This is The On The Media Midweek Podcast, I'm Michael Lohinger.

In early August, rich men north of Richmond, a song performed by a man named Christopher

Anthony Lunsford, aka Oliver Anthony Music, was quietly released on YouTube.

You might have heard it.

What we're hearing is the audio that accompanied Oliver Anthony's YouTube performance.

We see him singing at the edge of the woods with his big bushy orange beard, his resonator

guitar, and three dogs sleeping at his feet.

A week after the video hit YouTube, the stripped down folk song rocketed to the top of the

Billboard chart.

Singer songwriter Oliver Anthony's populist anthem, Rich Men North of Richmond, went viral

over the weekend, causing strong reactions from both conservatives and some progressives.

Hey, good morning, George.

It is the year's least likely number one single, a complete unknown on solo guitar, with

an us versus them message that's been generating a wide range of reaction.

The ascent was highly unusual, maybe even historic.

To say that the song garnered a wide range of reactions would be an understatement.

The Washington Post accused Anthony of nodding to QAnon, TikTokers dubbed him an industry

plant, and left-wing commentators skewered him for the contradictory class politics of

his lyrics.

Meanwhile, online right-wing personalities quickly embraced the track as a conservative anthem,

while claiming credit for making it a hit.

Chris Mulanfee writes a column for slate called Why Is This Song Number One.

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