Plastic Hearts by Miley Cyrus | Album Review

The seventh album from the child star turned pop superstar expands her artistic visions.

Credit: RCA Records

From 2010 to 2020, Miley Cyrus went through the full arc of puberty to adulthood, completely in the public eye.

She started the last decade with her Can’t Be Tamed album, her first attempt to break out of the child star image created by her years on the hit Disney Channel program Hannah Montana. Critics and fans alike were not wowed, considering it too tame to match its title, and Cyrus’ distinctive voice AutoTuned to oblivion.

Her 2013 LP Bangerz pushed the envelope even further. Miley embraced the image of a hard-partying diva, unafraid to flaunt her sexuality and affinity for cannabis. This was a step too far for some, especially when she pulled racy stunts like twerking on Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards, but it successfully redefined her public image away from her wholesome Disney roots.

After the bizarre speed bump of 2015’s surprise album Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Pets, a collaboration with The Flaming Lips, her sixth LP Younger Now was something of a return to form. Miley retreated into a more restrained pop-country sound, an attempt to bring her Nashville roots back in. Unfortunately, it failed to gain much traction outside of singles like the title track and “Malibu.”

So what does the start of a new decade bring for Miley? Her first attempt to branch out into new styles of music with her seventh record Plastic Hearts. Looking at the album cover, it’s clear she’s leaning into the aesthetics of the 1980s, particularly glam rock and new wave stylings. Glancing at the list of features makes that even more clear, with Billy Idol, Joan Jett, and Stevie Nicks all contributing to this album.

Miley fully immerses us in that sound from the start with opening track “WTF Do I Know,” a searing rock banger with a killer bassline, fast-paced drumming, and one of her most raw vocal performances to date. Her distinctive alto sounds phenomenal over this style of music, capable of delivering the gruff intensity this genre demands.

“Bad Karma” featuring Joan Jett also serves up that early 80s hard rock sound, mixed with some experimental vocal effects and campy moans. It feels exactly like a modern-day take on “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll,” and Jett sounds like she hasn’t aged a day from her peak decades ago.

But “Midnight Sky” might be the standout track of the album. Borrowing subtly from Stevie Nicks’ classic song “Edge Of Seventeen,” this is a fantastic retro banger, perfectly combining new wave and glam rock styles. Lyrically, it’s a song of freedom, celebrating forging her own path in the wake of several breakups, including her high-profile divorce from Liam Hemsworth.

Unfortunately, outside these standouts, most of the songs on Plastic Hearts veer away from the 80s aesthetic into something else entirely. Songs like “Hate Me” feel closer to 2000s-era pop-punk jams, and tracks like the single “Angels Like You” lean completely into Miley’s tried-and-true country-pop wheelhouse. Not to say they aren’t well-written songs, but they feel so out of place on this specific album.

Despite that, I would still call Plastic Hearts a success for Miley. Some of her best songs to date land on this record, and she proves her ability to try something outside her comfort zone. Considering she has one of the most distinctive voices of our generation, it’s wonderful to see her experiment, a possible portent of even more adventurous music to come.

Production: 7/10

Lyrics: 5/10

Songwriting: 7/10

Overall: 6.5/10

Favorites: WTF Do I Know, Midnight Sky, Bad Karma

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Thank you for reading! What did you think of this album? Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts and recommendations.