Can’t Be Tamed is the third studio album by American recording artist Miley Cyrus, first released on June 18, 2010 by Hollywood Records. Writing and recording commenced while Cyrus traveled on the 2009 Wonder World Tour. 19 live performances and backstage interviews from a performance at London’s O2 Arena are featured on the second disc of the deluxe edition of Can’t Be Tamed. The album’s producers include longtime collaborators Antonina Armato, Tim James, and John Shanks. Musically, Can’t Be Tamed ranges from acoustic ballads to dance-pop numbers. The tracks share a theme of breaking free of constraints and expectations. This is the last album that she released with Hollywood Records.

Can’t Be Tamed debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, at number eight on the UK Albums Chart and at number four in the German. The album’s lead single and title track, “Can’t Be Tamed”, was released on May 18, 2010. It debuted at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five also on the New Zealand Singles Chart. The second single, “Who Owns My Heart”, was released on October 26, 2010. Promotion was primarily through concerts and television appearances.

Background

Cyrus announced that she intends to take a musical hiatus after completing Can’t Be Tamed in order to explore a variety of musical genres and develop a sound befitting her tastes. Cyrus stated that her music isn’t inspiring her the way it should be, and hopes Can’t Be Tamed will be her last pop album. “The more I make music that doesn’t truly inspire me, the more I feel like I’m blending in with everyone else”, she said. Cyrus originally desired for a new, more rock inclined sound for her music. She later revealed Can’t Be Tamed contained music influenced by pop singer Lady Gaga and possessed techno qualities. “It was a natural progression for her,” said Abbey Konowitch, general manager of Hollywood Records. He commented that the album was more dance-pop than originally intended. “But it feels very comfortable for her, and it feels very comfortable in terms of the state of contemporary music”.

Cyrus believed the summer 2010 release was appropriate because it was “definitely a good CD. It’s good to blast in your car”. The album was first released on June 18, 2010 in Germany and then on June 21, 2010 in the United States. Unlike Cyrus’ and Hollywood Records’ previous albums, Can’t Be Tamed will be released using a day-and-date format, following a new licensing deal with Universal Music Group in Europe. Konowitch presented the album at its earliest stage to representatives of Universal Music Group in Europe in order to speak of the new licensing deal that enabled day-and-day for its release; the approval allowed for them to commence global marking plan earlier than usual. “Normally our records are staggered throughout the world because of the availability of the artist. It’s unusual for us to have the time and the music far enough in advance to do that,” he said. A standard edition, containing only an audio CD, and a deluxe edition, containing an audio CD and a DVD, were released. The DVD contains previously unreleased footage from Cyrus’ concert at The O2 Arena in London, England, which was part of her first world tour, the 2009 Wonder World Tour. It contains nineteen live performances and backstage interviews with Cyrus. The album artwork was revealed on May 7, 2010 through Cyrus’ official website.

Recording

Can’t Be Tamed was recorded as Cyrus traveled the world, largely due to the Wonder World Tour. In December 2009, she began the recording process in London, England. Album producer John Shanks, who previously produced Cyrus’ hit single “The Climb”, affiliated with Cyrus for the album and, in order to do so, navigated via airplane to different locations. Shanks would repeatedly travel to London in order to fulfill recording and writing sessions with Cyrus. Then, he would return to Los Angeles, California to continue further work on the tracks. The head of A&R at Hollywood Records, Jon Lind, said, “John spent quite a bit of time, God bless him [...] He was really a soldier and a world traveler for going to do this creative thing in between Miley’s schedule.”

Other producers Cyrus had previously worked with also appear on the album — Antonina Armato and Tim James, both of who produced Cyrus’ hits “See You Again” and “7 Things”. Cyrus described the environment during the recording process with Armato to be warm: “I call Antonina ‘Mommy’ because she’s my second mom. No one could ever understand the relationship we have. I’ve been working with her for four years and every day I go into the studio and we just sit around and eat cupcakes and talk and I tell her everything about my life. I think that’s why we make good music together.” The finished product results in a variety of dance beats and synths, but Cyrus believed the sound was secondary to the personal lyrics therein.

Composition

Cyrus told Billboard magazine that she does not have a formal songwriting process and instead takes notes on her cellphone and the journal she stores in her computer. She said that she does not listen to pop music, and that her “13-year-old self would have beaten up her 17-year-old self” for being “a sellout”. Nonetheless, she stated that the music on the album is meaningful to her.

“Liberty Walk”, co-written by Cyrus, Antonina Armato, Tim James, John Fasse, and Nick Scapa is about someone who finds the courage to leave an abusive relationship. Cyrus, Armato, James, Paul Neumann, and Marek Pompetzki composed “Can’t Be Tamed”, the album’s title track, which was written about being trapped and people observing her. The song, according to her, bears a theme of “breaking out and feeling free.” Cyrus recorded a cover version of Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”, from their 1988 album Open Up and Say… Ahh!, after hearing a crowd of people singing along to it. She deemed it “a classic” and one of her favorite songs. “I feel like the way the music industry is today really shelters kids and they aren’t exposed to songs as honest and real as this one.” Cyrus consulted the lead singer of Poison, Bret Michaels, who helped Cyrus analyze “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and then add her “own flare and edge”. Michaels said the band receives numerous requests to cover the song and is always nervous about granting permission. “And I gotta tell you something. She nailed the song,” he told MTV. He added that Cyrus was “one of the few musicians” that could “give ["Every Rose Has Its Thorn"] her own flare and make it sound good”. Michaels sings backup on the cover. Cyrus conceived “Robot” in December 2009 in London, while traveling on the Wonder World Tour; it describes a desire to escape “the form and the machine everyone thinks you should be”. Cyrus wrote the song “My Heart Beats for Love” for her gay hairdresser, one of her best friends. It is an attempt to persuade audiences to not discriminate against homosexuals and “be open to the world”.

Musically, Can’t Be Tamed varies and includes several dance numbers, many of which heavily rely on bass. “Who Owns My Heart” contains many keyboard riffs, which Ann Donahue of Billboard believed to be reminiscent of 1980s music. “Can’t Be Tamed” uses a drum machine in its instrumentation as Cyrus sings the chorus. Donahue added that “Two More Lonely People”‘s sound was in the same nature. “Permanent December” also explores through dance genres.

Critical Reception

The album generated mostly mixed reviews from critics. Glenn Gamboa of Newsday said the album’s primary fault is how confused it sounds; he says Cyrus is “hard to resist” on some tracks but lacked focus on others, such as while “wandering through” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and rapping on “Liberty Walk”, and that such songs made her “hard to take seriously”. Ed Masely of The Arizona Republic agreed: “The trouble is, Miley’s not a little girl, not yet a woman, and she seems a little stumped as to the best way one might bump and grind her way through the transition years in public.” Masely was also disappointed that Cyrus had turned away from “the spunky bubblegum she did so well” and considered the album’s best songs its “frothy electro-pop”. Ron Harris of the Associated Press said Cyrus sounded “17 going on 15″ as she continued to sing “vague love songs slathered in studio software instrumentals”. He questioned Cyrus’s large team of co-writers: “How do you claim artistic independence while maintaining a co-writing team that outnumbers the musicians?” In a kinder review, Rolling Stone said Cyrus and her album were undeniably Disney products, but were better for it: “Tamed was mostly cooked up by the pros who helped make Cyrus a Disney princess. It’s a Top 40 record of a high order.” Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a “B-”, saying, “Despite her best rebellious efforts, Miley’s just not (yet) that thorny a girl.” Ian Drew of Us Weekly said the album’s with Britney Spears-style declarations and dance beats (“I’m hot like that,” she brags on “Can’t Be Tamed”) as well as big ballads that echo “The Climb.” A glitch? As with Ms. Spears, overproduction cant mask her thin voice.”

Many reviewers criticized the album’s heavy use of technology on the album. Alexis Petridis of The Guardian said the album was “bog-standard pop-dance: rave synths, vocals chromed with Auto-Tune [...] in seeking to establish a more individual identity, Cyrus has become more generic.” Brad Wheeler of the Globe and Mail claimed, “There’s not a sliver of individuality on this uninspired album”. He said her auto-tuned voice was “nothing special” and the album’s lyrics were cliche-ridden. Heather Phares of Allmusic commented, “Though pop was Cyrus’ bread and butter during her Hannah years, the album’s synth-dominated tunes don’t jell with her voice; she sounds more natural and more grown-up on the songs that straddle rock and country.” Phares also noted that “too often, Cyrus equates grown-up with joyless”. The Washington Post reviewed saying, “Tamed” takes advantage of her vinegary personality, dividing itself between disposable, tinny dance pop tracks and generically sweeping, echo-y ballads.”

Chart Performance

The album sold 102,000 copies in its first week of release in the US, debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 behind Drake’s Thank Me Later and Eminem’s Recovery. In its second week the album sales dropped to 33,000 copies and fell to number nine on the Billboard 200. As of June 2, 2011, the album had sold 320,000 copies in the United States.

Promotion

To promote Can’t Be Tamed, Hollywood Records focused on television appearances rather than radio, as a result of the time constraints that surrounded Cyrus at the time. The strategy was to “benefit from loud individual events versus the traditional touring and press runs.” Cyrus first performed “Can’t Be Tamed” live on May 18, 2010 on Dancing With the Stars. In her first appearances in Europe, Cyrus performed the title track, “Robot”, and “My Heart Beats for Love” at the Rock in Rio concerts in Lisbon, Portugal on May 29, 2010 and Madrid, Spain on June 6, 2010. She performed a concert that featured six songs from the album at the Los Angeles House of Blues on June 21, 2010. The concert was taped and streamed across over thirty websites owned by MTV Networks. Throughout the summer of 2010, Cyrus promoted Can’t Be Tamed as she performed songs on Britain’s Got Talent, Good Morning America, Late Show with David Letterman, and MuchMusic Video Awards.

Cyrus performed “Who Owns My Heart” at MTV Europe Music Awards 2010 and “Forgiveness and Love” at the 2010 American Music Awards. The album will be further promoted during the 2011 Gypsy Heart Tour visiting the Americas, Australia and Asia.

Singles

“Can’t Be Tamed” was released as the album’s lead single on May 18, 2010, through digital distribution. Despite mixed reviews for the album, the single received positive critical reception with Ed Masely of The Arizona Republic writing, “The leadoff single, “Can’t Be Tamed,” [...] promised so much more than she’s delivered here.” It debuted at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, number six on the Canadian Hot 100, and number five on the New Zealand Singles Chart. The song’s accompanying music video, which premiered on E! News on May 4, was directed by Robert Hales and follows Cyrus and numerous backup dancers dressed in bird-like clothing as they escape a cage and trash a museum.

“Who Owns My Heart” will be seen as the album’s second single internationally only. Promotional CD singles were sent to radio mid-September. A commercial CD single was released on October 26, 2010. The music video was filmed on August 7 in Lansing, and premiered on October 8, 2010 via the Spanish MSN page. It debuted at number 24 on the German Singles Chart.

“Every Rose Has Its Thorn” will be released as the albums third single overall. The single was planned to be released in America in November 2010 as the album’s second single, however the single was canceled for unexplained reasons. Many people speculate the cancellation came to the rumors surrounding Bret Michaels’s affair with Cyrus’ mom, Tish Cyrus. This caused the Cyrus family to split. However, in March 2011, Cyrus’s father Billy Ray Cyrus canceled the divorce and said the single will be released later in 2011. “I think this is the song that will cross her [Miley] over… If it happens, it’s going to be a big hit.” said Michaels. The single will now only be released in Australia in support of Miley’s tour.

Track Listing

1. “Liberty Walk”
Written by: Miley Cyrus, Antonina Armato, Tim James, Nicholas J. Scapa, John Read Frasse, Michael McGinnish
Produced by: Armato, James
Length: 4:06

2. “Who Owns My Heart”
Written by: Cyrus, Armato, James, Devrim Karaoglu
Produced by: Armato, James
Length: 3:34

3. “Can’t Be Tamed”
Written by: Cyrus, Armato, James, Marek Pompetzki, Paul Neumann
Produced by: Armato, James
Legnth: 2:48

4. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” (Poison cover)
Written by: Bret Michaels, Rikki Rockett, Bobby Dall, C.C DeVille
Produced by: Armato, James
Length: 3:50

5. “Two More Lonely People”
Written by: Cyrus, Kevin Kadish, Brandon Jane, Angie Aparo, Armato
Produced by: Armato, James
Length: 3:11

6. “Forgiveness and Love”
Written by: Cyrus, Armato, James, Adam Schmalholz
Produced by: Shanks
Length: 3:27

7. “Permanent December”
Written by: John Shanks, Claude Kelly, Cyrus
Produced by: Shanks
Length: 3:35

8. “Stay”
Written by: Shanks, Cyrus
Produced by: Shanks
Length: 4:22

9. “Scars”
Written by: Shanks, Cyrus
Produced by: Shanks
Length: 3:43

10. “Take Me Along”
Written by: Shanks, Cyrus
Produced by: Shanks
Length: 4:08

11. “Robot”
Written by: Shanks, Cyrus
Produced by: Shanks, Nataly Cholula
Length: 3:44

12. “My Heart Beats For Love”
Written by: Shanks, Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson, Cyrus
Produced by: Shanks
Length: 3:42

iTunes Bonus Track

13. “Can’t Be Tamed” (RockAngeles remix featuring Lil Jon)
Length: 4:01

Deluxe Edition DVD – Miley Cyrus: Live at the 02

1. “Hello London/Wanna Hear My Fingers Crack?”

2. “Breakout” (Live)

3. “Start All Over”

4. “7 Things” (Live)

5. “Kicking and Screaming” (Live)

6. “It’s More About The Music Here”

7. “Bottom Of The Ocean” (Live)

8. “You Have to Buy It”

9. “Fly On The Wall” (Live)

10. “Let’s Get Crazy” (Live)

11. “Hoedown Throwdown” (Live)

12. “Not Sure if the Queen Jams Out”

13. “These Four Walls” (Live)

14. “I Don’t Do Hats”

15. “When I Look At You” (Live)

16. “Obsessed” (Live)

17. “The Show Can’t Go On/Backstage at the 02″

18. “Spotlight” (Live)

19. “G.N.O. (Girls Night Out)” (Live)

20. “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” (Live)

21. “Party In The U.S.A” (Live)

22. “Hovering” (featuring Trace Cyrus; live)

23. “This Is How We Roll”

24. “Simple Song” (Live)

25. “See You Again” (Live)

26. “The Climb” (Live)

27. “End Credits”

Can’t Be Tamed – Mini DVD

Can’t Be Tamed – Mini DVD is a video album which was released in the UK and Japan to promote Can’t Be Tamed. It features the music video and a behind-the-scenes documentary of the lead single “Can’t Be Tamed”, two live performances taken from Miley’s Wonder World Tour at the O2 Arena on December 31, 2009, and also includes an interview filmed in London. The Japanese edition was released on November 24, and additionally features the music video of “Who Owns My Heart”.

1. “Can’t Be Tamed” (Making of the music video)

2. “Fly On The Wall” (Live at the 02)

3. “Start All Over” (Live at the 02)

4. “Can’t Be Tamed” (Music Video)

5. “Who Owns My Heart” (Music Video; Japan only)

6. “Miley Hearts London”

Charts and Certificates

Charts (2010): U.S. Billboard 200
Peak Position: 3
Sales: 320,000
Certification: -

Charts (2010): UK Albums Chart
Peak Position: 8
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): European Top 100 Albums
Peak Position: 2
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Australian ARIA Albums Chart
Peak Position: 4
Sales: -
Certification: Platinum

Charts (2010): Austria Top 40
Peak Position: 2
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Belgium Albums Chart
Peak Position: 7
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Canadian Albums Chart
Peak Position: 2
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Czech Albums Chart
Peak Position: 8
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Danish Albums Chart
Peak Position: 25
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Dutch Albums Chart
Peak Position: 31
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Finnish Albums Chart
Peak Position: 41
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): French Albums Chart
Peak Position: 13
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): German Albums Chart
Peak Position: 4
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Greek Albums Chart
Peak Position: 3
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Hungarian Albums Chart
Peak Position: 10
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Irish Albums Chart
Peak Position: 5
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Mexican Albums Chart
Peak Position: 10
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): New Zealand Albums Chart
Peak Position: 2
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Norway Albums Chart
Peak Position: 8
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Polish Albums Chart
Peak Position: 11
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Portugese Albums Chart
Peak Position: 1
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Spanish Albums Chart
Peak Position: 1
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Swedish Albums Chart
Peak Position: 21
Sales: -
Certification: -

Charts (2010): Swiss Albums Chart
Peak Position: 3
Sales: -
Certification: -