Revisiting Bangerz

Miley Cyrus has never not been relevant. From her starring role as pop sensation Hannah Montana to her cameo in Black Mirror as Ashley O, Miley is never lacking in charisma and exuberance.

Better known for acting than her legitimate music career, Miley spent her late teens shaking her conscientious image the way only an ex-child star could: glamor and getting turnt up.

The art effectively captures the rave culture of the early 2010s, and while social media of the time had a lot to say, it’s time we talk about the Bangerz album for what it really was: a stepping stone on the road to personal and musical reinvention.

"You Might Think I'm Crazy..."

It seems like all pop stars nowadays have an alter ego, and why wouldn’t they? Having an alternate persona is an effective style strategy to evolve with the times. Just ask Nicki Minaj (Roman), David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust) or Eminem (Slim Shady).

Miley’s discography is remarkably diverse. She first pushed her edgy, mature persona with Can’t be Tamed (2010). True to every version of herself, she pushed the same rockstar mentality with a vintage flair, releasing Plastic Hearts in 2020 with celebrity features Joan Jett and Billy Idol. The collection was most notably accompanied by single "Edge of Midnight" with Stevie Nicks.

September 2013 held the release of the Grammy-nominated studio album produced by Dr. Luke, Tyler the Creator, and Pharrell Williams, with writing credits featuring Nelly, Jeremih, and French Montana. Her first release as an adult under the RCA label, Cyrus recognizes Bangerz as her official music debut.

While "Wrecking Ball" and "We Can’t Stop" undeniably set the tone for the album, there’s a lot of variety to be found within the 16 song track list. Title track "SMS (Bangerz)" feat. Britney Spears. True to her roots, she even showcases her country grammar in hoedown style “4x4.” But Miley went above and beyond sparking a new era in her dirty south legacy.

Miley wasn’t trying to position herself as a “white girl rapper”, but in the ever-present culture of hip-hop appropriation, Miley was the first mainstream artist other than Beyonce to specifically incorporate trap production on a pop record. In addition to "Love Money Party" feat. Big Sean, Ben E. King sample “My Darling” feat. Future. Additionally, she was featured on the MikeWillMadeIt track “23” alongside rappers Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J.

In spite of the lavish and indulgent party imagery, a full listen to the record is all it takes to acknowledge the complexity and substance woven throughout the songwriting process. Many of the album’s more heartfelt R&B titles like “Drive” and “Someone Else” deserve more recognition than they received.

"I've turned into Someone Else"

Miley is no stranger to controversy, as she was constantly under public scrutiny in the Disney Channel days. The sudden moral panic surrounding Bangerz came from the same population that was outraged about the Breakout singer’s Vanity Fair cover shoot in 2008–most of whom had to search “twerking” in the Urban Dictionary.

From the new blonde pixie cut to the skin-toned two-piece worn performance with Robin Thicke, Miley was evidently launching a hard rebrand. And despite the noise revolving around her personal image and stage persona, it was the lingering media buzz that solidified the album’s significance within pop culture.

"Wrecking Ball" currently sits at 1.1 BILLION views on YouTube, taking home the 2014 MTV Music Video of the Year. The following month the record had sold over a quarter million copies and charted #1 on the Billboard 200 as her 5th consecutive charting album.

Needless to say, not everyone was in favor of the album’s flavor. Some of the lyrics were corny, granted, but to judge Miley Cyrus on her ability to write cohesive bars would be to miss the point. Miley’s come to terms with the fact that many people will never take her seriously. And she doesn’t have to try to convince them.

The album was,at its core, a diary chronicling the throes of her on-again, off-again relationship with Liam Hemsworth.

Liam and Miley's love story began in 2009, when they starred in the movie adaptation of Nickolas Spark's novel The Last Song. The couple broke up the following year, quickly got back together and announced their engagement in 2012.

Perez Hilton accuses Miley of cheating on Liam. This was not Miley's first encounter with Hilton, as when she was just 17, he posted a picture of her along with a highly sexual assertion about going commando.

Hilton published a blog post asserting that Miley was seen with Ed Westwick.

Miley denies Hilton's claim in a Twitter post, though for the next five months, not even Billy Ray was sure whether a wedding would occur. In September of 2013, Miley unfollowed Liam, and a rep confirmed the ceremony had been officially called off.

According to Hemsworth, the two remained friends. In 2016, Miley was sighted wearing the same engagement ring, but later stated that she "didn't envision" getting married at 24. Nevertheless, the pair did rekindle their relationship and marry in 2018.

All seemed right with the world until 2019, when the couple separated for their final time. Though Miley's party persona had long since plateaued, it was she who ended the relationship, indirectly citing Liam's substance use as the reason for the divorce.

In the most literal sense, no love was lost. Now, Miley stands by her creative decisions now more than ever before. She tells Billboard, “I didn’t realize [Bangerz] was going to shift me into truly being my own person. It changed my life.”

Bangerz is a concept album in its own right, leaning into eccentricity in a way that isn’t so much ironic as experimental. Fans and critics were given exactly what they expected, and they ate it up regardless. With sensationalism working to her advantage, there was no way to fail.

Provocative? Yes. Ingenius? You decide.