Did Oliver Anthony 'cheat' his way to top of the charts? Experts reveal 99 cent 'trick' used by artists
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Experts in the music business have revealed the strategies behind recent unexpected hits like 'Try This in a Small Town' and 'Rich Men North of Richmond'. The support these songs gained from conservatives boosted them to the top of the charts.
Oliver Anthony, a native of Farmville, Virginia, hit all the right notes with his heartfelt blue-collar anthem 'Rich Men', in which he criticizes the elite for being disconnected from everyday Americans.
The Billboard Hot 100 smash reportedly benefited from cunning strategies that boosted its success, according to those in the know.
According to them, the singles charts continue to be impacted by music downloads. Downloads are losing ground to streaming and are quickly fading into obscurity alongside CDs and cassette tapes as a result, as reported by Daily Mail.
How did 'Rich Men North of Richmond' make it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100?
However, paid downloads still contribute significantly to a song's position on the Billboard Hot 100 as they are weighted more on the charts.
This implies that interested listeners can band together and spend just 99 cents to get a song they enjoy riding high in the charts with only a small number of downloads.
Because of the increased exposure for the song, streams may also increase, further solidifying the song's position in the charts.
'Rich Men North of Richmond', which was self-released on August 11 and quickly gained popularity, sold 147,000 downloads and received 17.5 million US streams in the last tracking week of August.
'Try This in a Small Town' by Jason Alden, another song that spoke to Americans who feel alienated by mainstream entertainment, had a similar outcome.
Undoubtedly, many people who downloaded both songs enjoyed them on their own terms.
However, Music industry experts informed The New York Times that a sizable portion of people may have downloaded or streamed them in order to "own the libs," or upset the liberals.
By doing this, they were able to propel a song with content that has caused controversy to the top of the charts and to the attention of people who they may have felt were ignoring them.
What did conservative podcaster Clay Travis say about 'Rich Men North of Richmond'?
Clay Travis, a conservative podcaster, told The New York Times that "people are just angry over the way that I would say the woke universe has taken over so much of content," adding, "And I think what you’re seeing is a backlash and a rebellion."
Cultural commentator Jaime Brooks added, "Now you’ve got these people with an obvious stated interest in using the charts to give the impression that their niche beliefs or views are popular," explaining why people downloaded it.
Following the controversy surrounding its music video, the song 'Try That in a Small Town' by country singer Jason Aldean gained similar traction and eventually moved up to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
At its height, the chart, which criticizes improper conduct and exhorts violators to try their antics in the named small town, was downloaded 100,000 times per day.
The song was called racist after being featured in a video with Black Lives Matter protesters and a scene shot on the steps of a Tennessee courthouse that had previously hosted a racist lynching.
Aldean maintains his lack of racism, but the controversy sparked the interest of conservative podcasters who, despite having small audiences, have also contributed to the national conversation.
Joe Rogan praised the song on his Instagram, writing "I love this song. You can’t fake authentic, and [Oliver Anthony] has it in abundance." Far-right activist Jack Posobiec gushed, "(I) Don't even remember the last time a new song hit me like this."
These podcasts boost interest in the songs even more and attract listeners who are willing to part with 99 cents to promote a song with opinions they find to be similar to their own.
Even though the podcasters who promote them have audiences much larger than traditional networks, they're happy to support anything they view as anti-mainstream, including up-and-coming artists like Anthony and Aldean.
How much Oliver Anthony is earning per day?
Oliver Anthony, who is reportedly making $40,000 per day, has insisted he is keeping his feet on the ground and claims he turned down a $8 million recording contract.
"I don't want 6 tour buses, 15 tractor trailers, and a jet," he wrote in a social media post. "I don't want to play stadium shows, I don't want to be in the spotlight. I wrote the music I wrote because I was suffering with mental health and depression."
What did Neal Harmon, co-founder of Angel Studios, say?
Neal Harmon, a co-founder of Angel Studios, claimed that podcasting and social media platforms allow for the direct marketing of content to the ideal target markets.
He said, "The key moment is that people can stand up and do it themselves instead of answering to those who have traditionally been the ones to say what should succeed or what should fail.
His business distributed 'Sound of Freedom', a film about child trafficking that benefited from strong online support. Despite receiving little promotion in major entertainment publications, it made $180 million.