Miley Cyrus’ ‘Something Beautiful’ Album: Ranking All 13 Tracks

While Something Beautiful delivers high-octane glam rock combined with smooth pop tracks, “More to Lose” distinguishes itself as the singular ballad – and as anyone can attest, Cyrus’ ballads always resonate. Similar to “The Climb” or “Angels Like You,” her vocal talent and heartfelt lyrics intertwine to create this heartrending piece about the end of a love story. “I anticipated that you’d do what I couldn’t,” she croons. However, it’s the pre-chorus that sticks in your mind, where she confesses with a hint of aware exasperation: “You look like a film star in a tattered coat, so I relinquish my pride. It happens repeatedly.” There’s a comical relatability to this line, showing that a superstar like her can be just as easily influenced as anyone else – illustrating the beauty, and the toll, that love can take. Yet, reinforcing her message, how wonderful it is to have loved and lost at all.

For those who have kept up, Cyrus composed “End of the World” for her mother, Tish. It’s also one of the songs that evolved during her private showcases for friends and family at Chateau Marmont. In its present version, “End of the World” serves as an uplifting anthem, encouraging everyone to join in with the chorus of “oh ooh, oh ooh.” For a track that implores its listeners to act as if it’s not the end of the world, Cyrus effectively provides an escape – and even if it only lasts for about four minutes, the sentiment lasts forever.

Fitting into the sultry pop genre, “Easy Lover” would find its perfect place in a dimly lit, smoky jazz lounge. Even with the brief “Aggro” interlude separating them, it feels connected to “More to Lose,” yet driven by the frustration and acceptance of a relationship’s conclusion rather than the immediate sorrow. As she confides in “More to Lose,” Cyrus anticipated her partner would act as she couldn’t; and in “Easy Lover,” she reaffirms, stating, “Anchor me to horses and I still wouldn’t depart.” After multiple listens, the title reveals itself to have a second meaning: As Miley describes someone challenging to love, she simultaneously reflects on her own ability to love despite that. The question then arises: Does she love too openly? Again, the album’s central theme comes into focus: Can’t this be lovely too?

“Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved” may be a distant relative of “Midnight Sky” as it boasts the same powerful vocals from Miley. However, the rough rock elements have been polished into a shimmering disco number. Featuring spoken-word segments from none other than Naomi Campbell, her role is both a spectator and a cheerleader, as she boosts Miley’s confidence (“She has the perfect scent. She speaks the perfect French,” she notes). Throughout the latter part of the track, Campbell repetitively instructs — “pose” — as the music swirls and escalates into the ultimate soundtrack for a captivating vogue-off.

Initially, following the captivating prelude, it might appear that Miley will gently draw listeners into her realm with this jazzy, soulful piece. However, just before reaching the two-minute mark, that realm is jolted by a distorted, fuzzy crash, as her vocals sound like she’s plummeting down a well and glitching simultaneously. It’s not far-fetched to presume that’s how she felt while creating this album, documenting the journey that brought her here. As reiterated throughout the work, there’s beauty in everything – even, or perhaps especially, in instances of chaotic turmoil.

This nearly five-minute-long track is arguably the most bittersweet on the album, as Miley consistently questions: “Can I have you if I never let you down?” But as the song progresses — particularly after the “Phat Smack” interlude, which feels like a slap to the face — it raises another question: Who is she trying to satisfy? “Surrender,” she later sings, “and I’ll never let you down.” It appears she is speaking more to herself; relinquishing the effort to please anyone else, she asserts. In doing so, she can never disappoint herself . “You’re the only one, beneath the golden burning sun,” she conveys.

There’s a lighter, liberating quality to “Give Me Love” – as if everything resides in perfect balance on the other side of the renewal Miley sings about in “Reborn.” Or, in her words, “once you navigate through the gray.” At the halfway mark of the track, Miley’s own vocals blend to form what can only be described as a heavenly choir, enveloping the listener in the very thing she’s pleading for: love. And while Miley remarked at her listening event earlier that beauty is subjective, this final track emphasizes one undeniable consensus: a continuous exchange and flow of love.

A captivating, synth-driven disco-pop anthem, “Walk of Fame” serves as a triumphant farewell, capturing Miley’s metaphorical departure from anything that doesn’t benefit her. Where she heads? Ultimately doesn’t matter; as she states, “every time I stroll, it’s a walk of fame.” This track – featuring Brittany Howard, whose contribution aligns perfectly once the funky electric bridge arrives – acts as a declaration for progression. Because if the message hasn’t been clear yet, Something Beautiful is all about the journey.

An extension of “Every Girl,” “Reborn” carries a mesmerizing, trance-like aura – likely essential for the journey of relinquishing one’s ego. Even as Miley suggests a renaissance, she implores, “give me all your love!” – illuminating the eternal conflict with her ego. But if that’s the price – all the love – for a rebirth, it sounds entirely justified. By the conclusion of the song, in one of the rare instances where Miley uses the term “beautiful” outside of the title track, she exclaims, “you’re so beautiful” repeatedly, almost as if addressing her newly transformed self. As she mentioned during a fans’ listening gathering earlier this week: “What is deemed beautiful ought to be personal. It’s about gathering these experiences and wrapping them in lovely ribbons and bows.”

Evoking memories of Miley’s collaborations with The Flaming Lips and even influences she cited from Pink Floyd’s The Wall (particularly its film version), “Pretend You’re God” unfolds as a slowly simmering psychedelic inquiry: “Do you still love me?” Miley yearns to find out. “I have to know. Forget it, just keep it hush if you don’t…I have to know,” she sings, caught between the desire for honesty and the thought that it might be better unsaid. As the piece continues, the anguish of uncertainty becomes apparent, and the voices in her mind intensify and cloud her thoughts. By the track’s finish, no definitive answer emerges, and perhaps that’s the essence; “Pretend You’re God” might also serve as a reflection on faith and spirituality, searching for truths that remain unanswerable.

This primarily spoken-word introduction moves from a shimmering, sparkling beginning to a heavy, almost foreboding entry point. Miley captivates the audience with just the right blend of allure, suspense, and most importantly, trust. “Like wandering alone through a vivid dream,” she articulates slowly, as the music builds. “The beauty one discovers alone is a prayer that seeks to be shared,” she adds later, underscoring the mission of this project. It’s not only a journey that each listener should embark on alone – constructing their own viewpoints, discovering their own beauty reflected in specific scenes or melodies – but a personal journey Miley had to undertake herself to arrive at this juncture. Now, she is sharing that prayer.

What commences as a creeping interlude rapidly escalates into what resembles a late-night chase sequence. The placement of this 14-second instrumental snippet between “More to Lose” and “Easy Lover” is intentional – following reflections on the end of a relationship, that space in between could represent a racing mind, attempting to escape its own thoughts – and in the case of a star like Cyrus, the thoughts of others as well.

Without uttering a single word, “Phat Smack” conveys, “enough of that.” Serving as the midpoint of the project, it signals a shift towards what lies ahead: larger rhythms, greater audacity, and ultimately a sigh of relief that signifies the conclusion of a phase of substantial personal evolution. And truly, what embodies beauty more than that?