If you want to track the exact moment the 2010s pop culture landscape shifted on its axis, look no further than the Rolling Stone magazine Miley Cyrus cover of 2013. It wasn't just a magazine feature. It was a declaration of war on a "squeaky-clean" past that Miley was done with.
Honestly, we've all seen the photo. She’s naked in a pool, licking her own shoulder, looking right at the lens with that "what are you gonna do about it?" stare. But the story behind that shoot—and the ones that followed in 2020 and beyond—is way more than just shock value. It’s a record of a woman basically deconstructing herself in front of the world.
The 2013 "Bangerz" Chaos: Tattoos and Laser Tag
When Josh Eells sat down with Miley for that infamous September 2013 cover story, the world was still reeling from the VMAs. You know the one. The foam finger. Robin Thicke. The "twerk heard 'round the world."
Instead of apologizing, Miley took the Rolling Stone reporter to a tattoo parlor. She didn't just give an interview; she got "Rolling $tone" tattooed on the soles of her feet right then and there. Talk about commitment to the bit.
"I thought about going to play laser tag. But laser tag sucks," she told the magazine.
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That quote is so peak 2013 Miley. She was 20 years old, wealthy beyond belief, and finally "unbound" from the Disney Channel's moral clauses. During that interview, she dropped some pretty heavy truth bombs about the double standards in the industry. She pointed out that everyone was attacking her for the VMA performance, but nobody was saying a word about Robin Thicke—the grown man grinding up against her.
She also famously defended her drug use at the time, calling weed the "best drug on earth" and comparing it to the "coke town" vibes of Hollywood. It was raw, it was messy, and it was exactly what Rolling Stone needed to cement her as the new rebel queen of pop.
Moving Past the Tongue: The 2020 Evolution
Fast forward seven years. The 2020 Rolling Stone magazine Miley Cyrus feature was a totally different beast. Gone was the "Wrecking Ball" era's frantic energy. In its place was a rock star who had survived a high-profile divorce, a house fire that destroyed her home, and a literal vocal cord surgery that changed her singing voice forever.
This was the Plastic Hearts era. She looked like a 1970s punk icon—mullet and all.
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In this interview, Miley was much more reflective. She talked about her sobriety, or lack thereof at times, and the "dopamine crash" that comes after performing for thousands of people. She admitted that she had spent years trying to please everyone, but she finally realized that her life was "beautiful yesterday" even without the industry's validation.
What most people get wrong about the covers
- It wasn't just "PR": People think these shifts are manufactured by a team. In reality, Miley has been remarkably "handler-free" since 2013.
- The "Black Culture" critique: Miley later faced significant backlash for her Bangerz era, with many accusing her of cultural appropriation. She eventually acknowledged this, moving toward a more rock-and-country-centered sound.
- The Voice change: That raspy, deep tone isn't just "aging." It was partially caused by Reinke’s edema, leading to a surgery that she discussed in depth during her more recent press cycles.
The 2024 Grammy Redemption
It’s wild to think it took until 2024 for Miley to actually win a Grammy for her own music. When she won Record of the Year for "Flowers," she basically channeled the same "don't care" energy from her old Rolling Stone days but with a lot more grace.
She stood on that stage and told the audience, "I might have forgotten underwear. Bye!" It was a full-circle moment. The girl who licked a sledgehammer in Rolling Stone was now the woman standing next to Mariah Carey, finally being taken seriously by the "suits" she used to rebel against.
Why the Rolling Stone legacy matters
The relationship between Rolling Stone magazine and Miley Cyrus is important because it documented the death of the "Child Star" archetype. Usually, Disney kids either stay "perfect" and fade away or they crash and burn. Miley chose a third option: she blew the whole thing up and built a new house on the ruins.
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If you’re looking to understand her trajectory, don't just look at the charts. Look at those interviews. You see a girl trying to figure out if she’s "ratchet" or "country" in 2013, and then you see a woman in 2020 who realizes she doesn't have to choose. She can just be Miley.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators:
- Watch the 2020 "Back to the Future" interview: If you want to see the most articulate version of Miley, her 2020 Rolling Stone digital cover story is the gold standard for celebrity transparency.
- Analyze the Visual Branding: For creators, Miley's transition from 2013 (bright, neon, hip-hop-influenced) to 2020 (black and white, grainy, rock-influenced) is a masterclass in visual storytelling.
- Respect the Pivot: Miley’s career proves that you can completely alienate your original fan base and still come out on top if the art is actually good. "Flowers" didn't happen by accident; it was the result of a decade of public trial and error.
By staying true to her own weird, shifting interests, Miley Cyrus turned a magazine cover into a historical record of what it looks like to grow up without a safety net.
If you want to dive deeper into her recent work, check out the live sessions for Endless Summer Vacation on Disney+. It shows the vocal power she's been bragging about in interviews for the last ten years in a way that finally makes sense to the critics.