Chris Kappy
Three weeks ago virtually no one knew who Oliver Anthony was. But in the 18 days since radiowv published a video of the Virginia singer/songwriter performing his everyman anthem “Rich Men North of Richmond” to YouTube, he has become a household name.
Not only has “Rich Men North of Richmond” soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 — making him the first artist to debut at No. 1 with no prior chart history — he has become so ubiquitous that Wednesday night’s Republican presidential candidate debate included a question about the song.
Propelled by the right’s embrace of the song because of its themes about working class people’s struggle, unfair taxation and its dismissive tone about “obese” people on welfare, “Rich Men North of Richmond” has become a touchstone for the country’s divisiveness and a rallying cry for the disenfranchised.
Though labels and booking agencies are clamoring to get into business with Anthony — one record executive told Billboard, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this before” — Anthony has said he is in no rush to sign any deal. His co-manager, Draven Riffe, told Billboard that they planned to “take it slow” while surveying potential offers and also expressed a desire to do as much as they can on their own.
While Anthony plots his next move in hopes of turning a runaway hit into a lasting career, Billboard asked a number of top country executives what advice they might offer to help the newcomer navigate his way onward and through the feeding frenzy.
Jon Loba, president, BMG Nashville president: “Not that he needs advice from me, but my guidance would be, stay true to yourself and authentically who you are. Early on, it’s obvious that’s exactly what he is doing, which impresses me as much as his music. While different sides of the political spectrum are celebrating or roasting him, he doesn’t let any side take ownership of who he is and what he stands for. He is not afraid to say he is middle of the road and hopes for unity, which in this day and age can be a risky proposition.”
Tim Wipperman, managing director, ONErpm Nashville: “There is no reason for him to give away ownership of his intellectual property in a traditional deal. That is the annuity for him and his family. We have deal structures that have all the benefits of worldwide scale in the digital realm without the encumbrances of a corporate box. Keep your ownership, and don’t trade that for a big advance.”Derek Crownover, partner and vice chair, music Industry, Loeb & Loeb: “Songs and lyrics on controversial topics and particular viewpoints, whether it’s love, alcohol, religion or politics, are age old. The song and the passion Oliver is delivering through his vocals are speaking loudly to a group obviously; however, there is also the new viral phenomenon of curiosity, which the media is helping to fuel. So there is some uplift that’s there too. It seems Oliver did a lot of this on his own, so he should preserve the rights he has as best he can. Maybe a record distribution deal and a publishing admin deal to help him collect the money on those songs he put out and then a go-forward [publishing deal] with more investment to build off his platform.”
Jay Turner, program director, Sunny 102.5 Country, Santa Maria, Calif.: “A guy like Oliver Anthony could make as much money as he needs the rest of his life without ever sitting down with William Morris or CAA or Universal Music or Sony. He doesn’t need a deal with Red Light to manage him, he doesn’t need a deal with William Morris to book him…. He would be wise to do that, but he doesn’t have to do it. If [he does sign a deal], he would be very wise to enlist somebody to help him dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Will he? I don’t know. He’s going to have a lot coming at him real fast.”
Tracy Gershon, co-founder, Northern Lights Music/Shero Consultants: “Oliver Anthony’s success speaks to the shifting power from the gatekeepers to the fans. His authenticity and independence has resonated, and whomever he picks for his team needs to honor this.”
Chris Kappy, chief navigation officer, Make Wake Artists: “Fans. First.”
Scott Stem, manager (Scotty McCreery), Triple 8 Management: “It’s important that Oliver knows who he is as a person and an artist and stays true to his vision, while also continuing to evolve as all artists do. He needs to surround himself with people he can trust to have his back, who will help him grow from a momentary phenomenon to an established artist. He should be wary of anyone wanting to work with him who doesn’t feel genuine to him. While I think it would be good for him to chat with any legitimate label, publisher and concert promoter that wants to meet with him, he should take some time, learn his options, and determine what fits best with his personal and artistic goals. He can’t wait forever and miss this moment, but he doesn’t have to make snap decisions either. He should put some money where his mouth is and partner with an existing charitable organization or create his own foundation to help find solutions and make life better for those folks he sings about. He will make mistakes, as everyone does, but he can learn from them and move forward — and perhaps not be photographed eating a fudge round.”
John Shomby, owner/CEO, Country Radio’s Coach: “I would tell him, ‘Dude, this might be your 15 minutes of fame right here, so take advantage of it and perform in front of people as much as you can. Use the digital services and radio as much as you can. What do you want?’ If he says, ‘I want to make a lot of money,’ then, OK, sign with a label. But if he says, ‘I just want to do my music,’ then I’d tell him to stay in the independent music mode and not change anything because he’s done so well doing it this way… There’s a possibility that he signs a big label deal and then falls flat on his face; that’s what I’d be concerned about if I were his manager. I would say let the 15 minutes of fame go away and then see what happens from there… I think this guy is genuine, everybody’s trying to paint him into a corner. That’s another thing I would be real careful about: who we put him in front of. I would not send him to any political rallies. I wouldn’t do any of that.”
Jacquelyn Marushka, founder, Marushka Media: “With respect for Mr. Anthony, and because I am not a professional musician or songwriter but I greatly appreciate those with this gift, I’d humbly encourage him to keep writing and singing about what moves him and about what’s true to him. I’d further encourage him to be true to himself no matter what. His honesty translates in his voice; a quality that connects with listeners. Finally, if he decides to dive into the business, I’d recommend he vet partnerships very carefully and find a brilliant attorney, business manager … and a protective and savvy publicist … hint hint.”
Assistance provided by Jessica Nicholson and Steve Knopper.
Over the past few years, country superstar Luke Combs has succeeded in crossing over to a pop audience with a pair of Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits: 2020’s “Forever After All” (No. 2) and last year’s “The Kind of Love We Make” (No. 8). Now he’s gunning for a third, with his cover of Tracy Chapman‘s 1988 hit, “Fast Car,” reaching No. 14 on the tally this week (it’s also sitting pretty at No. 2 on Hot Country Songs).
It’s rare for a country artist to record a cover of a pop hit, but as a fan-favorite staple of Combs’ live shows, “Fast Car” built up a head of steam that was undeniable, making the choice to get it on record an easy one (the song is included on Combs’ latest album, Gettin’ Old). But the decision to release it as a single — an even more unusual move — was part of a strategy to continue expanding Combs’ fanbase to a pop audience. And that helps Combs’ manager, Make Wake Artists founder Chris Kappy, earn the title of Billboard‘s Executive of the Week.
Below, Kappy discusses the choice to finally record “Fast Car” six years after Combs first released a snippet of it, the track’s embrace by radio programmers and how it ties into Combs’ success as a worldwide touring phenomenon. “Being able to have a hit that is globally recognized and accepted outside of country radio, and into the ears of CHR and Hot AC listeners, is very much the same thing as being able to do sold-out shows in places we have never been,” says Kappy. “The music is traveling and we want to be on the forefront in any way possible.”
This week, Luke Combs’ cover of “Fast Car” hit No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on Hot Country Songs. What key decision did you make to help make this happen?
I got out of the way. I know that sounds weird, but it truly is what we do with Luke. He knows his fanbase so well, and he also knows what works. The song felt right when he sang it in the studio, and we all just nodded in the control booth.
Luke Combs performs onstage during Day 3 of the 2022 Stagecoach Festival at the Empire Polo Field on May 01, 2022 in Indio, Calif.
Amy Sussman/GI for Stagecoach
“Fast Car” was a popular staple at Luke’s live shows, but the decision to record the cover for Gettin’ Old — and especially to release it as a single — feels like an outside-the-box move. What was behind that?
The demand from our fans has been rabid for “Fast Car” since he first released a snippet of it more than six years ago. We also felt that it would help draw non-country fans into the genre and experience the wonder that is country music. This song is an iconic masterpiece and we all felt that it was the perfect song to crossover to a new audience that we didn’t particularly have.
It’s interesting to note that Luke kept the “checkout girl” lyric instead of changing it to “checkout boy.” What was behind the decision to stay 100% faithful to the original lyrics?
Luke is a songwriter too and Tracy is one of his favorite artists. So his goal was to never change the song. His goal was to honor the perfection that it is, and changing the gender never crossed his mind.
Was there a good-faith attempt made to reach out to Tracy and ask her permission to cover the song, even though that wasn’t required? If so, did you all track her down, and what, if anything, was her response?
At this level, our labels and teams have been in communication and we were always going to follow her lead. Luke, nor I, have spoken directly to Tracy. This is her song and we were going to live within any parameters she had for her song. We are just happy we were able to release it and see the response of fans enjoying it.
Are there plans to make a video?
If given the opportunity, we would love to be able to create a visual piece that would only enhance this already amazing song.
Are there any plans for Luke and Tracy to perform the song together?
As of right now, no. But we never say never to anything.
Big pop covers are a bit of a rarity these days — the trend has swung more toward interpolations recently, which allows songwriters to keep a bigger piece of the publishing pie. But are there advantages to trying to break a cover as opposed to an interpolation?
I don’t think we were looking to make money off of this, as much as Luke wanted to be able to deliver a great song, that has shaped his musical career, and give it to a new generation and genre of fans. Luke doesn’t think, “How can I make money off of this,” more so, how can he give the fans a look into the music that shaped him?
Is it tough going to radio with a big cover in 2023? There are so few conventional covers on the airwaves these days. Do you have to demonstrate a song’s strength at streaming before program directors will even start a conversation with you about putting it in rotation?
Luckily, this song has hit home with a lot of programmers. It has given them the opportunity to showcase a song they also love. We are having streaming success, very early out of the gate, but we are also having radio success running parallel with it. It’s fun to see the both running, hand in hand, with one another.
Luke already saw success with Billboard top 10 hits like “Forever After All” and “The Kind of Love We Make.” What could the success of “Fast Car” at pop radio mean in terms of exposing him to a new audience?
We have always wanted to bring our genre to the ears of more people. That’s why we play shows internationally and invest in Europe, Australia, and Canada. Being able to have a hit that is globally recognized and accepted outside of country radio, and into the ears of CHR and Hot AC listeners, is very much the same thing as being able to do sold-out shows in places we have never been. The music is traveling and we want to be on the forefront in any way possible.
Speaking of crossover success, Luke is at such a career high point all around, including as a global touring star — rare for a country artist. Do these kinds of big successes at pop radio help his act translate to an international audience?
Luke has already laid the groundwork for his global success before this release. What I think happens now, is that we are able to widen our focus so when we do come back to other countries, we can welcome more fans and give them the experience that is three chords and the truth. It’s all we have ever wanted to do.
Previous Executive of the Week: George Prajin of Prajin Records
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