Miley Cyrus Plastic Hearts 2LP

Rolling Stone's The 50 Best Albums of 2020 - Rated 23/50!
NME's The 50 Best Albums of 2020 - Rated 32/50!

Plastic Hearts is Miley Cyrus' seventh studio album, originally released digitally on November 27, 2020 by RCA Records. The album marks a departure from Cyrus' previous releases, featuring a sound steeped in rock, pop, synth-pop and glam rock, with influences from country, punk rock, new wave, arena rock, industrial, disco and power pop. Guest vocalists include Billy Idol, Dua Lipa, Joan Jett and Stevie Nicks.

Plastic Hearts debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and includes the singles "Midnight Sky", "Prisoner" and "Angels like You". Now released on vinyl, the LP edition features three additional tracks for a total of 15 tracks. The original CD release contained only 12 tracks.

The album's creative team included Mark Ronson, a producer who's as savvy and versatile as Cyrus herself, and Plastic Hearts' songs are full of stylish, witty details. Ronson and company get just the right gated drums and neon synth washes on songs like 'Gimme What I Want,' where the stomping beat harks back to Animotion's 'Obsession.' Since the beginning of her career, Cyrus' rock-tinged moments have been among her strongest, and Plastic Hearts is no exception. It's no surprise that 'Midnight Sky,' Cyrus' deeply affectionate homage to the tough-girl cool of Stevie Nicks' 'Edge of Seventeen,' became one of her biggest hits. It's joined on the album by 'Night Crawling,' a duet with Billy Idol that captures the over-the-top, black and red leather sexuality of his best-loved singles so convincingly, it's almost uncanny. By comparison, the Joan Jett collaboration 'Bad Karma' feels almost subdued, yet the heat she and Cyrus generate is undeniable, and Angel Olsen's guitar solo helps propel it to standout status. 'Prisoner' is another highlight, with Dua Lipa's cool tones providing the perfect contrast to Miley's raspy warmth. Plastic Hearts' quieter moments, like the pedal steel-laden power ballad 'High,' offer some of Cyrus' best vocal performances in a while, and feel just as true to the album's spirit. Similarly, 'Golden G String,' a contemplative synth-country mini-memoir, feels very on-brand even as it reflects her growth as a songwriter and singer. Passionate and self-aware, Plastic Hearts is easily the finest incarnation of Cyrus' music yet.

'Plastic Hearts' finds the pop-star-turned-rock-star going hell for leather - and when Miley Cyrus is at full throttle, it's an absolute blast.

Cyrus has gone through more career changes before she turns 30 than most artists do in a lifetime. Her latest new moment is her finest, a splashy swerve into glammy throwback rock that's more fun than anything she's ever done. As her many much-beloved covers have long attested, the singer's powerhouse chops can fit pretty much any style, from serpentine industrial disco grind to rhinestone-cowgirl Seventies balladry to Steve Nicks-nicking synth grandeur. But this is more than just a fun night of karaoke; Cyrus breathes her own story into these songs, making for a more personal album than any of her previous reinventions.