Miley Cyrus

She's been a household name since before she could legally vote, but in 2023, Miley Cyrus might have had one of the biggest years of her career to date. Fresh off the successes of her underrated 2020 rock album Plastic Hearts and the annual NBC New Year's Eve show, Cyrus entered a new era with “Flowers“. The disco-tinged declaration of independence preceded the album Endless Summer Vacation and broke all kinds of streaming and chart records. “Flowers“ also became Cyrus' first Billboard Hot 100 hit since “Wrecking Ball“ in 2013, a full-force chart comeback that proved she's an icon with longevity — here to stay. If anyone had counted out Miley Cyrus as a pop music legend, 2023 surely reminded the world who she is, what she's capable of, and that she can love herself better than anyone else.

Triumph definitely defined Miley Cyrus and her fandom in 2023. Although she cemented herself as a music icon as a teenager and again as an adult with her post-Disney reinvention album Bangerz, Miley further secured her place in pop culture in 2023 with the inescapable No. 1 hit single “Flowers“. The song from her album Endless Summer Vacation proved that Miley still has the power to command an audience and top the charts (for eight weeks!) based purely on her talent. She landed her second No. 1 single (her first in 10 years since “Wrecking Ball“ in 2013) and notched another top 10 with “Used to Be Young“. No one in music had a more triumphant return to the spotlight this year than Miley Cyrus.

After scoring one of the biggest hits of her career almost 20 years into it, Miley Cyrus seemed primed for another full takeover, complete with a world tour as a victory lap (and a rumored offer for the Super Bowl halftime show). But Miley openly opted not to take her Endless Summer Vacation on the road due to the toll previous tours took on her life and health. While we all love to see our favorite singers perform live, Miley forging her own path with taped performance specials, especially for her fans and her New Year’s Eve show on NBC will surely help shift what it means to be at the top of your game. She’s at the forefront of the conversation on how to reassess your priorities as an artist, having spoken openly about being overworked as a child star. The fans will show up anytime, anywhere to give Miley her flowers — even though she can buy them for herself.