Miley Cyrus Cover Songs: From Led Zeppelin Tributes to Rock Legend Collaborations

Miley Cyrus, once a Disney pop princess, has redefined her musical legacy with powerful and gritty finesse. By utilizing a rawer sound, she has taken on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and covered a number of classic rock legends. This includes songs by Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, and Metallica. Miley's remarkable vocals and presence on stage have also really helped. She's surprised many with her rock reinvention, and hardcore fans have appreciated her musical flexibility.

Miley Cyrus's love affair with rock isn't a fleeting phase. She's covered 26 classic rock songs in various settings, from TV specials to live concerts to studio sessions. She captures and channels the essence of each song while adding her unique voice, whether in a live, raw version or in a studio cover. Her covers range from acoustic ballads to heavy guitar riffs, revealing her vocal power and fearless evolution.

Miley Cyrus's journey from teen idol to rock torchbearer began with her 2010 album Can't Be Tamed. It came out on June 18 and was more grown-up and sophisticated as compared to what you would hear on her Disney shows. This album was one of the earliest signs that Miley was outgrowing pop music with its coarser production and more confrontational melodic lines. Soon enough, this became proof of her versatility and a means of getting some traction beyond Hannah Montana. The same year, she began singing the songs of Joan Jett, who had been introduced to her by her father.

Billy Ray Cyrus loved playing Etta James, Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett, Debbie Harry, and Kathleen Hanna in his car and his home jukebox. These women became early role models for Miley, and in her 2011 Gypsy Heart Tour, she went full rock on. The tour ran from April 29th through July 2nd and grossed over 26 million in 21 shows. All in all, it was centered on music rather than a grand show.

The same year, she distanced herself from her pop past as she declared her rock aspirations via acoustic performances and fan requests. She also released powerful covers of Fleetwood Mac's “Landslide” and Nirvana's “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” which she sang 21 times.

Miley rocked out to Led Zeppelin's “Black Dog” in Las Vegas in 2019. Nearly half of her eight-song set featured covers. She delivered gritty vocals over heavy guitar riffs. In the same year at Glastonbury, she performed “Black Dog” on the Pyramid Stage, which she rolled into her single “Mother's Daughter.” During the performance, she wore patent leather trousers with extended guitar breakdowns, which projected defiant energy as she played her transformation.

Cyrus also often sang Led Zeppelin's “Babe I'm Gonna Leave You” live in concert, doing so nine times between 2014 and 2015. The authorship rights of the song went through legal twists and turns. However, Led Zeppelin addressed this later through proper crediting issues via court cases. 

While some critics appreciated Miley's cover for its emotional take, not everyone was impressed. One particular review branded the cover as “paint by numbers and lazy.” It claimed there was a disconnect in the vocal delivery. Ultimately, Miley Cyrus demonstrated her ambition by covering these rock tracks despite mixed reactions. She aspired to prove that her talents were not limited to pop and that she was destined to become rock royalty.

In 2019, at a music festival, Miley Cyrus performed Pink Floyd's hit "Comfortably Numb." It was very emotional, especially because she had said that she sings more for herself when she is covering songs like this one. Miley performed it near the end of her set, and its vibe and tone were unlike the rest of her songs. Her energy added a dreamlike sadness to the song, showing her prowess as a performer. The original version projected disconnectedness and emotional unavailability. However, Cyrus's raw delivery showcased a vulnerability that was absent from her early pop catalog.

In April 2020, during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Cyrus performed “Wish You Were Here” from home on Saturday Night Live. The song was originally written as a tribute to Syd Barrett to express the feeling of loss. Miley Cyrus's bare iteration echoed the world's melancholy. Through her interpretation, listeners were able to gain a fresh perspective on absence and distance. 

These covers, unlike her pop songs, showed depth and emotion. Through the selection of songs that reflect grief and isolation, she displayed a more introspective aspect of her creativity. Thus, her Pink Floyd tributes were not just performances. To her, they were personal moments singing music that had been appreciated by different generations.

In 2014, Miley Cyrus collaborated with The Flaming Lips on two tracks for their tribute album With a Little Help From My Fwends, a psychedelic reworking of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Though the album is officially credited to The Flaming Lips, it features contributions from several artists, including Cyrus. Her involvement began after she tweeted a birthday message to frontman Wayne Coyne, sparking a creative friendship. They recorded informally in Coyne's Oklahoma studio and at Cyrus's Los Angeles home, embracing a spontaneous and experimental approach.

Cyrus sang “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” alongside Moby and MGMT's Andrew VanWyngarden. She also recorded a Paul McCartney part on a cover version of “A Day in the Life” with The Flaming Lips in 2014. Wayne Coyne leaked images from their sessions, including one of Cyrus rolling a blunt. The proceeds of the album were donated to the Bella Foundation, which helps the elderly and low-income pet owners to pay for veterinary care.

In 2020, Cyrus created a beautiful cover of The Beatles' “Help!” in Global Citizen's “Unite for Our Future” livestream. She sang alone in the empty Rose Bowl, capturing the feel of loneliness brought on by the pandemic. The Beatles covers were infused with raw energy and sincere emotion. Moreover, it showed how she was still asserting herself through classic rock music.

Miley Cyrus has worked with a range of rock legends, making great music together. In 2015, she performed with Joan Jett, Dave Grohl, and Tommy James at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They sang “Crimson and Clover” together, and Cyrus spoke at Jett's induction. She praised Jett's fearless style and lasting influence. This performance really helped cement Cyrus's place amongst rock's rising voices and indicated her deep regard for those who came before her.

Cyrus has also worked directly with Elton John multiple times. At the 2018 Grammy Awards, they performed “Tiny Dancer” together at Madison Square Garden. Later, she appeared on a twangy version of “The Bitch Is Back” for the Restoration and Revamp tribute albums. She was the only artist to contribute to both.

In 2016, she performed alongside Billy Idol for a rowdy rendition of “Rebel Yell” while rocking a leather jacket that had the singer's face painted on the back. She left fans speechless by teaming up with Billy Ray Cyrus to sing Def Leppard's “Pour Some Sugar on Me” at a Steel Panther gig. Fans could feel the infectious energy of the high-octane performance.

Miley Cyrus has an extensive rock catalog beyond her big collaborations. In 2019, she performed at Glastonbury, playing Metallica's “Nothing Else Matters” on the same stage where Metallica performed in 2014. There was backlash at that performance over James Hetfield's hunting hobby and the festival's history of not promoting heavy metal. However, Cyrus performed the song with class, and her ability to express emotion strongly was admired. She blew the audience away at the Chris Cornell tribute concert by performing Temple of the Dog's “Say Hello 2 Heaven.” Lars Ulrich called her rendition next-level, and it was beyond inspiring.

Miley Cyrus further expanded her career by delving deeper into acting. In 2019, the singer covered the Nine Inch Nails song “Head Like a Hole” for the Black Mirror episode “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too,” a work that fits into contemporary fiction. Miley also contributed to the four-disc Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International, a 2012 tribute that featured 73 songs. She even confidently performed Hall and Oates' “Maneater” on The Tonight Show with plenty of vocal grit.

Miley Cyrus has covered 26 classic rock songs, showcasing her powerful vocals across multiple artists and styles over the years. These performances happened mainly in live shows, on TV, and a few times in the studio. She has covered Led Zeppelin songs such as “Black Dog” and “Babe I'm Gonna Leave You.” Her Pink Floyd renditions include “Comfortably Numb” and “Wish You Were Here.” Finally, she collaborated with The Flaming Lips on Beatles classics such as “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and “A Day in the Life” and performed “Help” during a worldwide streaming event.

Cyrus recorded covers of Metallica's “Nothing Else Matters” and Elton John's “Tiny Dancer,” “The Bitch Is Back,” and “Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” She performed “Crimson and Clover” with Joan Jett, plus a medley that included “I Love Rock 'N' Roll.” She's also performed covers of songs by Bob Dylan, Nirvana, Fleetwood Mac, Def Leppard, Billy Idol, Blondie, Nine Inch Nails, Temple of the Dog, Poison, Hall and Oates, and Paul Simon. The signature rasp in her voice comes from Reinke's edema, which she has turned into an artistic strength.

Miley Cyrus's classic rock covers show that she is more than just a pop star; she is an artist. From 2010 to the present, her performances have portrayed powerful emotions and vocal strength. She has had stripped acoustic moments and full-band arrangements, both brave and flawless. Her album Plastic Hearts was No. 1 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart, proving she'd made it in the genre. Overall, her work shows that she can convey complex material and speak in new ways to audiences.

Cyrus thinks music and politics go hand in hand, and she often makes cultural statements through her work. Some people love her rock interpretations; others don't. Lars Ulrich praised her, while others criticized her for her singing style. Nonetheless, she pays homage to the classics, makes them accessible to everyone, and demonstrates her versatility.

Miley's growing acclaim is showcased through partnerships with seasoned rock artists. These covers reflect her identity as an artist freed from the Disney branding that once defined her. They show growth, risk-taking, and sincerity. To hear her whole story, it's worth digging into her rock catalog, discovering the reshaping of her career, and what it means to be a modern rock artist.