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She's been a Disney darling, a pop provocateur, a rock goddess, and a Grammy winner — and her music proves every era was worth it. Join us as we count down our picks for the greatest Miley Cyrus tracks of all time! Which Miley era is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today, we're counting down our picks for the greatest Miley tracks of all time.
00:15Number 20, Different Religion.
00:17I've got my own God. He drives a fast car.
00:24This bold track finds Miley leaning into one of Bass Persuade's most adventurous corners.
00:30Featuring model actress, the track pairs her with frontman Cole Hayden and wraps its romantic fixation in religious imagery, turning
00:39desire into a kind of faith.
00:41I want to be saved by a different religion. I crave to believe him.
00:47Its darker, industrial-tinged production gives the song an edge that stands apart from much of the album.
00:54Critics quickly singled it out as a highlight, while early fan reactions have also placed it among the record's strongest
01:00cuts.
01:09It's strange, sensual, and proof that Miley can make pop feel genuinely unpredictable.
01:14Number 19, Who Owns My Heart.
01:17A pulsing club beat gave Cyrus one of the sleekest dance floor moments of her early career.
01:30Released on 2010's Can't Be Tamed, the track pairs synth-heavy production with a deliciously messy question.
01:36Is the attraction real, or is the nightclub atmosphere doing the work?
01:41Who owns my heart?
01:44Is it love, or is it art?
01:46Cyrus explained that the concept came from wondering whether you actually like your dance partner,
01:52or are simply caught up in the ambience.
01:54So come on, baby.
01:56Keep provoking me.
01:58Keep provoking me.
01:59The glossy production makes that uncertainty feel seductive rather than anxious.
02:04It may not be her biggest hit, but its restless energy still makes it an underrated gem.
02:10You know I wanna believe that we're a masterpiece, but sometimes it's hard to tellin' it to heart.
02:17Number 18, End of the World.
02:19A possible apocalypse has rarely sounded this glamorous.
02:23Today you woke up and you told me that you wanted to cry.
02:28Released as the lead single from 2025's Something Beautiful, the track wraps its doomsday premise in glossy pop, bright momentum,
02:36and a chorus built to feel euphoric rather than bleak.
02:39Let's pretend it's not the end of the world.
02:47Its lyrics answer uncertainty with carefree persistence, insisting that life is still worth enjoying even when tomorrow feels shaky.
02:56The emotional seed was unexpectedly personal.
02:59Cyrus later revealed that she wrote it after her mother Tish took a week-long trip to Italy without her.
03:12That collision of mother-daughter emotion and escapist pop gives the track surprising warmth, while its soaring hook makes impending
03:20doom feel weirdly irresistible.
03:22Let's pretend it's not the end of the world.
03:29If it's the end of the world, you might as well spend it with Ms. Mojo.
03:33Scan the QR code on screen and join our 24-7 live stream for non-stop pop culture fun.
03:45Number 17. Used to be young.
03:48Cyrus looks backward without asking anyone to excuse her earlier selves.
03:58Released in 2023 and included on the digital reissue of Endless Summer Vacation, the song was written nearly two years
04:06earlier, when Cyrus said she felt misunderstood.
04:09Rather than disowning her wilder years, she reframes them as the natural messiness of growing up.
04:15You say I used to be wild.
04:17I say I used to be young.
04:21That generosity carries into the stripped-back video, where a Mickey Mouse shirt nods to her Disney beginnings, and seeing
04:28her mother during filming brings genuine tears.
04:31It lands less like an apology than a warm, clear-eyed peace treaty with every Miley who came before.
04:37You tell me, Thomas, don't trade me.
04:41That's fun, I'm glad I'm doing it right.
04:44Number 16. Angels Like You.
04:47Cyrus knows this relationship is doomed, and she doesn't pretend otherwise.
04:52Flowers in hand, waiting for me.
04:56Every word in poetry.
04:58On Plastic Hearts, she turns that resignation into a sweeping stadium ballad, her rasp carrying guilt and tenderness as the
05:07arrangement steadily expands around her.
05:09Rather than casting herself as the wounded party, she recognizes that loving someone can also mean knowing you cannot give
05:16them what they need.
05:17It's not your fault I'll ruin everything, and it's not your fault I can't be what you need.
05:24The 2021 video widened that emotion further, capturing her Super Bowl pre-game performance before vaccinated healthcare workers.
05:32With its enormous chorus and unusually self-aware perspective, the song makes heartbreak feel less like accusation than acceptance.
05:40Baby angels like you can fly down here with me.
05:46Number 15. Mother's Daughter.
05:49Hallelujah. I'm a freak, I'm a freak, hallelujah.
05:52Every day of the week, I'm a do ya.
05:55Freedom is the point, and Miley makes sure nobody misses it.
05:59Opening 2019's She Is Coming, the track blends rock grit with trap while Cyrus attacks the chorus with full-throated
06:07confidence.
06:08I'm nasty, I'm evil.
06:10Must be something in the water, hold it up, my mother's down.
06:13The music video pushes that message beyond Miley herself, surrounding her with models, activists, and her mother, Tish Cyrus.
06:20My mama always told me that I'm making it, that I'm making it, so I made it.
06:26Rather than centering one narrow idea of femininity, its imagery celebrates people claiming ownership of their bodies, identities, and self
06:33-expression on their own terms.
06:36Loud, confrontational, and instantly catchy, it turns personal defiance into something much bigger than Miley alone.
06:42So back up, back up, back up, back up, boy.
06:48Number 14, Can't Be Tamed.
06:50This is the song that propelled the former Disney star into the world of more serious artists.
06:55As one of her first tracks that explored a more adult and sexual theme,
07:00the lyrics are all about the singer giving no apologies for who she is, and what she intends to do.
07:06Every guy everywhere just gives me mad attention, like I'm under inspection, I always get the chance, cause I'm built
07:14like that.
07:15The song had a more aggressive tone than Miley's past hits, and was a significant change of pace for the
07:20artist.
07:21I wanna be a part of something I don't know, and if you try to hold me back, I might
07:27explode.
07:28With assertive lyrics about her intentions with men, her career, and her lifestyle in general,
07:33accompanied by an edgy, electronic beat, this song marks an important milestone in Miley's career.
07:39Baby, by now you should know I can't be safe, I can't be safe, I can't be safe.
07:45Number 13, Adore You.
07:48Baby, baby.
07:51In sharp contrast to the rest of her Banger's album, this song was soft, slow, and sweet.
07:57Showing off Miley's more vulnerable side, the lyrics paint a picture of both how she feels when her love isn't
08:03around,
08:04and how much she needs him.
08:06We're meant to be an only matrimony.
08:10With some listeners believing that this track is about the happy times in her and Liam Hemsworth's relationship
08:16before their first breakup, the song is all about how much she values and truly loves her partner.
08:22With a mellow, steady rhythm and lyrics that could be any couple's love song,
08:26it's a tune that's easy to swing and sway along to.
08:35Number 12, Nothing Breaks Like a Heart.
08:38Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus found a sweet spot where heartbreak can twang and shimmer at the same time.
08:44This world can hurt you, it cuts you deep and leaves a scar.
08:50Released in 2018 ahead of Ronson's 2019 album, Late Night Feelings,
08:55the collaboration lets country guitar rub against sweeping strings and a dance floor pulse.
09:01Ronson has said the idea drew partly from a disco edit of Dolly Parton's Jolene,
09:06making Miley's presence especially apt.
09:09Things fall apart, nothing breaks like a heart.
09:15Its video goes bigger still, sending her through a police chase
09:18while weaving in imagery about gun violence and LGBTQ plus rights.
09:23The result is melancholy you can move to, without sanding away any of the ache.
09:28Nothing, nothing, nothing gonna save her now.
09:32Nothing, nothing, nothing gonna save her now.
09:35Number 11, Seven Things.
09:37I probably shouldn't say this, but at times I get so scared.
09:41After Miley was country and before she became pop,
09:44she gave rock and roll a shot with this track.
09:47A song about her breakup with Nick Jonas,
09:49the instrumentals are pedal to the metal from start to finish.
09:52It's awkward and silent, as I'll wait for you to say.
09:56With Miley going full-on rock star and practically screaming the chorus,
10:01it's a track that's hardly recognizable in comparison to her other work.
10:05Seven Things I Hate About You.
10:06You're a fan, you're a gang, you're insecure.
10:09You love me, you like her.
10:10You made me laugh, you made me cry.
10:12The lyrics are both frustrated and still hoping for another shot at love,
10:16making the song a memorable addition to the breakup playlist.
10:20Who knows, maybe she got a little inspiration from Taylor Swift.
10:28Number 10, See You Again.
10:36As the lead single on her debut studio album,
10:39Hannah Montana 2, Meet Miley Cyrus,
10:41this song hit the charts and put Miley on the map.
10:50With critics having expressed concern that Miley could be overshadowed by her Disney Channel character,
10:56this track helped to give the singer her own voice,
10:59separate from that of the one on TV.
11:07High energy and with an extremely catchy beat,
11:10the song hit triple platinum and enjoyed a spot in the top 10 US Billboard Hot 100.
11:15It hasn't lost its popularity yet and remains one of Miley's best tunes.
11:24Number 9, When I Look At You.
11:26The track that also appears on the soundtrack to the last song,
11:30this is a melody that gives listeners the warm fuzzies.
11:40Showing off her vocal prowess throughout the entirety of this track,
11:44Miley doesn't hold back in this heartwarming ballad about everlasting love.
11:48Maintaining a dramatic but easy listening beat,
11:51the song carries listeners through the story of a love gone oh so right,
11:55while simultaneously highlighting Miley's skills as a vocal artist.
11:59The woman has a seriously powerful voice,
12:09and she knows how to use it.
12:11I look at you,
12:16I look at you.
12:19Number 8, Malibu.
12:29After Miley's hip-hop phase,
12:31the release of this acoustic track was a significant step in a different direction.
12:36Written about the rekindling of her relationship with fiance Liam Hemsworth,
12:40the relaxed, positive vibe of this song marked a self-proclaimed turning point for the artist.
12:51Changing her musical style, lifestyle, and relationship status,
12:55Miley used Malibu as a stepping stone to a revamped version of herself.
12:59Written with hopeful lyrics and an acoustically based background,
13:03the song is more peaceful than past tracks,
13:06and an interesting foresight to what might come next from Ms. Cyrus.
13:09Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning,
13:12and you're there to save me,
13:14and I want to thank you with all of my love.
13:18Number 7, Slide Away.
13:20Once upon a time it was paradise,
13:23once upon a time I was paralyzed.
13:26By the chorus, Miley isn't bargaining for another chance.
13:29She's already letting the relationship go.
13:32Released as a standalone single in 2019,
13:35Slide Away avoids finger-pointing,
13:37and instead sits with the realization that two people can simply stop wanting the same life.
13:42So much instead of waiting.
13:43Back to the ocean.
13:46I'll go back to the city lights.
13:48So much instead of waiting.
13:50The contrast between ocean imagery and city lights gives that split a clear visual shape,
13:55while the grungy alt-rock influence keeps the song from becoming overly sentimental.
14:00Its video carries that emotional hangover into a trashed house party,
14:04with Cyrus moving through the aftermath almost detached from it.
14:08Move on, we're not seventeen.
14:12I'm not who I used to be.
14:14The result feels sad, settled, and strikingly grown up.
14:19Number 6, We Can't Stop.
14:21Red cousin's sweaty bodies everywhere.
14:24Hands in the air like we don't care.
14:27Talk about making a statement.
14:28With the release of this song,
14:30Miley made it clear that she was through with being known as the good girl of the music industry,
14:34and was ready to run with the big dogs.
14:36We can't stop.
14:39And we won't stop.
14:42With some edgier lyrics about lines in the bathroom,
14:45and we can screw who we want,
14:47the song wasn't shy about getting as far away from Cyrus' Disney roots as possible.
14:52To my homegirls here with the big butt.
14:55Shaking in like we on a strip club.
14:58Though having a slower tempo than some of her other music,
15:01the song still became known as a party track,
15:04and one of her earliest wild child tunes.
15:07And we won't stop.
15:10We can't run, baby, don't run away.
15:13Number 5, Midnight Sky.
15:16Miley sounds exhilarated by her own freedom here.
15:19Yeah, it's been a long night in the mirror telling me to go home.
15:23But it's been a long time since I felt this good on my own.
15:26Released in 2020 and later included on Plastic Hearts,
15:30Midnight Sky rides gleaming synths,
15:32a propulsive disco beat,
15:34and enough rock attitude to make the whole thing feel larger than life.
15:37And I was born to run, I don't belong to anyone, oh no.
15:42Cyrus said she'd spent the previous year
15:45watching other people shape the public's story around her.
15:47So this track plays like a reclamation of the narrative.
15:50She directed the video herself,
15:53surrounding that confidence with mirrored sets,
15:55jewel-toned lighting,
15:56and full-throttle glamour.
15:58Stevie Nicks even gave the song her blessing,
16:01a fitting endorsement for one of Miley's most commanding reinventions.
16:09Number 4, Flowers.
16:11Confidence does most of the heavy lifting here,
16:14and Miley never needs to shout about it.
16:16We were good, we were cold,
16:20kind of dream that can't be so.
16:24The lead single from Endless Summer Vacation
16:26glides on a polished disco funk pulse,
16:29with enough grit in her delivery
16:31to keep the self-assurance from feeling weightless.
16:34Cyrus later revealed that the chorus began
16:36from a much sadder emotional place
16:38before she transformed its outlook entirely.
16:41The video mirrors her sense of independence
16:43by showing her luxuriating in her own company,
16:45from a solitary swim to dancing and working out alone.
16:55Eight weeks atop the Hot 100 and two Grammys later,
16:59that calm certainty became a career-defining triumph.
17:09Number 3, Party in the USA.
17:16Who doesn't know this song?
17:18All about throwing your hands up
17:20and having a good old time in the U.S. of A,
17:22the story of a girl coming from the country
17:24to the big city remains a feel-good party song to this day.
17:27For my hands just to play my song
17:30when butterflies fly away
17:32I'm out in my head like yeah
17:34Originally written by singer Jessie J,
17:37the song was handed over to Miley,
17:39who turned it into an unforgettable hit.
17:41The DJ plays my song and I feel right
17:45With a beat that's recognizable anywhere
17:48and lyrics that are almost impossible
17:50not to sing along to,
17:51this track is one of Miley's most famous songs
17:54and a staple to any American Friday night playlist.
18:02Number 2, Wrecking Ball.
18:11If you were on the internet in 2013,
18:13you know this song and all the memes that came with it.
18:17Allegedly written about her breakup with Liam Hemsworth,
18:20Miley delivered an emotional performance
18:22in both the vocals and lyrics of this song.
18:31Her first number one Billboard hit,
18:34the song smashed, no pun intended,
18:36through the charts
18:37and into playlists of listeners all over the world.
18:48Regardless of the endless internet jokes
18:50that accompanied the music video,
18:52the song itself is a testament to Miley's talent
18:54and creativity as an artist.
18:57Yeah you, you wrecked me
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19:32Number 1, The Climb.
19:39It's not about the destination,
19:41it's about the journey.
19:42That's the simple message that this song puts across
19:45and it's one that's definitely memorable.
19:47The struggles I'm facing
19:50The chances I'm taking
19:52Originally appearing on the soundtrack
19:55to the Hannah Montana movie,
19:56the lyrics about learning to enjoy the process
19:58and accept that there will always be obstacles
20:01was both an inspiring message
20:03as well as an impressive showcase
20:04of vocal talent on Miley's part.
20:07There's always gonna be another mountain
20:10I'm always gonna wanna make it move
20:12One of the artist's first songs
20:14to be played on country radio.
20:16It's one of her biggest hits
20:18and for good reason.
20:26If you could only keep one Miley Cyrus song
20:29on repeat forever
20:30which one would you choose?
20:32Sound off in the comments.