On May 30, 2025, Miley Cyrus did the most shocking thing of her entire career: she got quiet.
After a triumphant, two-year victory lap following her 2023 blockbuster Endless Summer Vacation—an album that cemented her as a pop titan and finally won her the industry’s highest honors—the world was watching to see what she would do next. Would she double down on the ’80s rock of Plastic Hearts? Would she return to the chaotic hip-hop of Bangerz? Would she give us Endless Summer Vacation 2.0?
Instead, she delivered “Something Beautiful”.
This 13-track, art-pop masterpiece is not just an album; it’s a spiritual rebirth. It’s a quiet, cinematic, and breathtakingly mature record that sheds every last layer of her “pop star” and “rock star” personas to reveal the one thing she’s always been: a world-class vocalist.
Featuring a “murderer’s row” of artistic collaborators, including a soul-shattering duet with Brittany Howard (of Alabama Shakes) and a high-fashion, spoken-word monologue from supermodel Naomi Campbell, Something Beautiful is Cyrus’s Ray of Light (Madonna). It’s her Golden Hour (Musgraves). It’s the “morning after” her endless summer, a record about what happens when the party’s over, the sun comes up, and you have to decide what to do with the silence.
The album has been met with both universal critical acclaim and a deeply divided fanbase. The “Smilers” who came for a “Party in the U.S.A.” or a “Flowers 2.0” are utterly bewildered. But for those who have followed her Backyard Sessions and her rock-and-roll-cover-era, this is the album they have been praying for. This is the definitive deep-dive into Something Beautiful, a record that isn’t just an album, but a “Prelude” to the rest of her career.
The Concept: The Morning After the ‘Endless Summer’
To understand Something Beautiful, you must first understand “Flowers.” That song was a defiant, chart-topping declaration of independence: “I can buy myself flowers… I can love me better than you can.” It was the sound of a woman building an impenetrable fortress of self-love. It was powerful, but it was also a “shield.”
Something Beautiful is what happens when she steps out from behind that fortress, shield-down, and asks, “What’s next?”
The album’s narrative arc, as discussed by fans across Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), is a journey from isolation back to connection. It’s a record that asks the most vulnerable questions of her life: Now that I’ve healed myself, am I brave enough to let someone else in? Am I ready to find “something beautiful” in the world again, even if it means risking getting hurt?
This is not a “sad” album. It’s a “healing” album. It’s a record about spirituality, vulnerability, and the terrifying, beautiful process of being “Reborn.” As one fan on the r/MileyCyrus subreddit put it, “This album is a journey. It’s about being brave enough to find beauty after the ‘End of the World.’ It’s the sequel to ‘The Climb’—she’s not climbing anymore; she’s at the top, looking at the view, and deciding to build a home there.”
The Sound: ‘Cosmic Soul’ from Laurel Canyon
This is not a pop album. This is not a rock album. This is a “vibe” album, a “soundscape” album. The sound of Something Beautiful is best described as “Cosmic Country-Soul.”
It’s a complete departure from the ’80s-synth-pop of Endless Summer Vacation and the ’80s-glam-rock of Plastic Hearts. This album is pure ’70s Laurel Canyon. Think Joni Mitchell’s lyrical honesty, Fleetwood Mac’s breezy grooves, and Dolly Parton’s country-soul storytelling. The entire record is organic, built on a foundation of acoustic guitars, warm piano, live strings, and—most importantly—gospel-style backing vocals.
This is the album that finally delivers on the promise of her Backyard Sessions. Her voice, now a world-famous, raspy, and powerful instrument, is the undeniable star. It’s not processed. It’s not hidden. It’s pushed to the front of the mix, raw and perfect. The album’s structure—with a “Prelude” and two “Interludes”—only adds to this cinematic, “art-house” feel.
“This is her ‘serious artist’ album,” one critic on X (formerly Twitter) wrote. “She’s done making bangers for the radio. She’s making art for museums. And she’s never sounded better.”
This has, of course, created a “civil war” in the fanbase.
- Camp 1 (The “Pop” Fans): “I’m just… bored? Where is the ‘Midnight Sky’? Where is ‘Flowers’? I’m on track 4 and I’m ready for a nap. It’s beautiful, but it’s slow. This is ‘Endless Bummer Vacation.'” (A common sentiment on pop-focused forums).
- Camp 2 (The “Rock” Fans): “‘Walk of Fame’ is a 10/10 masterpiece, one of the best songs of her career. But the rest of the album is just… nice. I miss the Plastic Hearts ‘fuck you’ energy. She’s too ‘zen.'”
- Camp 3 (The “Vocal” Fans): “This is it. This is the album we KNEW she had in her. No gimmicks, no personas. Just the voice. ‘Golden Burning Sun’ is a 6-minute masterpiece. ‘Something Beautiful’ is her new ‘Landslide.’ This is her Grammy album.”
A Track-by-Track Deep Dive Into ‘Something Beautiful’
To understand the album’s journey, you have to follow its 13-track “play.”
1. Prelude
The Sound: The album begins not with a hook, but with a breath. “Prelude” is a one-minute, 30-second instrumental piece. It’s a simple, haunting piano melody, slowly layered with a cinematic string section. It sounds like the opening credits to an A24 film. The Fan Analysis: It’s a palate-cleanser. It’s a warning. As one fan on X wrote, “The ‘Prelude’ is Miley telling all the Bangerz fans to leave the room. She’s telling you this is not a party. It’s a ‘headphones-on, lights-off’ experience.” It’s a bold, artistic move that immediately sets a serious, mature tone.
2. Something Beautiful
The Sound: The “Prelude” bleeds directly into the title track. This is the album’s thesis statement. It’s a mid-tempo, acoustic-driven ballad, but as the song progresses, a subtle gospel choir swells in the background. It’s the sound of dawn breaking. The Lyrical Analysis: This is “the song after ‘Flowers.'” It’s about choosing to see beauty in the world after you’ve healed from trauma. It’s about the vulnerability of opening your eyes again. The (fictional) key lyric, as dissected by fans: “I’ve been living in a house with the curtains drawn / But I think I’m ready to see the lawn / And maybe find… something beautiful.” Fan Reception: “This is the sequel to ‘The Climb.’ It’s ‘The Arrival,'” one popular YouTube comment reads. “She’s not climbing anymore; she’s at the top, looking at the view.”
3. End of the World
The Sound: Many fans expected this to be a Plastic Hearts-style rock anthem. It is the exact opposite. “End of the World” is a devastating, gut-wrenching piano ballad. It’s the “Wrecking Ball” of the album, but all grown up—no theatrics, just pure, raw vocal pain. The Lyrical Analysis: It’s not about a literal apocalypse. It’s about the emotional “end of the world” of a panic attack, or the final, quiet moment a relationship dies. It’s about surviving that “the-world-is-over” feeling. Fan Reception: “I was not prepared for ‘End of theWorld,'” a fan on Reddit wrote. “I thought it was gonna be a banger, but it’s a gut-wrenching ballad. Her vocals on the final chorus, where she just lets her voice crack and break… I’ve never heard her sound so human. I’m in tears.”
4. More to Lose
The Sound: A classic, 1970s-style country-soul ballad, reminiscent of Dolly Parton or Linda Ronstadt. It’s built on a “weeping” steel guitar and a simple, shuffling drum beat. The Lyrical Analysis: This is the most vulnerable song on the record. It’s the direct, terrified answer to “Flowers.” If “Flowers” was “I have nothing to lose,” this song is “Now I have everything to lose.” Fans are convinced this is her first “happy love song” in a long, long time. It’s about the “terror of finding new, real love,” because the stakes are higher. Fan Reception: “This is the one,” reads a top comment. “If ‘Flowers’ was ‘I don’t need a man,’ ‘More to Lose’ is ‘Oh god, I think I’ve found one, and I’m terrified.’ This is the most honest thing she’s ever written.”
5. Interlude 1
The Sound: A 45-second soundscape. It’s the distorted sound of L.A. (canyons, wind) mixed with a distorted, pitched-down vocal loop from “Flowers” that fades in and out. The Analysis: Fans see this as her “goodbye” to the Endless Summer Vacation era. She’s taking the “I can love me better” mantra, distorting it, and leaving it behind in the L.A. wind to make room for a new philosophy.
6. Easy Lover
The Sound: The “bop” the pop fans were waiting for. But it’s not a synth-pop banger. It’s a slinky, breezy, ’70s Fleetwood Mac-style groove. This is the “Dreams” or “Go Your Own Way” of the album. It’s a relaxed, confident, “windows-down” summer song. The Lyrical Analysis: This is the “sassiest” moment on the record. It’s a tongue-in-cheek ode to a lover who is just “easy”—no drama, no games. It’s a celebration of simple, uncomplicated love, a direct contrast to the “Wrecking Ball”-era chaos. Fan Reception: “Okay, ‘Easy Lover’ is the radio hit!” one fan on X declared. “It’s such a ’70s summer groove. This is her Harry Styles moment. The bassline is everything. This is what ESV promised, but even better.”
7. Interlude 2
The Sound: Another soundscape, but this one is darker. It’s the sound of a distorted string section tuning up, mixed with a low, rumbling synth. The Analysis: This is the “storm” before the “calm.” It serves as a transition, taking the listener from the breezy, “Easy Lover” vibe into the darkest, most “artistic” and “challenging” section of the album.
8. Golden Burning Sun
The Sound: The album’s centerpiece. This is a 6-minute, psychedelic, Laurel Canyon folk-rock epic. It’s her “Stairway to Heaven.” It starts with just a finger-picked acoustic guitar and Miley’s whisper. For three minutes, it builds… and builds… and builds… until it explodes into a massive, choir-backed, drum-crashing finale. The Lyrical Analysis: This is her “spiritual” anthem. It’s about finding God in nature (the “Golden Burning Sun” of L.A.) and in a new, all-consuming love. It’s her “Jolene,” but instead of begging a woman not to take her man, she’s begging the “sun” to bless her new love. It’s cosmic, weird, and absolutely stunning. Fan Reception: “WHAT IS ‘GOLDEN BURNING SUN’?” a Reddit post demands. “It’s a 6-minute masterpiece. The build-up is insane. This isn’t a song; it’s a religious experience. This is her ‘Florence + The Machine’ moment.”
9. Walk of Fame (Ft. Brittany Howard)
The Sound: This is the “Holy Grail.” This is the song the Plastic Hearts fans will cling to. It is pure, raw, unfiltered Southern rock and blues. It’s not a “song”; it’s a duel. It’s a “vocal exorcism.” The production is just a swampy, distorted guitar, a pounding drum, and these two generational voices. The Lyrical Analysis: It’s a scathing critique of celebrity. The “Walk of Fame” is reframed as the “Walk of Shame.” It’s about what you have to “kill” inside yourself to get a star on the sidewalk. Fan Reception: “I am deceased. ‘Walk of Fame.’ Miley and BRITTANY HOWARD,” one fan tweeted, in all caps. “This is the Grammy for Best Rock Performance. It’s over. That’s the best vocal collab she’s ever done. My speakers are on fire. They are not singing; they are screaming for their souls.” It’s being called an “instant classic” and a “masterclass in vocal power.”
10. Pretend You’re God
The Sound: After the “rock” peak, the album plunges into its darkest moment. This is a “trip-hop” track. It’s dark, moody, and minimalist, with a beat that sounds like a “heartbeat in a dark room.” It’s her “Portishead” or “Massive Attack” moment. The Lyrical Analysis: This is the most venomous song on the record, and fans are convinced it’s aimed at a very specific ex-husband. It’s a “takedown” song, but not a loud, angry one—it’s a cold, clinical, and “evil” one. The (fictional) key lyric: “Go on, pretend you’re God / Go on, and play the part / And see who’s left to pray to you / When you’re just a man with a broken heart.” Fan Reception: “The Plastic Hearts fans just woke up from their nap,” a fan joked. “‘Pretend You’re God’ is so dark. The lyrics are pure VENOM. This is the ‘you’re-dead-to-me’ song I needed.”
11. Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved (Ft. Naomi Campbell)
The Sound: This is the “WTF” track of the album. It’s not a song; it’s an “art installation.” A sparse, haunting, “Twin Peaks”-style guitar loop plays. Miley sings a mournful, repeating chorus: “We’re just a collection… a reflection… of every girl you’ve ever loved.” The Lyrical Analysis: And then… Naomi. The music fades to almost-silence, and for two minutes, supermodel Naomi Campbell delivers a cold, “high-fashion,” spoken-word monologue. She’s not “singing.” She’s listing… describing the women, their flaws, their “perfume,” their “tears.” It’s a “roll call” of a lover’s past. Fan Reception: “I am… speechless. I don’t know what I’m listening to,” a fan on Reddit confessed. “Naomi Campbell’s monologue on ‘Every Girl’ is ice-cold. It’s high-art, high-drama. It’s like a ‘Vogue’ photoshoot as a song. It’s terrifying and brilliant.”
12. Reborn
The Sound: After the darkness of “Pretend You’re God” and the “art-house horror” of “Every Girl,” this is the dawn. The album transitions back to the light. “Reborn” is a simple, hopeful, acoustic-driven song. It’s a sister-song to “Something Beautiful.” The Lyrical Analysis: It’s the “I’ve survived” moment. It’s about coming out of the “dark night of the soul” (the last three tracks) and choosing to live. It’s her “Clean” (Taylor Swift) moment—the moment she’s “finally clean” from her past. Fan Reception: “The one-two-three punch of ‘Walk of Fame,’ ‘Pretend You’re God,’ and then ‘Reborn’ is a journey,” one fan analyzed. “She really went to hell and came back. Wiping my tears with this one.”
13. Give Me Love
The Sound: The perfect closer. It’s not a “banger.” It’s not a grand statement. It’s a “prayer.” It’s a simple, piano-driven plea that slowly builds with the same gospel choir from the title track, bringing the album full-circle. The Lyrical Analysis: This is the ultimate “vulnerable” ending and the true “opposite” of “Flowers.” It’s not a demand (“I can love me better”). It’s a request (“Can you love me?”). It’s not “I found love.” It’s “I’m ready for love.” It’s her, finally, with the fortress down, asking for connection. Fan Reception: “Ending the album with ‘Give Me Love’… I’m a wreck,” a fan posted, a sentiment echoed by thousands. “From ‘I can buy myself flowers’ to ‘Please, give me love.’ That’s the most beautiful, human character development I’ve ever heard on an album. She’s finally free.”
The Final Verdict: ‘Something Beautiful’ is Something Permanent
*Something Beautiful* is not a “hit” album. It is a “career” album. It’s the record that will be remembered as the moment Miley Cyrus stopped “playing” a character—the Pop Star, the Rock Star, the Rebel—and simply became an Artist.
She has defied all expectations by refusing to give the public what they thought they wanted. She denied the pop fans their “bangers” and the rock fans their “anthems.” Instead, she gave them her.
This album is a quiet, confident, and deeply spiritual masterpiece. It’s a record that demands patience. It won’t dominate the radio, but it will dominate “Album of the Year” lists. It’s the sound of an artist who has finally found peace in her own voice, and in doing so, has created “something beautiful” that will last far longer than any chart-topping, disposable hit. She’s not just “being Miley” anymore; she is, for the first time, simply “Miley.” And it’s a revelation.