Ranking Miley Cyrus’s 10 Best (and Worst) Songs

Miley Cyrus is one of the most eclectic pop stars in the game. Her eras are distinct, and no one album sounds the same. This is an artist who dropped a psychedelic album about drugs in 2015, then two years later went full-on country-acoustic (2017’s Younger Now is a great record, but it’s middle-of-the-road for Cyrus; it doesn’t have any of her best songs—or her worst.) 

With variation comes a lot of trial and error, naturally. Cyrus isn’t afraid to take risks with her music—which has led to both moments of brilliance and a few missteps. But I can say with confidence I’ve found something to like about all her eras, including this current one. Cyrus’s song “Midnight Sky” is one of the best tracks of 2020, and her upcoming album (which features a Dua Lipa collab) is sure to be jam-packed with…well, jams. Until the new material comes, let’s look back at some of the highs of Miley Cyrus’s discography—and the lows, which I’ve also learned to love.  

Best

10. “See You Again”

With thumping verses and a chorus that explodes like a cannonball, “See You Again”—Cyrus’s technical debut single—still holds up as perfectly crafted bubblegum pop. As someone who’s witnessed a floor practically concave from people jumping to this song, I can attest to its power. It’s that good. 

9. “Karen Don’t Be Sad"

Much of Cyrus’s Dead Petz album is strange and jarring, but “Karen Don’t Be Sad” stands out as a genuinely lovely, space-y ballad. 

8. “Party in the U.S.A.”

Arguably the song that skyrocketed Cyrus’s career, “Party in the U.S.A.” is a poster child for the maximalist mega-pop that dominated radio from 2008 to 2012. It’s summery and sweet with an undeniable earworm chorus; you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t tapped their toes to this at least once. 

7. “Mother’s Daughter”

Ever the shape-shifter, Cyrus followed up 2017’s country-inspired Younger Now with She Is Coming, an EP that sits nicely alongside Ariana Grande’s recent albums. The highlight is “Mother’s Daughter,” a cold, twinkly anthem that came with one of the best videos of 2019. 

6. “Slide Away”

Cyrus’s 2019 ballad about love lost garnered much buzz for its rumored subject matter, but gossip aside, it’s still a stroke of brilliance. With haunting, wistful production and some of Cyrus’s most emotional vocal delivery, it’s pop introspection done right. 

5. “Midnight Sky”

Cyrus showed us she could do disco well with her Mark Ronson collab “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart,” but “Midnight Sky” proves she’s a club-pop pro. Her robust vocals are well supported here by a punchy bass line that mirrors Stevie Nicks’s “Edge of Seventeen” in the best way. Cyrus gives her everything on “Midnight Sky,” as will you dancing to it. 

4. “We Can’t Stop”

For zeitgeist relevance alone, “We Can’t Stop” earns a spot on this list. Of course, we can’t discuss the song without calling out the blatant cultural appropriation in the video—not to mention the entire Bangerz era. Cyrus faced backlash after saying in 2017 she chose to step back from the hip-hop “scene,” something she can do because she’s white. “There are decades of inequality that I am aware of, but still have a lot learn about. Silence is a part of the problem and I refuse to be quiet anymore,” Cyrus wrote last year, apologizing for her 2017 comments. “Simply said, I fucked up and I sincerely apologize. I’m committed to using my voice for healing, change, and standing up for what’s right.”

Controversy aside, the song is a catchy, hazy slice of R&B-infused pop with a chorus perfect for college apartment parties. Again, it’s something Ariana Grande might release now if she was in the mood to drink from a Solo cup. 

3. “Who Owns My Heart”

This sultry, pulsating electro-pop tune is by far Cyrus’s most danceable offering. Released when she was only 17 yet somehow delivered with the cachet of a seasoned diva, “Who Owns My Heart” is something Kylie Minogue would happily record. It’s a total gem, dripping with the late-night club ecstasy I’ve been craving for all of 2020. For now, I’ll be dancing to this in my room. 

2. “The Climb”

Karaoke parties changed forever after Cyrus released “The Climb" as part of the soundtrack for the Hannah Montana movie. The track is admittedly earnest and cheesy, but there’s something about the verses—which build in anticipation—and that exclamatory chorus that compels you to sing. Not just sing: scream. It’s Cyrus’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and I’ll argue anyone who disagrees. 

1. “Wrecking Ball”

Like “We Can’t Stop,” “Wrecking Ball” tops our list for its undeniable cultural potency. The music video—with all that nude swinging from a literal wrecking ball—permeated not just pop culture but hard news as well. Not since Britney Spears’s snake-slinging days had a female artist pushed the boundaries of pop music so boldly. And it paid off: “Wrecking Ball" reached number one on charts all around the world, solidifying Cyrus’s place as a music tour-de-force. 

Honorable mentions…because cutting some of these was so painful: “Can’t Be Tamed,” “7 Things,” “Liberty Walk,” “Younger Now,” “Adore You,” and “Nightmare” (unreleased but arguably better than everything on this list). 

Worst

10. “Simple Song”

Cyrus’s Breakout album is solid, but “Simple Song” slips through the cracks. She has far better ballads in her catalog. 

9. “Bottom of the Ocean”

A perfectly harmless mid-tempo song is thwarted by some unintentionally funny do-do-do’s. Listen for yourself. 

8. “Que Sera”

Cyrus’s fictional alter-ego Hannah Montana has a bucketload of bops—“If We Were a Movie!,” “Nobody’s Perfect!”—but her cover of “Que Sera” is not one of them. I just don’t think a 14-year-old has lived enough life to be able to sing, “Whatever will be, will be” with authenticity. 

7. “Someone Else” 

I love Cyrus’s voice, but something about her delivery on “Someone Else” is off. When she wails on a song like “Midnight Sky,” it sounds powerful and self-assured. On “Someone Else,” it sounds more like a whine. 

6. “Forgiveness and Love”

“Forgiveness and Love” suffers from the same issues as “Someone Else.” Cyrus’s “moving” wails don’t quite land, and the production feels like a ballad caricature. It’s a low point on Can’t Be Tamed, my personal favorite Cyrus album. 

5. “Permanent December”

Full disclosure: I love—love—“Permanent December.” I'm a sucker for anything that uses excessive Auto-Tune. But I have enough critical distance to know this song may satisfy only my palette. Cyrus’s delivery, especially on the verses, sounds quite childish—which makes lyrics like “There’s sexy boys in every city” and “Don’t call me a Lolita” all the more ick. Remember, she was 17. Who thought these lines were appropriate?!

4. “Love Money Party”

Bangerz has its moments, but “Love Money Party” is not one of them. The production is just too busy, which is saying something for this album. It’s the sonic equivalent of getting the drinking spins. 

3. “Milky Milky Milk” 

Remember Ross’s “sound” on Friends? That’s what I think of when I listen to “Milky Milky Milk.” 

2. “4x4” (featuring Nelly) 

Bangerz’s “4x4” is a drunk, belligerent cousin to “Hoedown Throwdown.”  Any fun this song could have supplied is buried by a relentless honky-tonk beat. It’s kitschy, sure, but not enough to warrant “so bad it’s good” status. 

1. “Dooo It!” 

“Dooo It!” is the thesis statement for Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz. If you don’t like it, this album probably isn’t for you. Cyrus’s warped vocals sound as if they were recorded through a paper cup, and the production is wobbly and disorienting…and not in a fun way. Straight up, this song makes me nauseated. 

Originally Appeared on Glamour