‘Worst’ to First: Riley Green Scores His Third Country Airplay Leader

Riley Green banks his third chart-topper on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Worst Way” (Nashville Harbor) rises 3-1 on the list dated June 21. It increased by 13% to 28.4 million audience impressions in the June 6-12 tracking week, according to Luminate.

Notably, the Jacksonville, Ala., native notches the first Country Airplay leader by an artist who solely wrote and recorded it since Chayce Beckham’s “23” led in April 2024. Before that, no artist had achieved the feat since Taylor Swift’s “Ours” topped the chart in March 2012. Since Country Airplay began in January 1990, “Worst Way” is the 39th leader solely authored by the soloist who recorded it.

“‘Worst Way’ is a song I wrote by myself while I was out on the road,” Green tells Billboard. “I wanted to create something in the spirit of [John Mayer’s 2006 song] “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” or Eric Church’s “Like a Wrecking Ball” [from 2015], and I think with the help of my producer, Dann Huff, we were able to do just that. I set out to blend traditional country instrumentation with a modern edge — something smooth and reflective, but still grounded in that raw, country feel.”

Green, 36, earns his first Country Airplay No. 1 on his own, following two in featured roles: In December, Ella Langley’s “You Look Like You Love Me” reigned for one week, after Thomas Rhett’s “Half of Me” dominated for a frame in November 2022.

“Worst Way” follows Green’s solo “Damn Good Day To Leave,” which peaked at No. 10 on Country Airplay in February, becoming his fourth of six top 10s. His new No. 1 is from his LP Don’t Mind If I Do, which entered Top Country Albums at its No. 8 high last November, marking his first top 10.