Riley Green Delivers Smooth, Southern-Soaked Performance Of ‘Worst Way’ on AMAs Stage
This marked Green’s debut performance at the American Music Awards.
Riley Green; Photo by Francis Specker/CBS
Riley Green brought the heat to this year’s American Music Awards with a performance of his RIAA-certified multi-Platinum hit, “Worst Way,” earning him a standing ovation from the crowd, including members of the military in attendance for the Memorial Day broadcast.
Backed by an epic band with a warm, western background setting the tone, Green took the stage in a short-sleeve button-down, blue jeans, and his signature cowboy hat, leaning into the song’s southern energy while strumming his guitar. This slow-burning tune has quickly become a fan-favorite among country music listeners, but this performance gave him the chance to showcase it in front of fans of all different genres.
Before hitting the stage, Green kept it classic on the AMAs red carpet, wearing an all-navy suit paired with a tan cowboy hat and cowboy boots, fully representing country music at the genre-spanning award show.
“Worst Way” has already proven to be a standout moment in his career, going No. 1 on Country Airplay and earning multi-Platinum certification from the RIAA. This on-stage moment proved to be yet another milestone as it marked Green’s debut on stage of the AMAs.
Green wasn’t the only country act to perform during the star-studded event. In addition to a his appearance, Hootie & the Blowfish delivered two of their signature hits, Keith Urban previewed a track off his forthcoming yacht rock album, while Russell Dickerson took the stage as a presenter.
2026 American Music Awards
The 52nd annual American Music Awards aired live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Memorial Day, marking the largest venue in the show’s history. Hosted by Queen Latifah, the three-hour celebration honored the year’s biggest artists, chart-topping songs and unforgettable performances across multiple genres and generations.
Taylor Swift entered the night leading the charge with eight nominations, while Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and SOMBR followed closely behind with seven nominations each.
Country music was also strongly represented throughout the night with nominations for artists including Ella Langley, Shaboozey, Jelly Roll, BigXthaPlug, Bailey Zimmerman, Russell Dickerson, Megan Moroney, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Brooks & Dunn, Old Dominion, Treaty Oak Revival, Zac Brown Band, Rascal Flatts, Sam Barber, Tucker Wetmore and Zach Top.
The world’s largest fan-voted awards show aired live coast-to-coast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 25 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on CBS and streamed on Paramount+. This marked the second American Music Awards telecast since returning from a two-and-a-half-year hiatus.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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