Miley Cyrus is back with another killer album: Plastic Hearts. Her new music— which is star-studded and rock ’n roll-inspired— dropped last week on November 27. I’ve been a fan of Miley since her Hannah Montana days, but her last EP She is Coming quickly became my go-to for summer anthems. With Plastic Hearts, Miley promised more of a rock sound, with tracks featuring Joan Jett and Billy Idol. Her recent covers of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” and a medley with Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen” led me to trust her artistic direction, and Plastic Hearts fulfilled my very high expectations.
If you’re interested in giving the album a chance but are thinking: “which Plastic Hearts song should I listen to first?”, I’ve got the answers with my track-by-track ranking guide. P.S: I’m not including Miley’s covers in this list, but they are still well worth a listen!
- WTF Do I Know
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Miley made this track the first one of the album for a reason. This song is the one I’ve been blasting on repeat. The bold title caught my attention, but the lyrics and rocker vibes made me gravitate towards it time and time again.
- Bad Karma (feat. Joan Jett)
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Truly an iconic song. Joan Jett is the queen of badassery, and this song is ballsy and brilliant in all of the best ways.
- Prisoner (feat. Dua Lipa)
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“Prisoner” was released as a single a few days before Plastic Hearts, so it had a bit more time to worm its way into my heart. If the fact that this catchy tune is constantly stuck in my head isn’t proof of its success, I don’t know what is.
- Hate Me
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This one is a bit slower-paced than the others, but it’s still powerful and filled with energy. I love “Hate Me” because you can really feel Miley’s emotions through her passionate voice.
- Midnight Sky
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“Midnight Sky” was the first single released back in August. It’s an awesome, inclusive party anthem that will have everyone on their feet. Additionally, if you like the song, the corresponding music video amps it up to 100.
- Night Crawling (feat. Billy Idol)
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This song wasn’t my favorite at first, but it’s definitely growing on me. It’s more sultry, with deep, low, and raspy vocals. Of course, Billy Idol steals the show, but both his and Miley’s voices work very well together on this track.
- Plastic Hearts
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The title track “Plastic Hearts” is a catchy, toe-tapping, head-bobbing banger. But it’s not my favorite. I don’t think the lyrics are particularly captivating, and it’s going to take me a while to learn the words.
- Angels Like You
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This song gives me “Malibu” era vibes because it’s one of the slowest songs on the album. It’s heartfelt and earnest, but just not what I was expecting from her self-proclaimed rock album.
- Golden G String
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“Golden G String” appears to be much more “classic Miley,” judging from the raunchy title. Yet, it’s a departure from her “We Can’t Stop” days because of its leisurely pace and meaningful lyrics. In an interview with Zane Lowe, Miley explained that she wrote this song in reference to how “the men hold all the cards… and they kind of determine your fate.” The lyrics definitely reflect this attitude, and “Golden G String” pleasantly surprised me, putting it at 9th place.
- High
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“High” is another ballad with slow rock energy. It’s a soulful goodbye to her past and, presumably, her ex-husband. I enjoy this song, but it’s not likely to be one of my most played tracks.
- Gimme What I Want
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The chorus in “Gimme What I Want” is electric and intoxicating, but it’s just not a song I gravitate towards. I could see myself changing my ranking after a few more listens, but for now, this song just hasn’t made enough of an impression on me.
- Never Be Me
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While I do like this song, it reminds me of a slow song played at a high school dance. It seems out of place on this album, and personally, I don’t want to be reminded of my prom.
If the past week is any indication, I can already tell I’ll be listening to Plastic Hearts non-stop for a while. This is definitely Miley’s best work yet!
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