Musician Oliver Anthony announced his debut album will be released on Sunday.
Hymnal of a Troubled Man’s Mind is an autobiographical album about the 10 years of Anthony’s life before rising to fame last year. His 2023 song “Rich Men North of Richmond” became an overnight viral hit, with over 1.5 million views on YouTube in the days following its release, and shot his Spotify monthly listeners from 40,000 to 4.6 million.
“This album represents the most pure and transparent view inside my heart and soul that I could offer,” Anthony wrote of the album. “While Richmond was the song that got my name out in the public, these songs represent the true foundation of the music that got me through life up until now. … I felt that it was my responsibility to give a handful of my early written songs the completion they deserve. Now, I can begin releasing my most recent work, without feeling like I skipped an important step.”
Previously, Anthony had been releasing songs that he recorded with his Android phone until he professionally recorded “Rich Men North of Richmond.” He performed the song outside his camper, which he bought for $750 on Craigslist, on a Virginia property he bought for $97,500.
Anthony’s music video has raked in over 128 million views after the Republican presidential debate last August, hosted by Fox News in Milwaukee, opened with its chorus. As a follow-up, the first question, to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), solicited speculation from the candidates on why the song became such a hit among the public. As a result, Anthony’s YouTube account has over 1 million followers, and he continued to release music on it until about four months ago. Anthony, however, took offense that the song was used as a political weapon.
“The one thing that has bothered me is seeing people wrap politics up into this,” Anthony said. “I’m disappointed to see — like it’s aggravating seeing people on conservative news try to identify with me like I’m one of them. It’s aggravating seeing certain musicians and politicians act like we’re buddies and act like we’re fighting the same struggle here like that we’re trying to present the same message.”
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Ever since, Anthony has been on a national and international tour with his music, offering free and low-cost concerts instead of accepting alleged $8 million contracts within the music industry. When tickets to one of his concerts were selling for $90, he canceled the event.
The album will be released on Easter, a holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Anthony has been known for his strongly held religious beliefs, as he has read from the Bible before performances. He engaged in a lengthy discussion with podcaster Joe Rogan on God and the Bible during his appearance on Rogan’s show.