It was 2010. Everyone was still humming "Party in the U.S.A.," and parents were mostly comfortable with Miley Cyrus as the face of Disney’s golden era. Then she showed up in a giant cage, wearing black bird-of-prey wings and enough smoky eyeliner to sink a ship. People freaked.
Honestly, the release of Can't Be Tamed was a car crash of expectations meeting reality. Looking back from 2026, it’s wild to see how much we misread that moment. It wasn't just a pop star acting out; it was a literal declaration of war against the Disney machine. If you were there, you probably remember the "pole dancing" at the Teen Choice Awards or the leaked video of her with a bong. But the music? That was a different story entirely.
The title track, "Can't Be Tamed," was basically her saying, "I’m not a robot." In fact, she had a song called "Robot" on the album just to make sure we got the point. She was 17. She was frustrated. She wanted to blast dance music in her car, not sing about wigs and secret identities anymore.
What People Got Wrong About Can't Be Tamed
Most critics at the time were pretty harsh. They called it "over-processed" and "lacking emotional depth." They weren't totally wrong about the production—Hollywood Records was leaning heavy on the autotune—but they missed the desperation behind it.
The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling about 102,000 copies in its first week. For any other artist, that's a win. For Miley, coming off the massive success of Breakout and Hannah Montana, the industry labeled it a "flop." But "flop" is a weird word for an album that basically paved the way for every risky move she made later. Without this era, we don't get Bangerz. We certainly don't get the rock-heavy grit of Plastic Hearts.
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The Disney "Blackout"
One of the craziest bits of trivia is how Disney reacted. There’s a rumor—partially confirmed by former Radio Disney staff—that as soon as the Can't Be Tamed video dropped, the parent company basically scrubbed her. No radio play. No mentions. It was an overnight cancellation of their biggest star because she didn't want to be a "delicate doll" anymore.
- The Sound: It wasn't just bubblegum. It was synth-pop with a dark, almost industrial edge.
- The Visuals: Heavy on leather, feathers, and "sexualized swagger."
- The Controversy: Parents' Television Council went nuclear. They hated the "Who Owns My Heart" video, calling it diametrically opposed to her "family-friendly" brand.
Miley’s stylist, Simone Harouche, actually said the look was inspired by Joan Jett and Blondie. It was a strong statement, literally and metaphorically. But back then, the public wasn't ready to let her be a rock star. They wanted the girl in the cowboy boots.
The Tracks You Probably Skipped
Everyone knows the title track, but the deep cuts are where the real transition was happening. "Liberty Walk" starts the album with this weird, stomping beat about walking away from people who "tie you up." It’s a bit clunky, sure. But it’s honest.
Then you have the cover of Poison’s "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." People hated it. Bret Michaels actually helped her with it, though, and Miley called it a classic. She was trying to bridge the gap between her country roots and the rock-and-roll future she clearly craved. If you listen to it now, you can hear the raspy tone that eventually became her signature. It just wasn't fully formed yet.
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The album also featured "Forgiveness and Love" and "Stay," which were more traditional ballads. These felt like the label trying to keep one foot in the "safe" door while Miley was trying to kick the door off its hinges.
Commercial Reality vs. Cultural Impact
By the numbers, Can't Be Tamed moved about 350,000 copies in the US. Compared to the millions she sold as Hannah, it looked like a decline. But internationally, it did okay—reaching top-ten status in Australia and the UK. It was the first project Hollywood Records released in a "day-and-date" format, meaning it dropped everywhere at once. They knew the clock was ticking on her "teen idol" status.
Why We Should Revisit This Era
Looking back, the backlash was incredibly gendered and, frankly, a bit much. Britney went through it. Christina went through it. Miley was just the first one to do it in the social media age where every misstep was a 24-hour news cycle.
She once told Elle magazine that the image Disney gave her felt like being a "delicate doll." She had to recite scripted lines and smile. When she finally stopped smiling on cue, people interpreted that as a breakdown. It wasn't. It was an awakening.
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Can't Be Tamed is the sound of a 17-year-old realizing she’s the most famous person in the world and also the one with the least amount of control over her own life. It's messy. It's loud. It's occasionally annoying. But it's also the most authentic thing she had done up to that point.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Fan
If you haven't listened to the record in a decade, do yourself a favor and put on "Robot" or "Liberty Walk." Ignore the dated 2010 synths for a second and listen to the lyrics. You’ll see the blueprint for the artist she is today.
- Watch the live performances from the Gypsy Heart Tour. You can see her starting to find her stage presence away from the Disney scripts.
- Listen to the "Can't Be Tamed" remix featuring Lil Jon. It’s chaotic in a way that perfectly captures the energy of 2010 pop.
- Compare "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" to her later covers of Nine Inch Nails or Blondie. The evolution is actually pretty impressive.
We often remember the 2013 VMA performance as the "big shift," but the real rebellion happened three years earlier. It just didn't have a foam finger yet.
Next steps: Go back and listen to the title track, but skip the official music video and find a live version from 2010. You'll hear her natural rasp fighting to get through the pop production, which explains exactly why she eventually moved toward the rock sound of her later career.