The electoral success of right-wing populist parties is often attributed to disaffection among certain voters. But while economic explanations for this disaffection are theoretically clear and quantifiable, explanations centered on cultural factors are more vague and harder to evaluate empirically. We address this problem by distinguishing theoretically between five different “storylines'' about the cultural origins of populism: (1) an inter-generational backlash among older people who feel that traditional values have been overtaken by a post-materialist culture; (2) white natives who feel ethno-cultural estrangement, fearing the demographic and cultural implications of immigration; (3) resentment among rural residents who feel looked down upon by urban elites (4) white men anxious about their declining social status; and (5) people who feel isolated and alienated from their communities. Using extensive data from Europe and the United State, we empirically assess the potential usefulness of each explanation in accounting for the populist vote. Our analysis indicates that concerns about ethno-cultural change induced by immigration is central to understanding the populist vote; so, but to a lesser extent, is rural resentment. In contrast, explanations centered on communal disintegration, declining social status or an intergenerational values divide are pertinent in only specific cases. The analysis helps disentangle the cultural forces associated with the rise of populism and highlights the heterogeneous coalitions that form the populist base across different countries.