Oh, smiley Miley. Those of us who have been fans of Miley Cyrus since her Hannah Montana days have been lucky enough to witness her experimentation in the music industry. Cyrus has done almost all of it: Hannah Montana pop, country, pop within itself, rap and even folk. Most recently, Cyrus has taken to officially delving into rock, and to say that it’s working would be an understatement.
Cyrus has experimented with rock music before. She has both participated in and also performed many covers of rock classics. To name just a few: Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog,” Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” and “Wish You Were Here” and The Beatles’ “Help!” These past covers certainly showed potential of a rock era for Cyrus while also revealing the talent she possesses.
Her release of rock music journey started with her live cover of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass.” After performing the track at the virtual iHeart Music Festival and posting a snippet on TikTok, the cover went viral and was followed with an official release on streaming services. This rock side of Cyrus, virtually new to fans and listeners alike, has proven to be immensely popular.
Cyrus’ voice was made for rock music. Her vocals are incredible, and she’s able to not only hit the high notes but also add the rasp and wails that are both necessary and also successful in adding flair. This rasp is especially prevalent in her Save Our Stages Festival cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie,” which was also released for streaming.
How serious is Cyrus about rock music? She’s serious enough to collaborate on a remix of her own “Midnight Sky” with none other than Stevie Nicks. The “Edge of Midnight” remix features the mashing of Nicks’ 1981 “Edge of Seventeen” and “Midnight Sky,” resulting in a seemingly only imaginable piece of art. The mix of both tracks’ coo-ing nearing the bridge is enough to make the track incredible, let alone the powerhouse vocals already found in both songs as they stand alone.
Cyrus’ new album, Plastic Hearts, is set to release Nov. 27, featuring both pre-released covers, her lead single “Midnight Sky” and the new remix with Stevie Nicks. Teasing on social media and interacting with fans on Twitter, Cyrus has made it clear that this new album is entirely rock.
This is a new and exciting era for Cyrus, and it might just prove to be one of her most successful experimentations thus far. The talent that she holds is non-human, being able to both constantly and successfully switch it up. Cyrus constantly amazes, and officially taking to rock music will check another mark off her variety in discography, sounding incredible while doing so.
Lauren Patterson is a sophomore studying journalism. Please note that the views and ideas of columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Lauren? Tweet her @lpaatt.
