"Younger Now"
Single by Miley Cyrus
from the album Younger Now
ReleasedAugust 18, 2017 (2017-08-18)
GenrePop[1]
Length4:08
LabelRCA
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Miley Cyrus
Producer(s)
  • Oren Yoel
  • Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus singles chronology
"Malibu"
(2017) 		"Younger Now"
(2017) 		"Nothing Breaks Like a Heart"
(2018)
Music video
"Younger Now" on YouTube

"Younger Now" is a song by American singer Miley Cyrus, from her sixth studio album of the same name (2017). It was released on August 18, 2017, by RCA Records as the second and final single from the album. Its lyrics were written by Cyrus and its musical composition and production done by Cyrus and Oren Yoel.[2] An accompanying music video was released on the same day.[3]

Background and release

After Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz (2015), Cyrus spent time reclaiming her once wholesome image in the run up to her new material, Younger Now. Prior to the album's release on September 29, 2017, Cyrus released "Malibu" as the lead single and "Inspired" a promotional single before unveiling the album's title track as the second single on August 18, 2017, along with its music video.[4] It is a twangy pop song[1] featuring one of her grade school portraits as the cover artwork.[4]

Composition

Younger Now (2017)
A sample of the song, where the chorus can be heard.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The song is performed in the key of A major, with a moderately fast tempo of 122 beats per minute in common time. Cyrus vocals span from E3 to Db5.[5] Lyrically, Ben Kate of Consequence of Sound described the track as "a soaring reclamation of changes Cyrus experienced over the last several years, ending with a declaration she now is the best version of herself. 'I'm not afraid of who I used to be / No one stays the same,' she proclaims. 'Change is a thing you can count on / I feel so much younger now'".[4]

Critical reception

USA Today's Maeve McDermott claimed "the song is infinitely more listenable than most of the music from her Dead Petz phase", but criticized Cyrus for "not offering much in the way of meaningful self-reflection on the song".[1]

Track listing

Digital download (the remixes EP)[6]

  1. "Younger Now" (R3hab remix) – 2:40
  2. "Younger Now" (Niko the Kid remix) – 3:44
  3. "Younger Now" (DJ Premier remix) – 2:57
  4. "Younger Now" (Burns remix) – 4:23
  5. "Younger Now" (Fred Falke remix) – 3:52
  6. "Younger Now" (Syn Cole remix) – 3:23

Live performances

Cyrus first performed "Younger Now" at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards on August 27, featuring a varied array of senior citizen men and women, many of whom in their late eighties, as the main dancers, as well as several young children riding mini-motorcycles.[7] On September 7, Cyrus performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She also performed "Younger Now" live for the third time in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, accompanied with other songs like "Malibu", "See You Again", "Party in the U.S.A." and a cover of Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", the following week.[8]

Music video

Background and synopsis

Accompanying the song was a music video featuring a "mishmash" of 1950s-inspired imagery. In the video's most on-the-nose moment, one of the sideshow characters populating its carnival setting spins upside down on a stripper pole, as the words "No one stays the same" flash in front.[1] Cyrus helped co-direct the video alongside her friend and collaborator Diane Martel. The video features Cyrus interacting with a puppet of her younger self and dancing with a group of senior citizens.

Reception

USA Today suggested the stripper scene is "a flashback to Cyrus grinding on Robin Thicke and twerking in the "We Can't Stop" video during her Bangerz years".[1]

Charts

Chart performance for "Younger Now"
Chart (2017) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 49
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[10] 48
France (SNEP Sales Chart)[11] 53
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[12] 64
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 75
Portugal (AFP)[14] 92
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 84
UK Singles (OCC)[16] 54
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 79
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[18] 39

Certifications

Certifications for "Younger Now"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[19] Gold 35,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[20] Gold 20,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway)[21] Gold 30,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

"Younger Now" release history
Region Date Format(s) Version Label Ref.
Various August 18, 2017
Original RCA [22]
United States August 22, 2017 Contemporary hit radio [23]
Italy September 15, 2017 Radio airplay Sony [24]
Various October 5, 2017
  • Digital download
  • streaming
 The remixes RCA [6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e McDermott, Maeve (August 18, 2017). "Miley Cyrus' 'Younger Now' continues her sanitized reinvention". USA Today. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  2. ^ John Norris (August 24, 2017). "What We Know About Miley Cyrus' 'Younger Now'". billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  3. ^ "Younger Now - Single by Miley Cyrus on Apple Music". itunes.apple.com. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Kate, Ben (August 17, 2017). "Miley Cyrus unveils new single "Younger Now" and video: Stream the title track from the pop singer's forthcoming album". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  5. ^ "Miley Cyrus "Younger Now" Sheet Music in A Major - Download & Print". MusicNotes.com. August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Younger Now (The Remixes) – EP". iTunes Store (US). October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  7. ^ "VMAs 2017: Watch Miley Cyrus Go Retro in 'Younger Now' Performance". Rolling Stone. August 28, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  8. ^ "Miley Cyrus Returned To Live Lounge And Performed 'See You Again' In The Year 2017". MTV News. September 15, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  9. ^ "Miley Cyrus – Younger Now". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  10. ^ "Miley Cyrus Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  11. ^ "Miley Cyrus - Younger Now". PureMédias (in French).
  12. ^ "Miley Cyrus Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard.
  13. ^ "Miley Cyrus – Younger Now". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "Miley Cyrus – Younger Now". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
  15. ^ "Miley Cyrus – Younger Now". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  16. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  17. ^ "Miley Cyrus Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  18. ^ "Miley Cyrus Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  19. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  20. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Miley Cyrus – Younger Now" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  21. ^ "Norwegian single certifications" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  22. ^ Drysdale, Jennifer (August 13, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Apologizes for Skipping Teen Choice Awards, Announces New Single 'Younger Now'". Entertainment Tonight. ET Online. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  23. ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on August 23, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  24. ^ "Miley Cyrus - Younger Now RadioDate". Radio Airplay. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
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