“‘HE WALKED ON STAGE LIKE COUNTRY NEVER LEFT… AND BY THE END, EVEN NON-COUNTRY FANS WERE ON THEIR FEET.’” 🔴👇 Riley Green may have made his American Music Awards debut with Worst Way, but fans watching say the country star didn’t just perform — he completely owned the moment with a smooth, southern-soaked performance that quietly became one of the night’s biggest surprises.

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.

SOURCE: countrynow.com