Overnight sensation in the world of country music, Oliver Anthony, has found himself not only on millions of American playlists but possibly on a different, more concerning kind of list.

Edward Snowden, the whistleblower known for exposing the extensive surveillance operations conducted by the National Security Administration (NSA) on American citizens, has raised concerns that Anthony’s rapid rise to fame might have landed him on an FBI watchlist.

Snowden, currently residing in Russia due to legal issues with the U.S. government, remains well-connected enough to America to have taken notice of Anthony’s hit song and newfound popularity. Snowden tweeted, “After topping the iTunes chart and tweeting like this, the FBI might just be adding him to another kind of list.” He continued, “Think I’m joking? The FBI had a file on John Denver for attending a single anti-war protest. They’ll keep making lists until they’re stopped.” Snowden shared these thoughts alongside a tweet from Anthony himself, which read, “You weren’t born to just pay the bills and die.”

Edward Snowden Warns Rising Singer Oliver Anthony of Possible FBI Scrutiny

Furthermore, Snowden posted images purportedly from Denver’s alleged FBI file.

Other voices on social media concurred with Snowden’s suspicions, suggesting that Anthony might have been subjected to the FBI’s extensive surveillance tactics, including the unauthorized search of bank records and communications without proper warrants. Radio host Tara Servatius expressed this sentiment by saying, “Even worse, @Snowden. I bet Oliver Anthony has fallen victim to the FBI’s NSA database surveillance, where they unlawfully search bank records & communications without warrants. Each search is a crime, yet they’ve done it 3.2 million times in 2021 alone, including on a senator.”

The Washington Examiner previously reported that the FBI had compiled a file on John Denver when he participated in a “Dump the War Rally” during the Vietnam War in 1971. Rolling Stone magazine also disclosed a list of notable musicians, including Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, Dave Van Ronk, Sam Cooke, Richie Havens, the Monkees, Grateful Dead, Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Robin Gibb, Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain, who had been monitored by the FBI over time.

In his hit song “Rich Men North of Richmond,” Anthony himself reflects on the pervasive efforts of the FBI and other government bodies to exert control over others. The song’s lyrics illuminate this theme: “Lord knows they all just wanna have total control / Wanna know what you think, wanna know what you do / And they don’t think you know, but I know that you do,” as found on the AZ Lyrics website.

Anthony has recently voiced his frustrations about how politicians from both sides of the spectrum have tried to co-opt his song to advance their own agendas. He emphasized, “It’s irksome to see people on conservative news trying to associate with me, like I’m aligned with them.” Anthony added, “It’s funny to see my song featured at the [GOP] presidential debate. I wrote that song about those people. To have them sit there and listen to it, that’s amusing.”

The artist later clarified that his criticism wasn’t exclusive to conservative politicians. “Corporate news (surprise, surprise) is now attempting to paint me as a Biden supporter,” Anthony noted on Instagram. He criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for trying to focus the song solely on Biden. Anthony explained, “He talks about needing to get Joe Biden out, as if that would automatically solve all the problems. While Biden is certainly part of the problem, it runs much deeper. ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ critiques corporate-owned politicians on both sides in DC. Although Biden’s an issue, the lyrics extend beyond him to a broader scope.” Anthony emphasized that his song critiques the entire system, including corporate-owned conservative politicians who were present at that particular event.

In the realm of country music, Oliver Anthony’s candid critique of the political landscape has resonated widely, making him not only a musical success but a voice of dissent.