Miley Cyrus – “Plastic Hearts” Review
Currently, rap and hip-hop are all the rage. But everyone knows that pop music will never die.
However, legendary pop artist Miley Cyrus has said goodbye to pop and hello to rock. Cyrus covers iconic rock songs on her new album “Plastic Hearts,” and she’s making millennials and zoomers appreciate rock music alike.
"Plastic Hearts” is Cyrus’ seventh studio album. Her previous album, “Younger Now,” was released in 2017. That record was filled with dull soft, pop-rock tunes. The singer has been through many difficult events over the past couple of years, and fans have noticed her drastic and ever-changing sound through those hardships.
In 2012 and in 2015, she performed “The Backyard Sessions,” a series of raw music videos. She sang classic songs by Dolly Parton, Jeff Buckley and more, which she covered before and after her “Bangerz” and “Her Dead Petz” phase. It makes sense that she has come full circle to produce this kind of rock album.
Big names appear on this record, including Dua Lipa, Billy Idol, Joan Jett and the iconic Stevie Nicks. She released several singles leading up to the album’s release. The first single she released was “Midnight Sky.” Later, she released a remix of Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen” and “Midnight Sky.”
Cyrus covers two songs on this record, Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” and the Cranberries’ “Zombie.” It’s clear that Cyrus has explored her vocals and taken her rough, pop voice to a whole new level. “Heart of Glass” blew up on TikTok and is a must-have on most playlists.
On this album, Cyrus finally comes to terms with herself and all aspects of her life. One of the best songs on this album is the aforementioned “Midnight Sky.” She sings “I was born to run/I don’t belong to anyone.” She does give credit to those relationships she had in the past on “Angels Like You,” but admits she needs to be on her own.
This project is extremely personal. Most personal albums are usually not poorly written. Cyrus has never written a lyrically bad song. Instead, each song speaks volumes. Listeners can tell she poured her soul into this album.
The actual music of this album is fun and playful. She takes the unique traits of pop and rock music and makes passionate, captivating songs. Each song is different in their own ways, but they somehow still connect to each other.
The album cover adds to another layer of the album—Madonna is written all over it. Cyrus is wearing a white, sleeveless T-shirt with the word “censored” across the chest. She’s dressed in black leather gloves and decked out in chains and chunky bracelets. The picture is edited with only hot pink and black hues. She is truly showing her badass side.
It’s likely that “Plastic Hearts” will be extremely successful. An album like this is something just about anyone can enjoy and find meaning in. Cyrus has a good understanding of her musical side, and hopefully audiences will see more of this newfound rock sound in the future.
Rating: 7/10
Reviewer’s Favorite Songs: “Midnight Sky” and “Gimme What I Want”
Least Favorite Songs: “Bad Karma” and “Golden G String”
Emily McGlynn is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email esm5378@psu.edu.
