We Can't Stop

On June 3, 2013, Miley Cyrus unleashed "We Can't Stop" as the lead single from her fourth studio album Bangerz. The release marked a sharp departure from her Disney Channel roots, swapping teen pop for a gritty blend of trap percussion and electropop. Mike WiLL Made-It handled production while co-writing credits went to R. City, P-Nasty, Doug E. Fresh, and Slick Rick. The track samples the 1985 hip-hop anthem "La Di Da Di," grounding its rebellious sound in classic rap history.

Lyrically, the song paints a chaotic picture of a house party spiraling out of control with lines about bathroom lines and drug references that sparked immediate debate. Critics remained divided over whether the hedonistic posturing felt authentic or contrived, yet the commercial response was undeniable. The single climbed to number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, held off the top spot by Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," while simultaneously topping charts in the UK and New Zealand. It eventually earned an eight-times platinum certification from the RIAA.

The accompanying music video arrived on YouTube on June 19, 2013, and shattered records within hours. Director Diane Martel crafted visuals filled with teddy bears and twerking that garnered 10.7 million views in just one day. That Vevo record stood until Cyrus released "Wrecking Ball," but the video still hit 100 million views in only 37 days. Her performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, where she danced against Robin Thicke, cemented the song's status as a defining pop culture moment of the decade. [edit]