pika

Gave the album another try and Redlights, Orbit, and Let's Get Married (albeit an inferior Jaded) are the highlights. But just goes to show how badly marketed this album is when the slower tracks are the catchiest material. Overall, this is a wake up call era in a similar vain to Can't Be Tamed and Younger Now. Miley only fixes things/tries when the public verbally turns on her (Something Beautiful was like Dead Petz where it was so ignored that any personal mistakes flew over her head). She's obviously still liked, but it's finally known that this 'queen of the gays werk' persona is not funny/charismatic and doesn't translate well to media clips. Performing was her way of connecting and understanding the public, so hopefully with this residency approaching, she sees the value (and humbleness) of being more public.

This is better than ESV (boring) and SB (identityless with no polish). Orbit is a much needed return to form in delivering a strong, instant chorus. But overall this works more as an album that's following a huge era rather than a failure (e.g. doing what she wants but finding a balance with pop listeners). It jumps around too much trying to create an ear worm, then runs back to say 'no, I'm different from the others' with some type of experimental noise. Miley really shines when she just allows a song to be easy on the ears and I wish she'd realize that doesn't mean she's a sellout or less than. She created Plastic Hearts when she leaned into those elements and I think had she done that more here, whatever vision she was going for would land 10x better.

Orbit is the catchiest track and most obvious single. Surprised they went with Let's Get Married as the ballad single.

With Miley it's mostly how she's saying things than what she's saying. She has her own personal right to dislike touring, but this is the 50th time she's ranted about hating it. There's been no tour from her in over 10 years, her last 2 eras received below minimum promotion (from her), she barely does interviews. What more is there to say here than to just be quiet and enjoy your multi-millionaire life that exists in the top 0.01% This diva queen persona she's had since 2023 is so exhausting at this point. We keep hearing how tiring being Hannah was, as if most regular people don't spend their entire lives working low paying jobs and retiring with nothing. I can't believe how disconnected she's become with herself and the public given how strong she interviewed during Plastic Hearts. Hope someone in her circle is brave enough to tell her she needs to course correct soon.

The song bombing by itself isn't a huge deal (she's flopped more than she's succeeded at this point). The real issue is everything added up. You can't say 'just enjoy the era' when Miley isn't indie and doesn't want to be. Numerous artists have shared how hard it is to release music once they bomb and Miley isn't safe from this with her refusal to perform or release hit material. She clearly loves and seeks out huge budgets. But 3 eras now of getting pop star treatment without committing to that privilege (performing, filming TikToks, fun ads that fit her brand) is going to hurt her output even if she does have the next album already. She needs to figure out balancing her artistry with song material (or touring methods) that fund her creative side. She's generating legit 0 revenue for 2 eras straight, it's not sustainable.

This is a nice recovery from Something Beautiful, especially with the song not sounding hit-like except for certain spots. Still not fully convinced it'll stick though. I think with a stronger song she would've had a Flowers 2.0 moment (and with the album releasing next week, maybe the public will find that for her).

Another era of cosplay and serving for her gay circle. It's whatever at this point, hope she's happy with what comes from this.

Unironically, everything she released post ESV did so bad/didn't make any noise that the public will just consider this her follow-up to Flowers. The most recent things she's been in the public for is Hannah 20th and Dolly, so no bad judgement is coming her way. I hope she's aware she doesn't have to sell her soul for hits, but I imagine she's tired of fighting with labels which always happens when you end up flopping. It would be great to start this shift on a positive era instead of just a positive single.

Selena's appeal during her peak focused around how much prettier she was than her peers and a polished feel to her sound (Revival is expensive restaurant fodder). But due to her lupus, botched surgeries, and general aging, she doesn't meet Gen Alpha beauty standards (who lean even more into this than Gen Z). Add on top that her output is sporadic and out of touch with trends, you get this. Random pockets of nostalgia success but mostly forgotten since the artist has no appeal or effort pushing it.

Not really sure how to feel about this. Colombia is a great label when the material is there to match, but they can't just force non-conventional music to happen (both Miley and Harry's last albums). She can change her management, label, PR, whatever. But if she won't perform, tour, and make albums with a clear lyrical/productional vision, she'll end up in the same spot.

She badly needs some talented writers and sound/video directors to heavily collaborate with this time. Not even from a commercial perspective, Something Beautiful just doesn't know what it wants to be and is juggling way too much in the background trying to get there. All it takes is a few people to reign in her ideas and hopefully she learned that from bombing out of her mind. But it's Miley so who knows.

What is with pop singles lately wasting their catchiest hooks on the verses. "While you decide who you are" / "How you like me where you are" is the strongest part by far and they go nowhere with it. The chorus dipping lower at the beginning ("Hate that I made you love me") makes the build up feel so uneventful. This is as an easy #1 for her though and she's smart to lean into TikTok edit music as that's what keeps songs lingering around rather than pure hits (As It Was being the biggest benefactor of this). Hopefully the 2nd single is catchier though.

Yeah sorry, but this looks like ****. Not that ATRL is some huge brand, but there's no life or pop to anything now. Change the URL to Pop Titans like those no-name forums and nobody would know the difference. Get rid of the corporate gray blob feel and empty space in every section + bring back a compact and more punchy format (way too many round edges and shading). As of right now, each post looks boring and lifeless regardless of content and does nothing to keep people here.

Those Grammy wins completely rewired her brain. More music is always welcomed though, hopefully it's catchy.

Pop music is always on this pendulum where if something is successful, then it's generic and annoying. If it flops, then it's a timeless masterpiece that nobody understands. The acclaim this era gets in stan circles always feels like it's trying to make up for that lack of public approval and thus never talks about its weak points. Miley's current obsession is wanting a layer of mystery and chicness that she thinks she's earned due to Flowers' success (and thus puts her in Beyonce/Gaga/Taylor circles). This is fine to want at this stage of her career as she started at similar times as them, but she doesn't have their consistent output of quality. And thus this era feels too literal in what it goes for (mystery = lyrics that end up saying nothing with bland scenarios, chicness = wearing custom vintage archival gowns). This literalness worked when she was younger as there was a clear passion to convince the public it was honest. And the mystery of her reservedness worked for Flowers since rumors helped get its initial footing. But now we're getting this confusing output that ends up having nothing to say and there's no passion in her promo to sell the work. Secrets, I wanna keep your secrets Like sunlight in the shadows Like footsteps in the grass I won't ever break my promise Like a songbird in the silence Like stones against the glass Love is not a prison I'm not a guard, no So even when I'm holding you I won't lock you up You can come and go as you want Would you like to be lonely? Your word is all I want Empty nothingness. Miley is at her best when she has something to prove as she allows collaborators to refine her work (both lyrically and visually) for her pop fanbase/audiences. The melodies on these songs are repetitive and the production lacks polish. There's potential, but what's seen as 'raw and not caring about a perfect package' is releasing work that gives no reason to come back to it in either its catchiness or messaging. It's been so boring to see this all play out and I hope this phase of her career wraps up soon.