Miley Cyrus has definitely come a long way. From her beginnings in the hit Disney channel show Hannah Montana, to her notorious music video "Wrecking Ball"; her career has been nothing short of a wild ride. While her reputation may not be the very best, her voice is unarguably one of the most unique in the music industry.
On Nov. 27, 2020, Cyrus released a new rock-inspired album featuring icon singers like Dua Lipa, Stevie Nicks, and Billy Idol. According to Entertainment Weekly, "Guest stars reveal that Cyrus is looking to rekindle the punk-spirited, pop-minded side of the '80s..." Her covers of "Heart of Glass" and "Zombie" are hard-hitting pop-rock hits that help showcase Cyrus's range and newer artistic approach. The two years leading up to the album were filled with a difficult divorce, house fire, and the death of her grandmother. Listeners can hear the passion and energy through each song as a result of the difficult seasons of Cyrus's life. Critics of the album say that the album's strengths come from power ballads that are reminiscent of Stevie Nicks's "Edge of Seventeen." (Rolling Stones) Cyrus's ability to shift between genres makes her an attractive singer to people who aren't as keen to modern pop or rock music.
It seems as if Plastic Hearts is Miley Cyrus's most significant effort, up to this point, for an image makeover. Her country roots definitely don't make much of an appearance in the new album. Instead, songs like "Prisoner" and "WTF do I know" show a culmination of the artist's desire to experiment with new styles. For those of you who enjoy 80's throwback singers like Cyndi Lauper and Madonna, Plastic Hearts will most likely be your new favorite album of 2020.
If you love the album, check out live performances of select songs from the iHeart Music Festival on Youtube.
