No one brings out an album quite like Miley Cyrus, and the queen of pop has just announced her seventh studio album "Plastic Hearts", which is set to have some really interesting collaborations. In the past, each new Miley album has marked a different phase of her life, and while some of it was conscious, most of it wasn’t designed.
"Younger Now", for instance, which came out in 2017, found Miley in an easy, mellow mood, after having given up smoking marijuana. Similarly, "Miley Cyrus And Her Dead Petz" found her trying to come up with an individualistic sound that could only belong to her. Here’s a definitive ranking of Miley’s past albums from the most wholesome to the most audacious.
Breakout
In terms of impact, "Breakout" was perhaps the least impressive Miley album but found the pop star at her breezy best. It was her second studio album and it came out in 2008 when Miley was trying very hard to pin down her pop identity. As a result, the sound design of this album is quite haywire, not bad, just too clumsy.
The title track, "Breakout", is a dance-pop number that did not do too well with her audiences. Miley’s cover of Cindy Lauper’s "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" wasn’t well-received either. The instrumental work on the album was quite taut and seasoned but it really needs more direction in terms of track positioning and lyrics.
Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus
As far as teen pop soundtracks go, Miley’s first album for her show Hannah Montana was very well-conceived. It is important to note that the Miley/Hannah narrative was a really novel one, that of a teen pop star who has to keep her identity a secret. Miley co-wrote eight out of ten songs for the album and all the tracks are relevant to mid-2000s teen culture, and that is one of the issues with it.
It is in no way timeless. None of the tracks had the potential to become a pop anthem, not to mention youth pop sounds very different today, it’s a lot more diverse in tone and lyrics. So, though this album could sound somewhat vapid in 2020, it's a nice reminder of what teen pop albums used to sound like before DJ Khaled or Dua Lipa came into the scene.
Miley Cyrus And Her Dead Petz
Miley collaborated with The Flaming Lips on this one, and when it comes to the sound, it’s a lot more versatile than the kind of musical set-up and arrangement Miley usually goes for. It was also her first foray into something truly bold because the press and appearances following its release saw Miley in a really different avatar. The album was quite experimental and took some risks.
However, in spite of promising production, the album’s biggest problem remains Miley’s attempts to sync her album with her public/social image. This album could have been a really good pop outing had Miley gone for different lyrics and vibe. But all the tracks come off as somewhat desperate, and it feels like Miley is trying to be a rule-breaker without much to say.
Can’t Be Tamed
Miley’s third studio album was her big breakout moment when she left Hannah Montana behind for good and tried very hard to convey that to her audiences. And to some extent, it worked, because this album had songs that were repeatable, had a distinct lyrical richness to it, it was overall more grown-up and interesting.
The title track "Can’t be Tamed" was a powerful bass-heavy, dance-pop number and it became clear post this album that Miley really wanted to stick with this genre and had been working towards it. "Who Owns My Heart" and "Every Rose Has Its Thorns" are also tracks which come off as distinctly well-written and original.
Younger Now
"Younger Now" marked an important turn in Miley’s career and was actually a pleasant surprise, as in she wasn’t trying too hard to be someone or to project something. The album is designed nicely and features the song "Malibu", her first single after getting back together with now ex-husband Liam Hemsworth.
It showed that Miley had started to self-identify with her California girl vibe and it helped the album as well. Songs like "I Would Die For You" and "Miss You So Much" explore her niche potential to sound powerful and discerning even with somewhat basic lyrics.
Bangerz
Definitely Miley’s most controversial album, "Bangerz" really needed to happen to Miley’s musical trajectory because it changed the game for female-led pop substantially. Like most of her earlier albums, "Bangerz" too was trying very hard, but this time it was very unapologetic. The pop ballad "Wrecking Ball", which she had reportedly written about her breakup with Liam Hemsworth, was easily the winner in this album.
It was poignant, strong, and established Miley as an impeccable vocalist. But other songs like "We Can’t Stop" and "Drive" were individualistic and featured a medley of pop influences without being too over-the-top. The album was also followed by some pathbreaking stage shows where Miley’s antics made headlines, and they actually helped the star etch out her niche as someone who can reinvent herself with each album.