I just got through a couple of weeks of recapping the Billboard Hot 100, but if I’d waited until this week to start I would have had a couple of notable milestones to cover.

First, as I predicted two weeks ago, Morgan Wallen’s ‘Last Night’ hung on to the top spot for one more week, surpassing Harry Styles’ ‘As It Was’ to become the song with the longest tenure at #1 by a solo artist (without features). Perhaps a 4-month run at #1 makes that the default Song of the Summer?

Even more noteworthy is the song that finally moved Wallen out of #1 — the viral track ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ by amateur Appalachian musician Oliver Anthony. Anthony becomes the first artist in Billboard history to hit #1 with zero chart history.

The viral clip features Anthony, in full red beard, passionately belting out his working class anthem on an outside stage accompanied by just his acoustic guitar. He has a rich, expressive voice, and the song starts off powerfully speaking truth to power.

It takes a turn in the second verse, though, when references to the plight of blue collar workers give way to allusions to Jeffrey Epstein and welfare queens. Suddenly, a country folk song that would have made Woody Guthrie proud sounds more like something you’d hear on Tucker Carlson.

Predictably, ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ found its way into the social feeds of Matt Walsh, Marjorie Taylor Green, and other right wing influencers. And it came under fire from those on the left not just for its lyrics but due to accusations that it was the beneficiary of “astrotufing” — when big money interests seed the culture with a work they pass off as a grassroots success.

Whatever the reason, ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ is a success, and (based on the YouTune comments) one that seems to be resonating with a whole lot of people. Anthony has so far remained quiet about both the controversial lyrics and the accusations of astroturfing.

Will this song, and Anthony, fade into obscurity as an interesting piece of Billboard trivia? Or will we be hearing this, and seeing him, on stage at the Republican National Convention a year from now? I hate to say my money is on the second scenario.

[Encouraging Note: Since I wrote this post, ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ was featured as part of the opening question of the first Republican debate, prompting Anthony to decry the embrace of the song by conservatives. “That song has nothing to do with Joe Biden,” he said, “You know, it’s a lot bigger than Joe Biden. That song’s written about the people on that stage and a lot more too, not just them, but definitely them.”]