Riley Green‘s best songs prove he’s an elite songwriter with mainstream sensibilities.
The Alabama-raised hitmaker has been dropping singles off at radio and streaming services since 2018, but fans know his career goes back much further.
You could make a case for a number of early Riley Green songs on this list, and we considered several, like “Georgia Time.” Balancing those deep cuts with award-winning hits and chart-toppers took time, but we think we nailed it.
This Top 10 Riley Green Songs list is the first of 25 straight Top 10 lists meant to celebrate country music’s most important modern hitmakers. Beginning today (June 13), we’ll release a ranking of the Top 25 with a list of his, her or their best songs.
A year ago, the 37-year-old might have missed the list, but a pair of high-profile duets with Ella Langley and one ever-present bedroom song earned his spot.
Who Is Riley Green?
Riley Green was working construction and playing bars and clubs around Jacksonville, Ala., before signing with Big Machine Label Group ahead of his 2018 debut. Grandfather Buford Green taught him country music and as a kid he watched performers come and go at the family’s Golden Saw Music Hall.
READ MORE: 14 Riley Green Facts That Reveal This Mystery Man’s Heart
By the time “There Was This Girl” dropped he’d earned a strong grassroots following across the southeast and was a confident performer and songwriter not likely to be moved off his values by something flashy. It may have cost him during the COVID-19 pandemic when he seemingly lost all career momentum during lockdown.
Afterward, songs like “Different ‘Round Here” (originally released as a solo song on his 2019 debut album) fit radio like a pair of well-worn Wranglers. Fans re-discovered his catalog, and he’s become one of the most-streamed artists in country music.
Riley Green’s Best Songs
Duets are integral to Riley Green’s career, and you’ll find two good ones on this list. Remember, “You Look Like You Love Me” is an Ella Langley song featuring Riley Green, so you won’t find it here. There are plenty of longing ballads and boozy country pickers to work with, however.
Find your favorite Riley Green song below and come back tomorrow for artist No. 24 on this list of Country Music’s Most Important Modern Country Artists.
Criteria: This list of the 25 Most Important Modern Country Artists was curated by Taste of Country staff, who considered hard data (charts, streaming numbers, ticket sales etc …), perceived influence, awards and recognition and (most important) recent releases. We zoomed in on who is shaping country music with popular releases today.
Artists who’ve not released an album or notched a hit song on airplay or streaming charts in the last three years need to show their influence in other ways. An example is Carrie Underwood, who’s not released a new album in four years but is the most influential voice on America’s most popular singing reality show.
Top 10 Riley Green Songs: Hits and Deep Cuts That Every Country Fan Should Know
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
14 Riley Green Facts That Reveal This Mystery Man’s Heart
This Riley Green Facts list was made from original interviews with Taste of Country and (as noted) other media outlets. Boilerplate information like name, age and hometown are covered on Wikipedia so we focused on trivia that truly tells his story.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes