"Plastic Hearts" is the seventh studio album by American singer Miley Cyrus, released on November 27, 2020, by RCA Records. It marked Cyrus' final album with the label, as she signed with Columbia Records in early 2021. The album represents a departure from her previous work, blending rock, pop, synth-pop, and glam rock with influences from country, punk rock, new wave, arena rock, industrial, disco, and power pop. Produced primarily by Andrew Watt and Louis Bell, Plastic Hearts also features collaborations with Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, and guest vocals from Dua Lipa, Billy Idol, Joan Jett, and Stevie Nicks.
Plastic Hearts debuted at number one on the US Billboard Top Rock Albums chart and number two on the Billboard 200. It received positive reviews from critics and spawned three singles: "Midnight Sky," "Prisoner," and "Angels like You." As of October 2023, the album surpassed 3 billion streams on Spotify, becoming the most streamed rock album of the decade on the platform.
Cyrus had previously explored country music on her 2017 album Younger Now, but after the lukewarm reception of that album, she decided to pursue a more modern, rock-oriented sound. This transition was influenced by her collaborations with Ronson and her acknowledgment that Younger Now wasn’t the right fit for her artistic vision. Cyrus cited Britney Spears and Metallica as key influences during the creation of Plastic Hearts.
The album’s initial title was She Is Miley Cyrus, with the "she" representing a powerful, confident version of herself. She planned to release the album through a trilogy of EPs: She Is Coming, She Is Here, and She Is Everything. However, after undergoing vocal cord surgery in late 2019 and experiencing the personal fallout from her divorce with Liam Hemsworth, Cyrus ultimately canceled the EPs and opted for a full-length album release. Plastic Hearts was announced in October 2020 with a release date set for November 27 of the same year.
The album cover was photographed by Mick Rock, renowned for his work with Joan Jett and Debbie Harry. The cover features Cyrus with a blonde mullet, wearing a "censored" shirt by Jean Paul Gaultier, and accessorized with silver jewelry. This was the last album cover Rock shot before his passing in 2021.
