Honestly, it’s wild to think about where Miley Cyrus was in 2017. She’d just spent years as the poster child for "post-Disney rebellion." You remember the 2013 VMAs. The foam finger. The wrecking ball. Then came the psychedelic, 23-track fever dream that was Dead Petz. People were exhausted. She was probably exhausted.
Then she dropped Younger Now.
It wasn't just a new album; it was a total hard reset. No more tongue-wagging or neon dreadlocks. Instead, we got rhinestones, Elvis-inspired quiffs, and a sound that leaned heavily into her Nashville roots. For a lot of fans, it felt like she was finally "coming home." But for others, the sudden pivot felt a bit like whiplash.
What Younger Now Actually Represented
The title track, "Younger Now," basically spells out the whole mission statement. "No one stays the same," she sings. It’s a simple line, but it carried a lot of weight at the time. She was 24, trying to reconcile the "Hannah Montana" kid with the "Bangerz" provocateur.
She wasn't apologizing for her past. She was just... over it.
Most people don't realize that Miley wrote the entirety of the lyrics herself. She also co-produced the record with Oren Yoel. This wasn't a label-driven "fix." It was a deeply personal attempt to find a middle ground. She even recorded most of it at her home studio in Malibu, which she nicknamed "Rainbow Land."
The Dolly Parton Connection
You can’t talk about this era without mentioning "Rainbowland." It’s the ultimate feel-good track featuring her godmother, the legend herself, Dolly Parton.
The coolest part? The song literally starts with a voicemail from Dolly.
"Hey Miley, it's Dolly. I'm so proud of you... I'm so excited about us doing a song together."
It’s an authentic moment in an album that was constantly fighting to prove its authenticity. Dolly didn't just phone it in. She and Miley actually spent time together at Rainbow Land Studios, blending their voices in a way that felt way more natural than any of Miley's previous genre-hopping.
Why the Critics Weren't Convinced
Even though "Malibu" was a massive hit—certified double platinum and peaking at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100—the album as a whole got a bit of a lukewarm reception. Metacritic gave it a 58. Pitchfork was even harsher, slapping it with a 4.7.
The main complaint? It felt "too safe."
After the chaotic energy of her previous two eras, critics thought the stripped-back, country-pop sound lacked the "frisson" that made her a star. Jordan Sargent from Spin even called it her "least honest" album because it felt so sanitized.
But look at it from her perspective. She’d spent half a decade being the most scrutinized person in pop music. Maybe "safe" was exactly what she needed for her mental health. She’s on record saying she just wanted to be back in Nashville with her animals.
The Tracks That Still Hold Up
While "Malibu" gets all the glory, there are some deep cuts on Younger Now that deserve a second listen.
- "She’s Not Him": This is a standout. It’s a gentle, heartbreaking ode to her pansexuality. She’s singing about wanting to love a specific person but realizing her heart just isn't in it. It’s one of the most vulnerable moments on the record.
- "Week Without You": Miley was obsessed with Elvis Presley during this time. This track was inspired by his movie Blue Hawaii. It’s got that retro, jukebox vibe that she pulls off effortlessly.
- "Inspired": This was the closing track, written for her dad and, interestingly, Hillary Clinton. It’s an old-school Nashville ballad that shows off just how much her voice had matured since the Hannah Montana days.
The Commercial Reality
Let's be real: the album didn't move numbers like Bangerz. It debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200, moving about 45,000 units in its first week. For a global superstar, that was considered a bit of a commercial flop.
Miley didn't even tour for it. She stayed home.
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She later admitted that while she loved the music, the sound wasn't "exactly the home" she was looking for. It was a bridge. A transition. You can hear the seeds of her 2020 rock-heavy album Plastic Hearts and her 2023 Grammy-winning Endless Summer Vacation right here in these songs.
Without the soft, acoustic experiments of Younger Now, we probably wouldn't have gotten the self-assured "Flowers" Miley we have today.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Listeners
If you’re revisiting this era, here is how to get the most out of it:
- Listen to the Lyrics First: Forget the production. Focus on the words. This was the first time Miley really took the pen into her own hands without a room full of co-writers.
- Compare the Vocals: Listen to "Miss You So Much" and then listen to something from Meet Miley Cyrus. The grit and "crunch" in her voice developed significantly during this period.
- Watch the "Younger Now" Music Video: It’s a visual love letter to the 50s and her own childhood. Look for the puppet—it was designed to represent "Baby Miley," the part of her she realized she didn't need to hide anymore.
- Accept it as a Transition: Don't expect Bangerz energy. Approach it like a Sunday morning acoustic session. It’s a "mood" album, not a "club" album.