Can't wait for "We Can't Stop"? Listen to this rundown of Miley's top radio cuts to date.
On Monday (June 3), Miley Cyrus officially returns with "We Can't Stop," the Mike WiLL Made-It-produced first single from her forthcoming fourth studio album, due out later this year. Three years after the release of the uneven "Can't Be Tamed," the 20-year-old pop singer is back with one of the most eagerly anticipated pop singles of 2013. Will it be a huge curveball? Will it disappoint? Or will "We Can't Stop" be placed in Cyrus' impressive collection of rewarding radio releases?
Before "We Can't Stop" is unveiled, check out this highly subjective, highly entertaining rundown of Cyrus' best singles to date, from her top Hannah Montana cuts to the "Can't Be Tamed" standouts. Did your favorite Miley single make the cut? Dissect the list in the comments section.
10. "Who Owns My Heart"
The second single from 2010's "Can't Be Tamed" never cracked the Hot 100 chart, but the Rock Mafia-helmed dance cut is a pleasant-enough piece of electro-pop about trying to find passion in both love and a love for music.
9. "Fly on the Wall"
At two and a half minutes, "Fly on the Wall" chucks out a few enticing elements, including a creepy-crawly hook, some power-rock poses on the bridge (with handclaps for good measure), and lyrics about being faithful in spite of perceived misgivings. Non-essential fun that breezes by before overstaying its welcome.
8. "When I Look At You"
Featured on the soundtrack to Cyrus' 2010 film "The Last Song," this power ballad tries to make "The Climb" again and stumbles ever-so-slightly. Still, it's musically sound and impressively performed, with Cyrus selling the romantic flourishes as cymbals crash down behind her.
7. "Can't Be Tamed"
Cyrus' first big "grown-up" single and all the hoopla that came with that declaration underscored the fact that, sonically, "Can't Be Tamed" is thrillingly schlocky, banking on the power of its massive chorus with the same conviction that Xtina brought to "Dirrty" nearly a decade earlier. Whereas the oversized birdcage in the music video was cheesy, the song itself reaches beyond simple gimmickry.
6. "Start All Over"
An early single that harkens back to Cyrus' Hannah Montana days, "Start All Over" exists in the enjoyably bratty pop-rock vein that made "See You Again" a hit. The mix on the track pushes the buzzing guitars to the forefront, and it's not hard imagining the single as a great, lost Paramore cut.
5. "Ashtrays & Heartbreaks" (Snoop Lion feat. Miley Cyrus)
Cyrus' best guest spot to date appears on Snoop Lion's recently released "Reincarnated" album, as "Ashtrays & Heartbreaks" quickly morphs Snoop's potential energy into a kinetic vocal take from the rejuvenated pop singer. The song serves as an ideal trailer for the highly anticipated comeback single, "We Can't Stop."
4. "See You Again"
The sheer epic-ness of this breakout hit lands it safely in the Top 5: the pre-chorus choir of "I… can't… wait" pumping up Miley's words, the key contribution of her best friend Leslie, the absurd expectations placed upon "the next time we hang out." This was the first time Miley was just being Miley, and it was irresistible.
3. "The Climb"
The terrifically tearjerking ballad in Cyrus' arsenal: "The Climb," another hit for the young artist, hints at a vocal maturity and understanding of melody that will hopefully be capitalized upon during the next phase of her career. Meanwhile, the lyrics are meant to be vaguely inspiring, and in that, they succeed.
2. "7 Things"
If any of Cyrus' songs seem to belong to another era, it's the mesmerizing "7 Things," which smacks of the mid-90s mainstream pop-rock mastered by No Doubt, Third Eye Blind and the Gin Blossoms. The shiny guitar riff and "If you text it, I'll delete it" line both slay, but that chorus -- which slyly flips the script in the final minute of the song -- still supports some spirited head-banging.
1. "Party in the U.S.A."
At this moment, "Party in the U.S.A." is, inarguably, Miley Cyrus' defining pop single, her most instantly quotable cut and an unstoppable karaoke selection. Whether or not "We Can't Stop" (or any other forthcoming single) changes that remains to be seen, but most artists would kill for a hook this pristine or an arrangement this clean. If any future pop track from another artist features the line "And a Miley song was on!/And a Miley song was on!," you can bet that song is "Party in the U.S.A.," and that everyone is having a fantastic time.
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