Why Riley Green Kept “Worst Way” a Solo Track
“I was just trying to get through it.”
Riley Green has had no shortage of success with collaborations - from "Half of Me" with Thomas Rhett to a chart-topping duet with Ella Langley on "you look like you love me." But his latest platinum-certified smash, "Worst Way," stands apart for one reason: it's all him.
Fresh off a performance of the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and with a sold-out tour underway, Green took a moment to reflect on why this one needed to be a solo cut.
"Worst Way was just one that I wrote and thought, 'Well, I like the melody,'" he told us. "It's a very forward steamy love song. And to be honest, it was kind of out of my comfort zone anyway as a songwriter and a performer. So when I did it, I didn't think about anybody else - I was just trying to get through it."
It's that vulnerability - and the fact that he went out of his usual lane - that may be helping "Worst Way" connect with fans in a whole new way. It's now the fastest-rising single of his career, currently atop the Mediabase Country Charts, staring down a second week at No. 1.
The track is part of his latest album, Don't Mind If I Do - a title that also came with an unexpected twist.
"When I wrote that title down, It thought it was going to be like a beer drinkin' kind of song," he laughed. "Like, 'I shouldn't go out tonight, but I don't mind if I do.' Somewhere along the way, it turned into more of a serious kind of heartfelt love song."
That mix of charm, melody, and emotional weight has always been a large part of Riley Green's songwriting. But with "Worst Way," he may have found a whole new lane - and fans are clearly loving it.
