Virginia Songwriter’s Working-Class Anthem ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ Soars to Top of Charts

In a sign of the enduring power of music to capture the essence of social struggles, a new country song titled “Rich Men North of Richmond” has taken the internet by storm, resonating as a poignant working-class anthem and hitting No. 1 on iTunes in America.

A detail shot of a cowboy hat is seen during an event at Val Verde County Fairgrounds, in Del Rio, Texas, on Feb. 13, 2021. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

In a sign of the enduring power of music to capture the essence of social struggles, a new country song titled “Rich Men North of Richmond” has taken the internet by storm, resonating as a working-class anthem and hitting No. 1 on iTunes in the United States.

Composed and performed by Virginia musician Oliver Anthony, the song laments the challenges and pitfalls of modernity while offering an insight into the often gritty and thankless lives of people who rarely if ever brush elbows with Beltway or coastal elites.