Oliver Anthony Exposes Industry Greed: “They Look At You Like An Oil Well”

“Dude just exposed the entirety of Nashville. No one is realer than this dude.” One commenter said on Oliver Anthony’s newest YouTube video.

Oliver Anthony rose to fame after one of his YouTube videos went viral in August of 2023. The song “Rich Men North of Richmond” has garnered over 179 million views. Watch below.

Anthony’s song resonated with people at the time because he was authentic and said what others would not, and he has done it again.

The singer frequently updates his fans on YouTube, sharing insights about his life and music. His most recent video is a commentary on the inner workings of the music industry from his perspective.

Oliver Anthony’s Newest YouTube Video

In this video, the singer is seen driving a car as he contemplates the nature of the music industry and his experiences within it. He starts by expressing a desire to honor God while working in the industry.

However, he feels that it can be complicated when those in the industry seem to care more about making money. In his words:

“There’s no way to, like, create something that’s focused around God when you’re working with people who are just focused around making money.”

He shares stories of his early days in the industry and the confusion he felt, as many people were trying to get whatever they could out of him.“Those people look at you like you’re a fuel source like you’re an oil well … and they just want to see how much oil they can get out of you.”

Anthony expressed his concern about how this would affect the music’s authenticity and the fan experience.“It’s ridiculous how greedy these people are. We did this whole tour for this year, we had a $25 ticket option at every show that I did that was mine, and everybody was like, ‘You can’t do that. You won’t make any money.'”

He rejected that notion and said, “I made enough money in one year of touring to never have to work again.”

Anthony’s in-depth commentary about the music industry paints a picture of corporate greed. He then told a short story about his personal experience.

According to the singer, he was asked to post something on Instagram endorsing Beyoncé‘s new country album, Cowboy Carter. The idea was that if Anthony posted the photo, then maybe they could collaborate with Beyoncé.

Anthony refused as he thought the album was “complete trash.”

He continued on to say that Beyoncé’s version of Dolly Parton’s classic hit “Jolene” was “just total cringe.”

Watch his full commentary below.