of thousands of blue-collar workers.
Anthony gained national notoriety when his song Rich Men North of Richmond went viral on YouTube in August 2023.
The song’s popularity was credited to Anthony’s style of singing, which was described as straining and sincere, full of emotion and conviction.
He has a unique voice that “just cuts through,” according to Don Cusic, a professor of music industry history at Belmont University in Nashville.
The song’s lyrics resonated with people from opposing sides of the political sphere, making it a momentary anthem.
Despite his sudden rise to fame, Anthony’s tour manager, Brian Prentice, has stated that success hasn’t changed him.
Oliver Anthony net worth
Anthony’s net worth is estimated to be between $1.5 and $2 million as of October 2023.
This is based on a variety of factors, including his streaming revenue, YouTube earnings and brand endorsements.
Anthony’s single, Rich Men North of Richmond, debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in August 2023, making him the first artist to do so without any prior charting history.
This massive success has led to a significant increase in his streaming revenue.
According to Billboard, Anthony has earned around $350,000 in royalties from streamers since the release of Rich Men.
He also has a successful YouTube channel, where he has over 1 million subscribers; his videos have been viewed over 100 million times in total.
Anthony earns money from YouTube through a combination of ad revenue and channel memberships.
In addition to his streaming and YouTube earnings, Anthony has also signed a number of brand endorsement deals.
He has partnered with companies such as Bluebird Coffee Roasters, Red Wing Boots, and Yeti.
These deals likely generate a significant amount of income for Anthony.
It is important to note that Anthony’s net worth is likely to continue to grow in the coming years.
He is a young and talented artist with a lot of potential.
If he continues to release successful music and attract new fans, his net worth is likely to reach even higher levels.
Oliver Anthony career
As mentioned earlier, Anthony gained sudden fame when his song, Rich Men North of Richmond, went viral on YouTube in August 2023:
He dropped out of high school at 17 but later earned a General Educational Development (GED) diploma from Spruce Pine, North Carolina.
Anthony worked various low-wage plant jobs in North Carolina and Virginia before moving into sales.
Rich Men North of Richmond became a momentary anthem with lyrics that suited opposing sides of the political sphere.
The song’s popularity was credited to Anthony’s style of singing, which was described as straining and sincere, full of emotion and conviction.
It quickly climbed to the top of the Billboard charts, beating out superstars like Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Olivia Rodrigo and Gunna.
As of August 2023, Anthony lives with his wife and two children in a 27′ camper with a tarp on the roof that he got off of Craigslist for $750.
He revealed that he got his property in 2019, paid $97,500 for it, and still owes about $60,000.
Anthony aspires to raise livestock on his property in the future.
He claimed to have received $8 million offers from record labels but stated that he was in no hurry to sign a deal.
Anthony described how people in the industry gave him blank stares when he brushed off these offers.
In September 2023, he signed a deal with United Talent Agency (UTA), and the agency’s co-head of Nashville, Jeffrey Hasson and music agent Curt Motley expressed their excitement to represent him and put together a global strategy for his music.
Despite early support from conservatives, Anthony rebuked politicians’ adoption of his song, noting that they were the very people he was condemning in his lyrics.
He has stated that he is politically down the middle and that Rich Men was not intended to align with a specific party but to speak out in frustration about a system in America that isn’t supporting its people.
“Rich Men North of Richmond”
Rich Men North of Richmond is a song by Oliver Anthony that became an overnight viral hit after gaining traction on social media in August 2023.
The song’s title presumably refers to politicians in Washington, DC, since the US capital is just north of Richmond, Virginia.
The song reflects a dissatisfaction with current American life and working conditions, and Anthony yearns for leaders who will fight for America’s workers rather than the wealthy.
The song’s popularity was credited to Anthony’s style of singing, which was described as straining and sincere, full of emotion and conviction.
Despite early support from conservatives, Anthony rebuked politicians’ adoption of the track, noting that they were the very people he was condemning in his song.
Anthony has said that he is politically down the middle and that Rich Men wasn’t intended to align with a political party but to speak out in frustration about a system in America that isn’t supporting its people.
