Hannah Montana
American teen sitcom (2006–2011)
Hannah Montana is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cyrus), a teenage girl living a double life as famous pop singer Hannah Montana, an alter ego she adopted so she could maintain her anonymity and live a normal life as a typical teenager. Episodes deal with Miley's everyday struggles to cope with the social and personal issues of adolescence while maintaining the added complexities of her secret identity, which she sustains by wearing a blonde wig. Miley has strong relationships with her brother Jackson (Jason Earles) and father Robby Ray (Billy Ray Cyrus), as well as her best friends Lilly Truscott (Emily Osment) and Oliver Oken (Mitchel Musso), who become aware of her secret. Overarching themes include a focus on family and friendships as well as the importance of music and discovering one's identity.
The Walt Disney Company commissioned the series after the success of Disney Channel's previous music-based franchises, such as the made-for-television film "High School Musical" (2006). "Hannah Montana" was produced by It's a Laugh Productions in association with Poryes's production company, and premiered on Disney Channel on March 24, 2006. A concert film, ', in which Miley Cyrus performs as Hannah Montana and herself, was released in 2008. The following year, the feature film ' was released. The series concluded on January 16, 2011, as a result of Cyrus's growing popularity and music career, and her desire to move into more mature acting roles.
"Hannah Montana" is one of Disney Channel's most commercially successful franchises. It received consistently high viewership in the United States on cable television and influenced the development of merchandise, soundtrack albums, and concert tours; however, television critics disliked the writing and depiction of gender roles and stereotypes. "Hannah Montana" helped launch Cyrus's musical career and established her as a teen idol; after Cyrus began developing an increasingly provocative public image, commentators criticized "Hannah Montana" as having a negative influence on its audience. The series was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Program between 2007 and 2010; Cyrus won a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series, Leading Young Actress in 2008.
Premise.
Story and characters.
Miley Stewart is a fourteen-year-old middle school student who appears to live a normal life but has a secret identity, pop singer Hannah Montana, an alias she chose so she could have a private life away from the public spotlight. To conceal her true identity, she wears a blonde wig when she appears as Hannah. Miley's father, Robby Ray Stewart, was a famous country music singer before retiring after his wife's death to focus on raising Miley and her older brother Jackson. At the start of the series, the family have moved from Tennessee to Malibu, California, to allow Miley to develop her musical career; Robby Ray works as her manager. As her schoolmates idolize Hannah Montana, Miley is often tempted to reveal her secret and assume a celebrity status at school. In the pilot episode, Miley's best friend Lilly Truscott uncovers the truth about her alter ego and adopts the alias Lola Luftnagle to help protect Miley's secret. Miley later reveals her secret to close friend Oliver Oken, leaving him and Lilly as the only schoolmates she has trusted with the secret; he adopts the alias Mike Stanley III. Jackson works for Rico Suave at a local beach food stand; he and Rico often feature in the show's subplots. Miley and her friends begin attending high school at the start of the second season, and in the following season, Lilly and Oliver develop a romantic relationship.
In the third season finale, Miley relocates her horse Blue Jeans to California after she feels homesick for Tennessee. The horse is uncomfortable after being moved, and Miley contemplates permanently returning to her hometown. The Stewart family compromise and move out of their house in Malibu to a nearby ranch. In the final season, Miley is faced with extra difficulties in maintaining her double life, which affect her capacity to attend college with Lilly. Faced with the choice between continuing being Hannah Montana and divulging her secret, she ultimately reveals her true identity to the world and has to deal with the effects of this decision before leaving for college. She merges her celebrity persona with her former private identity, and Miley Stewart enters adulthood with a newfound celebrity status.
Themes.
The central conflict of the series is the disconnect between the public and private lives of Miley Stewart, and the lengths to which she must go to secure her life as a normal teenager and protect her relationships with her friends. She values her core identity as "just Miley" and endeavors to protect her sense of self. This is made evident in the pilot when she fears her friends might not treat her the same way if they become aware of her celebrity status; Miley's friendships and social opportunities at school are important to her. Jacques Steinberg of "The New York Times" said the series suggests celebrity status should not be confused with real life and that happiness comes as a result of staying true to one's self. In the "Celebrity Studies" journal, Melanie Kennedy states Miley must learn to remain as her "authentic self" while still being a celebrity; Tyler Bickford of "Women's Studies Quarterly" observes that lyrics in the theme song "celebrate authenticity" while also accentuating the benefits of a celebrity lifestyle. Morgan Genevieve Blue of "Feminist Media Studies" distinguished "Hannah Montana" from other programs about secret identities because of the public nature of Miley's alter ego.
Series creator Michael Poryes said his goal was not to focus on the gimmick but to write about characters and relationships, exploring the real issues Miley faces and how they would be affected by her celebrity lifestyle. While Miley discloses her secret to her close friends, she largely continues to hide her identity because the loss of the anonymity would, to her, represent a loss of her youth. When she reveals her true identity to the world, it is a symbolic representation of the end of her childhood. The final episodes reflect Miley's struggle to say goodbye to her alter ego.
According to Kennedy, "Hannah Montana" parallels the idea of "becoming a celebrity" with "growing up female" and teaches young women the perceived importance of investing in celebrity culture. This intensifies and normalizes the desire of young people to become famous. Bickford said the series discusses themes of publicness and consumerism. Friendship is an important theme of the series, which is evident between Miley and her best friend Lilly. When Miley tells Lilly about her hidden persona in the pilot episode, Lilly promises not to divulge the secret to anyone. Bickford described these relationships as the "emotionally fraught", "intensely valued" core of the series, reflecting the way best-friendship is an important element of childhood.
Production.
Development.
In the early 2000s, The Walt Disney Company found success with its pay television network Disney Channel, which had a pattern of original programming for a preadolescent audience that featured music. The girl group The Cheetah Girls was made popular by the eponymous television film and found commercial success outside the movie, and Hilary Duff's music was used to cross-promote the series "Lizzie McGuire". Disney sponsored concerts featuring music from the network and used their talent to build on the brands; Gary Marsh, the president of Disney Channels Worldwide, cited "Lizzie McGuire" as its "first success". The network believed the new series "Hannah Montana" could be marketed in a similar manner. Disney Channel had also found success with musical episodes of its earlier comedy series "Even Stevens" and "That's So Raven". Hollywood.com said the show could build on the success of Disney's television film "High School Musical" (2006), which also includes music. The sitcom premiered two months after "High School Musical". The concept of "Hannah Montana" was originally labeled "cast contingent", meaning the series would not progress until the central roles were appropriately cast. The project was publicly announced in 2004; casting advertisements for the filming of a pilot were published in January 2005.
Disney Channel officially greenlit "Hannah Montana" as a new, half-hour sitcom in August2005. Twenty episodes were initially ordered for the first season and six extra episodes were later added to the commission. The series was developed by Michael Poryes, who had previously co-created and produced "That's So Raven" for Disney Channel. Poryes created "Hannah Montana" with director Rich Correll and writer Barry O'Brien, while Steven Peterman joined Poryes as an executive producer. Disney selected the pilot for "Hannah Montana" to progress to a series against a potential spin-off of "Lizzie McGuire", which the network also considered during the 2004–05 pilot season. The full main cast were attached to the project in August and filming for the remainder of the first season was scheduled to begin in November 2005. It's a Laugh Productions produced the program in association with the network. Former president of Disney Channels Worldwide Rich Ross stated the concept of the series conforms to the typical Disney Channel formula; "an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation". The series is primarily aimed at a preadolescent female audience, however, its framework as a family sitcom allows it to have a wider appeal.
Casting.
The program and its primary cast were announced in August2005; Miley Cyrus would be portraying the central character of Miley Stewart. After receiving the script from her agents, Miley Cyrus, aged eleven at the time, auditioned against over 1,000 applicants for the lead role, originally named Chloe Stewart. She was rejected for being too young to play the character; Marsh cited her lack of professional experience. Cyrus persistently sent the producers more audition tapes. After six months of further casting searches, Marsh asked Cyrus, aged twelve, to audition again, and she received the role. Poryes later stated Marsh was responsible for selecting Cyrus over other "safe" choices who were more in-line with the producers' original vision. After Cyrus was cast, the character's name was changed to Miley Stewart in an attempt to limit confusion about the show's characters and premise. Network executives cited her confidence, comic timing, and "husky" singing voice as reasons for her casting on the series. In 2006, "Time" commented that Disney typically selected actors who had the potential to become popular celebrity figures and that Cyrus would likely experience the same process.
Cyrus's father, Billy Ray Cyrus, joined the cast as Miley's father Robby Ray Stewart; he was only asked to audition after his daughter had received the role. Peterman praised the pair's "natural chemistry". Billy Ray Cyrus was initially apprehensive about being cast in the series—he did not want to "screw up Miley's show" and suggested a "real actor" be cast instead—but later accepted the role.
The series also stars Emily Osment as Lilly Truscott, Mitchel Musso as Oliver Oken, and Jason Earles as Miley's older brother Jackson Stewart. Moisés Arias appears as Rico Suave in a supporting role throughout the first season; he was promoted to the main cast for the show's second season. The network dropped Musso's character Oliver to a recurring role in the fourth season because he had been cast in "Pair of Kings", which was developed for the sister channel Disney XD.
Guest stars including Vicki Lawrence, Jesse McCartney, and the Jonas Brothers appear throughout the series. Brooke Shields portrays Miley's deceased mother in dream sequences, through which she typically offers advice. Singer Dolly Parton, Cyrus's real life godmother, had a recurring role as Miley's godmother, Aunt Dolly. Parton stated Cyrus persuaded executives to write her into the series and credited her role for gaining her a following among young people. The final season includes guest roles from musicians Sheryl Crow and Iyaz; actors Christine Taylor, Ray Liotta, and Angus T. Jones; and television personalities Phil McGraw, Jay Leno, and Kelly Ripa.
Music.
"Hannah Montana" includes original music; Disney released albums of songs from the series. Miley Cyrus performs as Hannah Montana and sings the show's theme song, "The Best of Both Worlds". By April 2006, a soundtrack was scheduled for release in the latter half of the year; this would be followed by a studio album by Cyrus the following year. The soundtrack album "Hannah Montana" was released in October2006; many of the songs' lyrics allude to the show's premise and Miley Stewart's secret identity. Songwriter Matthew Gerrard intended to encompass the show's premise in the lyrics of the songs. Jeannie Lurie, another key songwriter, explained that it was important for their team to capture the character's voice and feelings within each song's lyrics. The soundtrack albums "" (2007), "Hannah Montana 3" (2009), and "Hannah Montana Forever" (2010) were released to coincide with their respective seasons. The lyrical themes later became more mature, and reflected storylines from the series such as romantic relationships.
The show's music includes elements of teen pop, pop rock, and country pop genres. Steve Vincent, an executive of Disney Channel music, had previously worked on "The Cheetah Girls" and "High School Musical", and helped to develop the sound of the projects. Vincent drew inspiration from country pop artists Shania Twain and Carrie Underwood, as well as pop artists such as Kelly Clarkson, to establish Hannah Montana's musical style. The music makes prominent use of acoustic guitars, synthesizers, and backing vocals. "Ready, Set, Don't Go", a song Billy Ray Cyrus wrote when Miley was cast, was used in the program. Guest stars, such as singer-songwriter David Archuleta, also contributed to songs on the series.
Filming.
"Hannah Montana" was recorded in front of a live studio audience at Sunset Bronson Studios on Thursdays and Fridays. Cyrus was required to attend school on set, while Osment attended an external prep school. While filming the pilot, Cyrus performed a concert as Hannah Montana at Glendale Centre Theatre to acquire footage for the show.
Production of the second season began in Los Angeles, California, in November2006, and concluded in September2007. In April2008, the program was renewed for a third season, which had commenced production by August. By this time, Disney had optioned the program for a fourth season.
That December, the network ordered another six episodes, extending the third season to 30 episodes. Filming for the third season concluded in mid-2009.
The series also filmed episodes which aired as part of network crossover specials. The first special, "That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana", aired on July 28, 2006, as a crossover featuring "That's So Raven" and "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody". The second special, "Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana", aired on July 17, 2009, and contained episodes of "Wizards of Waverly Place" and "The Suite Life on Deck".
Conclusion and impact on Cyrus.
"Hannah Montana" was renewed for a fourth season on June 1, 2009. The new set of episodes has a new setting; the Stewart family move out of their Malibu home to a nearby ranch. Billy Ray Cyrus stated this would be the final season and that Miley Cyrus hoped there would be a conclusion to the show's story. Production for the season began in January2010, when Disney confirmed the program would be officially concluding. The series finale was scheduled to air in early 2011. As the final season was filmed, Cyrus said she wanted to move on from the series, stating, "I can't base my career off of the six-year-olds". She became increasingly uncomfortable wearing the extravagant, colorful costumes associated with Hannah and stated she had "grown out of it". In 2019, Cyrus said at the time she felt she had matured beyond working on the series and dressing up as Hannah Montana. The final season premiered on July 11, 2010.
Reception.
Critical reception.
Bickford said "Hannah Montana" helped Disney return to a level of commercial success that had been absent since its musical films of the 1990s, and built on the success of the network's programs "Lizzie McGuire" and "That's So Raven". He explained that "Hannah Montana" adopted a business model of combining celebrity acts with film, television, and popular music for a pre-adolescent audience and compared this model to 1990s teen pop artists such as Britney Spears and NSYNC, who were also marketed to children. Heather Phares of AllMusic described the melodies of the featured songs as strong and Cyrus's vocals as charismatic. Ruthann Mayes-Elma said in a journal article "Hannah Montana" is a wholesome, "bubble-gum" television show, and that the use of Miley's catchphrase "sweet nibblets" in the place of profanity in the scripts helped solidify the show's family-friendly appeal. "The A.V. Club"'s Marah Eakin found fault with the writing of "Hannah Montana", criticizing its "oppressive" laugh track, and its use of stereotypes.
The series has been examined for its depiction of gender roles and stereotypes. Blue said the series establishes stereotypical femininity as part of girlhood. She explained that the primary female characters, Miley and her alter ego—Hannah, are positioned as post-feminist subjects in a way their representation is confined to notions of celebrity and consumerism. Bickford interpreted the theme song "The Best of Both Worlds" as an expression of Miley's choice between her contradictory identities, saying the choice is "as simple as choosing a pair of shoes" and that the character is privileged because she has multiple shoes and identities. Blue noted the contradiction of Miley's "normal life" being directly influenced by her celebrity status in ways such as financial security and a spacious home; she suggested Miley supports the family financially. Mayes-Elma criticized the portrayal of Miley as an "airhead" rather than as a "strong, agentic girl", and Blue said Lilly is depicted as a tomboy who does not uphold the femininity Miley represents.
In the book "The Queer Fantasies of the American Family Sitcom", Tison Pugh analyzed the subtle sexualization present within the characters of "Hannah Montana", such as Jackson's girlfriend Siena, who works as a bikini model. In a journal article, Shirley Steinberg cites Miley as a character who maintains chastity but wears objectifying clothing. Mayes-Elma said guest stars such as the Jonas Brothers were incorporated by Disney to encourage the viewership of young teenage girls. Pugh stated that the program obscures the divergence between fiction and reality, due to the character of Miley Stewart sharing similarities to Miley Cyrus, Robby Ray Stewart being difficult to distinguish from Billy Ray Cyrus, and guest actors such as Parton and the Jonas Brothers playing fictional versions of themselves. Kennedy added that featuring celebrity guests, such as Leno and his real talk-show "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," contributed to Miley being placed in the "real world" and thus becoming easily confusable with Cyrus. Pugh explained that displaying Miley as an authentic and likable character was a key marketing strategy, which led to Cyrus becoming closely associated with the "Hannah Montana" branding; Mayes-Elma explicated that Disney was selling Cyrus—a then-sixteen-year-old girl—to consumers as a "form of pop cultural prostitution". Blue also took note of the intersection between the world of the fictional characters and that of Cyrus.
U.S. television ratings.
The series premiere of "Hannah Montana" was aired on March 24, 2006, as a lead-in to a rerun of "High School Musical", and received 5.4 million viewers. This was the highest-rating premiere episode in the history of Disney Channel as of 2006. By April2006, "Hannah Montana" had an average of more than 3.5 million viewers for each episode, many whom were aged between six and fourteen. The show's most-viewed episode, "Me and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas", was aired on August 17, 2007, as a lead-out to the premiere of "High School Musical 2" and was viewed by 10.7 million people.
Controversies.
Cyrus's public image.
In 2008, Marsh commented on the importance of Cyrus maintaining a wholesome public image while starring on the network. He said, "for Miley Cyrus to be a 'good girl' is now a business decision for her". Cyrus, however, continued to develop an increasingly provocative image as "Hannah Montana" progressed and the series received criticism for appearing to be a negative influence on its younger audience. Pugh writes that the series acted as a natural appendage to Cyrus's "controversial transition into a sexual provocateur". Cyrus performed a pole dance the following year during her act at the Teen Choice Awards, later defending it as "right for the song and that performance", while Disney representatives did not comment. Her suggestive persona continued with the music video for "Can't Be Tamed" in 2010. The following year, Cyrus was listed as the worst celebrity influence in a "JSYK" poll voted on by children, following the leakage of a video showing her smoking the psychoactive plant "Salvia divinorum" at the age of eighteen. In the journal "Tobacco Control", Cyrus's high-risk actions were described as a "turning point" for how fans perceived her behavior. Cyrus's public image continued to become more provocative and sexualized following the conclusion of the series. After a controversial performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, Melissa Henson of the Parents Television Council said parents would no longer feel comfortable allowing their children to watch "Hannah Montana" due to Cyrus's sexualized stage persona.
Billy Ray Cyrus blamed the program for damaging his family and causing Miley's unpredictable behavior. Miley Cyrus expressed her annoyance at her history with the program in 2013, stating she wanted to suppress her previous music and re-establish her career as a mature artist. By 2019, while Cyrus believed many had viewed her as a "Disney mascot" rather than as a person during her time working for the company, she said she was proud of her work on the series. She said she would like to play the character of Hannah Montana again. Cyrus explained in 2021 that she found it difficult to separate herself from the persona of Hannah Montana.
Revised episode.
A second-season episode titled "No Sugar, Sugar" was planned to air in the United States on November 2, 2008, but was removed from the schedule after complaints about its subject matter. The episode, in which Oliver is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, was previewed online; viewers said it presented inaccurate information about the disorder. Some viewers said there was a risk of uninformed children following the episode's health information, while others commended the episode's themes of acceptance and support for diabetics. The network revised the episode after consulting diabetes research-funding organization JDRF and filming new scenes; an updated version of the episode titled "Uptight (Oliver's Alright)" was aired during the program's third season on September 20, 2009.
Lawsuits.
Television writer Buddy Sheffield alleged he pitched the concept for a television series titled "Rock and Roland" to Disney Channel in 2001; it would have focused on a junior-high school student who leads a secret double life as a rock star. The initial proposal was unsuccessful, and in August2007, Sheffield filed a lawsuit against the network based on the similarities between his pitch and "Hannah Montana". The lawsuit said Sheffield was owed millions of dollars in damages. A trial was scheduled to begin in August2008, but the case was resolved privately beforehand.
In April2010, Correll and O'Brien filed a lawsuit against Disney Channel for $5 million over profits from the program. The pair alleged they were denied their share of profits based on requirements for creators from the Writers Guild of America West. Correll, who also directed a number of episodes, further alleged he was unfairly terminated by Disney in response to giving testimony within the arbitration. By 2016, it was reported the arbitrator found $18 million in under-reported amounts, but the franchise was still operating at a $24 million deficit so no compensation was owed. The pair took their case to open court and claimed they were prejudiced by their arbitrator; in 2018, however, the request to overturn the ruling was refused. Poryes had filed a similar lawsuit in October2008, but this was ultimately settled.
Other media.
Films.
In 2008, Walt Disney Pictures released a concert film, "", as a three-dimensional film for a limited theatrical run. The film consists of footage of Cyrus performing as herself and as Hannah Montana at a concert during the 2007–2008 Best of Both Worlds Tour. It earned a gross of $70.6 million worldwide. A soundtrack album of the live performances, "Best of Both Worlds Concert", was released in April2008.
In 2007, Cyrus reported plans to adapt the television series into a theatrical feature film had commenced, and that she would like to film it in her hometown, Nashville, Tennessee; production began in Los Angeles and Nashville in April2008. ', was originally scheduled for release on May 1, 2009, but its release was preponed to April 10 that year. The film, directed by Peter Chelsom, follows Miley as the popularity of Hannah Montana begins to take control of her life. It grossed $169.2 million worldwide. A soundtrack album, ', was released in March2009.
Merchandising.
In December 2006, Disney released its first line of merchandise linked to "Hannah Montana", which included clothing, jewelry, toys, and dolls; the line of clothing duplicated outfits Hannah wears in the series. A line of video games was also developed; the first, "Hannah Montana", was released on the Nintendo DS on October 5, 2006. By February 2008, the "Hannah Montana" franchise had become so profitable Disney convened an "80-person, all-platform international meeting" to discuss its future. Disney's 2008 annual report to shareholders listed the brand as one of the leading contributors to growth across the company. MSNBC estimated the "Hannah Montana" franchise was worth $1billion by the end of 2008. The program was a commercially successful franchise for Disney Channel.
Potential spin-off.
In 2011, Billy Ray Cyrus had said he wanted to produce a prequel series. "Hollywood Life" reported in 2020 that a potential prequel about Miley Stewart's rise to fame as a pop singer, with another child actor playing the character, was being discussed for Disney+. Billy Ray Cyrus again expressed his interest in being involved, while reports said Miley Cyrus would not be.
References.
Notes
Citations
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Bibliography

Can't Be Tamed (song)
2010 single by Miley Cyrus
"Can't Be Tamed" is a song by American singer Miley Cyrus for her third studio album of the same name (2010). It was released on May 3, 2010, by Hollywood Records as the lead single from the record. The song was written by Cyrus, Antonina Armato, and Tim James. A Rockangeles remix version featuring rapper Lil Jon was included as a bonus track on digital editions of the album. According to Cyrus, "Can't Be Tamed" describes a desire to break out and experience freedom. The song's lyrics deal with the themes of freedom and self-expression.
"Can't Be Tamed" received favorable reviews from music critics. It also attained commercial success, peaking within the top ten in the US, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Robert Hales and follows Cyrus performing with backup dancers throughout a museum. The singer is first trapped in a giant cage, being observed by spectators; she then escapes and trashes the museum. Cyrus promoted "Can't Be Tamed" by performing the song at several venues, including a performance on "Britain's Got Talent" that resulted in negative reactions from the media. The song was also included in the setlist of Cyrus' third and fourth world tours, the Gypsy Heart Tour and the Bangerz Tour. "Can't Be Tamed" premiered before its official release on April 30, 2010, on Cyrus' official MySpace.
Background.
"Can't Be Tamed" was co-written by Cyrus, Antonina Armato and Tim James, who also produced the track. According to Cyrus, the track's moral is to free yourself from any biding or hindrance, in particular application to women. Cyrus said the song's message applies to different situations. Personally to her, "it is about being a cage and people looking at you." As for others, she believed it could describe high school, in a situation where "someone feeling they have to be one way to be with a clique and they want to be who they are. A relationship, or whatever, it is just breaking out and feeling free." Hollywood Records described "Can't Be Tamed" as "a self-empowering song in which Miley asserts that she has to stay true to herself in relationships".
At four meetings throughout Europe, Cyrus' manager, Jason Morey, presented the album "Can't Be Tamed" to representatives from Universal Music Group; the representatives confirmed what Hollywood Records in the United States had already decided, that the track would be released as the lead single. "Can't Be Tamed" premiered on April 30, 2010, on Cyrus' official MySpace page; it was officially released for airplay on May 3, 2010, and released as a digital download on May 18, 2010. In May 2010, Cyrus recorded the Rockangeles remix of "Can't Be Tamed" with rapper Lil Jon at Rock Mafia Studios in Santa Monica, California. Lil Jon said the collaboration was "crazy" and thought audiences would enjoy the remix. Cyrus added, "He just came in and let it out. It's pretty rockin." They believed Lil Jon gave the remix more energy than the original version had.
Composition.
"Can't Be Tamed" is a synth-pop and dance-pop song two minutes and 48 seconds long. The song has been described as "grown-up club sound". The song is set in compound time of 12/8 and has a fast tempo of 118 beats per minute. It is written in the key of B minor and Cyrus' vocals span two octaves, from A3 to D5. Cyrus belts her way through the choruses, while some lines in the verses feature processed vocals with the use of auto-tune. It follows the chord progression B5–D–A. Driven by a dark, pounding beat and the heavy use of synths, "Can't Be Tamed"'s instrumentation relies on drum machine.
Written solely in first person, "Can't Be Tamed" explores the themes of freedom and self-expression, approached by sultry lyrics. It puts emphasis to how she cannot be changed or molded into being something she is not. In the verses, Cyrus addresses confidence and the attempt to discover for what she is yearning for, respectively. Choruses have Cyrus shouting the title and variations of it in a repetitive manner, against the beat of the song. Monica Herrera of "Billboard" interpreted the lyrics "If there was a question about my intentions, I'll tell ya / I'm not here to sell ya" to be an official declaration of rebellion in order to dispose herself of tween role-model responsibilities. Likewise, various other critics believed "Can't Be Tamed" spoke of her completely drawing away from the image she had developed through "Hannah Montana", which first aired in March 2006.
Critical reception.
Critics typically reviewed "Can't Be Tamed" favorably. Leah Greenblatt of "Entertainment Weekly" felt the song was "not bad business for stationary cardio, but not the stuff year-end top tens are made of, either." She said it didn't offer "major sensations" and found it similar to Christina Aguilera’s "Not Myself Tonight" (2010). Greenblatt was also disappointed with the song's rhyming in the lines, "I'm not here to sell ya' / Or tell you to go to hell". Sonya Sorich of "Ledger-Enquirer" said that while she anticipated some negative reception, "Can't Be Tamed" was also a prime candidate for a guilty pleasure dance track." Heather Phares of Allmusic referred to "Can't Be Tamed" as "stomping" and selected it as one of the album's best. Fraser McAlpine of BBC said that though the song has strong sexual undercurrents, Cyrus maintained classy throughout the track . "If Miley's gonna weather the Ensexification Moment it'll be because she's doing it during a period of extrema GaGa, when videos are less about acreage of flesh and more about feathers and Victorian scientists. Oh, and because she's got the songs and the voice, that always helps", McAlpine concluded.
Rob Sheffield of "Rolling Stone" rated the song three out of five stars and compared it to the musical styles of Rihanna. He added, "It's no 'Party in the U.S.A.' or 'See You Again,' but the chorus packs plenty of electro-fizz pizzazz". Bill Lamb of About.com rated "Can't Be Tamed" two and half out of five stars. He criticized the song for lyrics that headed into a "selfish territory", however, believing it would have airplay success. Monica Herrera of "Billboard" gave "Can't Be Tamed" a favorable review, writing, "But Cyrus knows how to proffer her sass. When she sneers, 'I'm not a fake, it's in my DNA,' in pre-emptive retaliation against her critics, she does it with the professionalism of a Disney-groomed star." Jarett Wieselman of "The New York Post" said he liked the song and that though he did not buy Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A." (2009), he feared he would not "be able to resist" buying "Can't Be Tamed". He said the song had a "naughty old school Britney Spears" vibe, called it "totally catchy" and predicted it would be a summer hit. Ailbhe Malone of "The Irish Times" wrote, "Miley’s taken a sexy electro-edge. Less "Party in the U.S.A.", more Party With My Parents Away, we like this. A LOT."
Commercial performance.
On the week ending June 5, 2010, "Can't Be Tamed" became the week's "hot shot debut" by entering and peaking at number eight on the "Billboard" Hot 100, selling 191,000 digital downloads. The sales marked Cyrus' second-best debut sales week, following "Party in the U.S.A.", which sold 226,000 digital downloads in its first week in August 2009. With the appearance on the chart, the song became her fourth top ten debut on the "Billboard" Hot 100, including a song credited to her alias Hannah Montana. In the following week, the song descended ten positions to number 18. It spent its last week on the "Billboard" Hot 100 on the week ending August 7, 2010, spending a total of ten weeks on the chart. "Can't Be Tamed" also peaked at number 16 on Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs). The song peaked at number six on the Canadian Hot 100 and spent a total of 14 weeks upon the chart. As of March 2023, "Can't Be Tamed" has sold 2,000,000 units in the United States and was certified two-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
The song also achieved commercial success in Australia and New Zealand. "Can't Be Tamed" debuted at number 18 on the Australian Singles Chart on the week ending June 6, 2010. After six weeks of ascending the Australian Singles Chart, the song found a new peak at number 17. In the succeeding week, it reached its peak at number 14 and spent 11 weeks on the chart. The single was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipping over 35,000 copies. On the week ending May 24, 2010, "Can't Be Tamed" debuted and peaked at number five on the New Zealand Singles Chart. It spent nine weeks ascending and descending the New Zealand Singles Chart before completely dropping from the chart on the week ending July 19, 2010. In Japan, "Can't Be Tamed" debuted at number 53 and peaked at number 12.
In the United Kingdom, "Can't Be Tamed" debuted and peaked at number 13 on the week ending June 12, 2010. It spent eight weeks on the UK Singles Chart. The song peaked at number five on the Irish Singles Chart. In mainland Europe, "Can't Be Tamed" maintained similar outcomes. It became Cyrus' best-charting single on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles, peaking at number 15 in July 2010 and surpassing "Party in the U.S.A.", which peaked at number 17 in January 2010. It peaked at number 15 on the French Singles Chart, number 15 on the Norwegian Singles Chart, and number 14 on the Spanish Singles Chart. It also charted within the top 30 in Austria and Germany and within the top 40 of Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia).
Music video.
Background.
The music video for "Can't Be Tamed"' was directed by Robert Hales. The dance routines were choreographed by Jamal Sims, who also choreographed Cyrus' "Hoedown Throwdown". Cyrus and Sims conceived the plot for the video together and proposed it to Hales, who "envisioned it the way [they] did". In regards to the video's theme, Cyrus stated, "I think the video explains my life but it doesn't exclude other people's lives. It's not just about how fabulous and glamorous and all this. It's about the core of 'I don't wanna be in a cage. I want to be free and do what I love'". The video was meant to transition Cyrus away from the good-girl image she had developed through "Hannah Montana". However, she believed her fans would be able to identify with the video's message through their own circumstances; for example, she believed that her desire to "stand out [rather] than fit in" was shared by teenagers hoping to break out of high school cliques. In an interview with the singer, Ryan Seacrest noted the video's strong sexual appeal. Cyrus agreed that the video was sexy, though it was not supposed to be the premise: "The video isn't about being sexy or who can wear the less clothes [...] It's about explaining the song and living the lyrics."
Development and synopsis.
The music video was shot on April 10–11, 2010, at Sony Studios in Culver City, California. Over 20 female and 20 male backup dancers were employed. The video stars Cyrus as an exotic songbird breaking out of its cage, symbolizing Cyrus as a singer breaking out of her good-girl image. Before the shoot, Cyrus meticulously recorded her ideas for the video on paper. For example, she chose her backup dancers make-up pallets and contemplated their outfits; while she did not want her dancer's bodies "to look like normal bodies", she also did not want for them to wear scales as, according to her, it would make them resemble to be fish and look scary. Hales wanted Cyrus to resemble a bird without "actually having a beak" or otherwise being overly explicit, so Cyrus' stylists invented bird-like accessories. Among these were arm bands with long leather straps, feathered shoulder pads, and a feathered vest worn over a black leotard and thigh-high black leather boots. Cyrus said she had originally worn a "completely different" outfit, but wasn't "feeling it" the morning of the shoot. "So we made this one right there in the morning, and we added pieces throughout the day... more leather and more feathers. I think it's really fun and kept changing the look," she said. Cyrus' make-up artist, Denika Bedrossian, focused on the singer's eyes; he used "rich jewel-toned shades" and eyelashes with feathered tips to give Cyrus a "deep peacock eye". In cut-scenes, Cyrus wears a corset made of 2,400 silver metal pieces and numerous peacock feathers. It was designed by The Blonds, debuted during their fall 2010 fashion show, and cost $25,000.
The video commences with formally dressed spectators entering a museum as a curator introduces "a creature so rare it was believed to be extinct. In captivity for the first time, the rarest creature on Earth, "Avis Cyrus"." White curtains are pulled down to reveal Cyrus, dressed in a black leotard and expansive black CGI wings, asleep in a giant bird nest locked inside a giant cage. Cyrus rises and approaches the audience, but a camera flash startles her and causes her to shield her face with her wings. The music starts, and Cyrus unveils herself again and joins a large group of feathered dancers. As Cyrus sings, she and the dancers escape the cage and prowl the museum, shattering museum exhibits as they pass them. They perform provocative dances both inside the cage and in darkened museum halls. Cut-scenes feature Cyrus lying down, dressed in a silver corset attached to a bed of peacock feathers, or writhing alone in her nest in the cage. The video ends with Cyrus back in her cage and the museum empty and trashed.
Reception.
The video premiered on May 4, 2010, on E! News. The video received generally positive reviews from critics. It also received numerous comparisons to videos by Britney Spears and Lady Gaga, though Cyrus said she "wanted it to be something different for a female artist". Cristina Gibson of E! described the video as "edgy", similar to Cyrus' video for "Party in the U.S.A.", but "on steroids". Tina Warren of MTV News said the video was a good step toward ridding Cyrus of her good-girl image and gave the video a positive review, calling it "intriguing" and stating, "The video [...] is actually quite magnetic and you can’t look away". Tanner Stransky of "Entertainment Weekly" agreed. While he acknowledged the video "might be dark and a tad conceptually racy", he claimed it was smart move. "She isn’t moving too fast, honestly [...] it’s not like Miley is stripping or baring much skin". Rather, Stransky said Cyrus had "some super-fun dance moves" and "[made] a statement", albeit a darker one. The official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, "People's Daily", said the video featured "bold" costumes and "revealed Cyrus' sexy side". The website, Yahoo! added the video to the list of "Worst Music Videos of 2010" Daniel Rutledge of 3 News in New Zealand said Cyrus had made "it very clear she wishes to cast aside any resemblance to the Disney alter ego that made her famous and be regarded from now on as an adult singer." Singaporean newspaper "My Paper" defended Cyrus against claims that the video was too provocative and reported, "If nothing else, this vid shows that Cyrus knows how to entertain, and marks the beginning of truly high-quality videos." Mary Elizabeth Williams of Salon.com offered a contrary opinion, stating that while Cyrus is a "talented singer [who] deserves to break out of her Disney mold", the "Can't Be Tamed" music video was poor. Williams said Cyrus has "talent galore" and "incredible pipes", but her video was "predictable, derivative and dumb" due to its unoriginality. According to "People" magazine, online reaction to the music video has been greatly varied. "Fans and bloggers lit up the Web with comments ranging from 'stunning, gorgeous, fierce' to 'wow way too much for someone her age'", the magazine reported. "NME" put the video at number 28 on their list of the "50 Worst Music Videos Ever".
Live performances.
Cyrus first performed "Can't Be Tamed" live on May 18, 2010, on "Dancing With the Stars". Donning the black leotard and accessories used in the music video, Cyrus appeared in a human-sized cage and then performed throughout the stage with many costumed backup dancers; Cyrus' dancing was minimal. Her first performance of the song outside the United States was at the Rock in Rio concert in Lisbon, Portugal on May 29, 2010. Cyrus appeared on June 1, 2010, at the Paris nightclub 1515 Club and on June 3, 2010, on "Britain's Got Talent"'s semifinals to perform "Can't Be Tamed". On the latter, Cyrus wore hot pants, fishnets and boots as she performed. Midway through the performance, Cyrus grabbed a female backup dancer, dipping her low, and simulated a kiss. The performance was met with negative reactions from the media and caused her to release a statement in which Cyrus promised she did not kiss the backup dancer. Cyrus wrote, "It is ridiculous that two entertainers can’t even rock out with each other without the media making it some type of story. I really hope my fans are not
disappointed in me because the truth is I did nothing wrong. I got up
there and did my job which is to perform to the best of my ability." Cyrus later performed the song at the Rock in Rio concert in Madrid, Spain and the London nightclubs Heaven and G-A-Y. She has performed the track on "Good Morning America", "Late Show with David Letterman", MuchMusic Video Awards in Canada, and concert at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, California, which was streamed across over 30 websites owned by MTV Networks.
Cyrus performed the song during the Gypsy Heart Tour as well as her Bangerz Tour. She wore a black sequined bra and furry monochrome chaps with falconry gloves during the performance. She was also accompanied by an enormous replica of her dog, Floyd. The performance received positive reviews from critics.
Charts.
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References.
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