Populist country anthem has attracted nearly 50 million listens 

Factory worker turned singer hailed as a hero by conservative commentators

The smash hit comes hot on the heels of Jason Aldean's Try That in a Small Town putting the pop charts at the center of the culture wars  

Blue collar singing sensation Oliver Anthony has become the first debut artist to go straight to number one on the Billboard charts with his country anthem Rich Men North of Richmond.

The factory worker from Farmville, Virginia, has bested the Beatles and Elvis after his self-penned song attacking politicians drew 17.5 million streams and 147,000 downloads in the last week.

The song has captivated millions of disenchanted listeners and seen Anthony hailed as a hero by conservative commentators already excited by the chart-topping success of Jason Aldean's Try That in a Small Town.