''The Time of Our Lives'' is the first
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. (EP) by American recording artist
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
. The EP was released on August 28, 2009 by
Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label focuses in pop, rock, alternative, hip hop, and country genres, as well as specializing in mature recordings not suitable for the flagship Walt Disney Records l ...
, initially as a
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
exclusive in the United States. Most of the album was produced by
John Shanks
John Matthew Shanks (born December 18, 1964) is an American songwriter, record producer and guitarist.
Early life and education
John Matthew Shanks was born in New York City. Shanks moved to Los Angeles when he was 17 years old. He was in a ban ...
; Dr Luke also produced. ''The Time of Our Lives'' was originally conceived as a release to accompany Cyrus' apparel line with
Max Azria
Max Azria (January 1, 1949 – May 6, 2019) was a Tunisian-Jewish-born American fashion designer who founded the contemporary women's clothing brand BCBG MAX AZRIA. Azria was also the designer, chairman and CEO of the BCBG Max Azria Group,Musta ...
. Cyrus had fairly limited involvement in the composition of the release, only having writing credits on one track: a live version of the previously released
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers () are an American pop rock band. Formed in 2005, they gained popularity from their appearances on the Disney Channel television network. They consist of three brothers: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Nick Jonas. Raised in W ...
collaboration, "
Before the Storm".
''The Time of Our Lives'' received generally positive reactions from critics, with some reviews suggesting that the EP was an effective step into adulthood for Cyrus. Some reviews were critical of the ballads which appear on the record, however. The EP was a commercial success, charting within the top ten in nine countries. In the United States, ''The Time of Our Lives'' peaked at number two on the
''Billboard'' 200 and was certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). Moreover, the EP had success internationally, peaking at number three in Greece, number five in Austria, and number six in Spain.
Two
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
were released from ''The Time of Our Lives''. The
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
, "
Party in the U.S.A.", became Cyrus' best-selling effort up to that point, peaking at number two in the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. It also became one of the
best-selling singles in the United States and Hollywood Records' best- and fastest-selling single. The second and final single released from the EP was "
When I Look at You
"When I Look at You" is a song recorded by American singer Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Hillary Lindsey and John Shanks, and produced by Shanks. It was released on February 15, 2010 by Hollywood Records as the second and final single ...
". It was used to promote the 2010 film ''
The Last Song'', which Cyrus starred in. Unable to match the success of "Party in the U.S.A.", the single peaked within the top twenty in Australia and the United States. In late 2009, Cyrus embarked on her first world tour, the
Wonder World Tour, to promote the EP.
Background
In order to support Cyrus' then newly launched, joint apparel line with
Max Azria
Max Azria (January 1, 1949 – May 6, 2019) was a Tunisian-Jewish-born American fashion designer who founded the contemporary women's clothing brand BCBG MAX AZRIA. Azria was also the designer, chairman and CEO of the BCBG Max Azria Group,Musta ...
, sold exclusively by
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
stores, an EP was chosen for release. "I feel it goes perfect for that kind of look", she commented.
For Cyrus, ''The Time of Our Lives'' was a transitional EP and a method of re-introducing herself to new audiences. Speaking about the EP's sound, she said, "I kind of kept it in the lines of what I usually do, which is kind of a
pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
sound — I don't even like using the word '
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
,' because I feel like it's an honor to be put in that title. This is kind of my transition. The next record, I definitely want to be able to step it up a bit."
Cyrus originally planned for her succeeding album to be edgier and more predominant in rock music. She said that, after completing promotion for ''The Time of Our Lives'', she wanted to "step out and maybe take a break" for some time in order to compose music that inspires her.
Cyrus' next album, ''
Can't Be Tamed
''Can't Be Tamed'' is the third studio album by American singer Miley Cyrus. It was released on June 18, 2010, by Hollywood Records, and was her final album with the label; she signed with RCA Records in early 2013. Cyrus wrote and began re ...
'' was released approximately ten months later, on June 18, 2010.
At first, ''The Time of Our Lives'' was exclusively released through the American
retail
Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, and t ...
company
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
, available in American stores and at Walmart.com.
The album was originally planned for release on August 31, 2009, but because of a confusion at various stores, the album was released three days prior than intended.
Several months afterwards, an international edition was released in numerous countries, beginning with the United Kingdom on October 16, 2009. With the addition of "
The Climb" from ''
Hannah Montana: The Movie'', released earlier in 2009, the edition also featured new cover artwork, with photography by
Annie Leibovitz
Anna-Lou Leibovitz ( ; born October 2, 1949) is an American portrait photographer best known for her engaging portraits, particularly of celebrities, which often feature subjects in intimate settings and poses. Leibovitz's Polaroid photo of Jo ...
.
On January 5, 2010, the EP became available for purchasing on other digital retailers in the United States.
Development
![Miley Cyrus during the Wonder World concert in Detroit](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Miley_Cyrus_during_the_Wonder_World_concert_in_Detroit.jpg)
Cyrus recorded a
cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of "Kicking and Screaming", written by
John Shanks
John Matthew Shanks (born December 18, 1964) is an American songwriter, record producer and guitarist.
Early life and education
John Matthew Shanks was born in New York City. Shanks moved to Los Angeles when he was 17 years old. He was in a ban ...
and
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (; born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She writes music primarily in the pop rock genre. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; sales o ...
, and originally recorded by
Ashlee Simpson
Ashley Nicolle Ross ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), known professionally as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer and actress. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as a back-up dancer for her sister ...
for her 2005 album ''
I Am Me
''I Am Me'' is the second studio album by American recording artist Ashlee Simpson. It was released in the United States on October 18, 2005 (see 2005 in music) and debuted at number one in sales. The album produced two top 25 hits on the ''Billb ...
''. "
Party in the U.S.A." was written by
Dr. Luke
Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald (born September 26, 1973), known professionally as Dr. Luke, Tyson Trax, and Made in China, is an American record producer and songwriter. His professional music career began in the late-night television sketch comedy ...
,
Claude Kelly
Claude Kelly (born December 27, 1980)Shirley Halperin and Bob Love"THR Names Music's 35 Top Hitmakers,"''The Hollywood Reporter'', February 6, 2013. is an American singer, songwriter and music producer. He is a four-time Grammy Award nominee, a ...
, and Jessica Cornish. The song was not originally meant for Cyrus to perform, but, once it reached Cyrus, the writing team reworked the lyrics, intending to write an accompanying
theme
Theme or themes may refer to:
* Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work
* Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos
* Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...
for the clothing line.
In order to please audiences, Dr. Luke, Kelly, and Cornish fixated on composing a fun, upbeat song that narrated reflections of Cyrus' personality.
To write his contributions to the song, Kelly said he tried to mimic Cyrus' songwriting: "It's the same song from a different point of view, you just have to find that unique perspective."
Cyrus was pleased with the song and selected it partially due to the need for tracks to appear on ''The Time of Our Lives''.
"
When I Look at You
"When I Look at You" is a song recorded by American singer Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Hillary Lindsey and John Shanks, and produced by Shanks. It was released on February 15, 2010 by Hollywood Records as the second and final single ...
", written by Shanks and
Hillary Lindsey
Hillary Lee Lindsey is an American singer-songwriter. She has written songs with or for a number of artists including Michelle Branch, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Shakira, Lady A, Gary Allan, Sara Evans, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Bon ...
, was initially to be included on Cyrus' succeeding album; it was eventually chosen to promote the 2010 film ''
The Last Song'' after Cyrus recognized that it fit the film's concept well.
According to Cyrus, when she sings "When I Look at You", she thinks of family and love. "It's kind of what this movie is all about", she said.
The title track, "The Time of Our Lives", was composed by Dr. Luke, Kelly, Kesha Sebert (known as
Kesha
Kesha Rose Sebert (; born March 1, 1987), formerly stylized as Ke$ha, is an American singer and songwriter. In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to Kemosabe Records. Her first major success came in early 2009 after she was featured on America ...
), and Pebe Sebert. Kesha co-wrote her contributions to "The Time of Our Lives" with the ideal of constructing a party anthem for young audiences, based on her first impression of Cyrus' personality; comedic and likable.
"Obsessed" was written by Roger Lavoie. Because the EP's production personnel did not understand it, the song was at first denied of inclusion. However, once "Obsessed" reached Cyrus, she continually insisted the track be included on the EP because she felt related to it.
Cyrus described the song as depicting the emotions one feels when one cannot stop thinking of a person and believed it related to numerous fans having their first love. "It's a really romantic song", she concluded.
"Before the Storm", originally released on the
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers () are an American pop rock band. Formed in 2005, they gained popularity from their appearances on the Disney Channel television network. They consist of three brothers: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Nick Jonas. Raised in W ...
' fourth studio album ''
Lines, Vines and Trying Times
''Lines, Vines and Trying Times'' is the fourth studio album by the Jonas Brothers. It was released June 16, 2009, in the US. The album received mixed reviews from critics and fans. In its first week, the album sold 247,000 copies, debuting at num ...
'' (2009), is included on ''The Time of Our Lives'' as a live rendition.
The song was written by
Nick Jonas
Nicholas Jerry Jonas (born September 16, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Jonas began acting on Broadway at the age of seven, and released his debut single in 2002; this caught the attention of Columbia Records, where Jonas ...
,
Joe Jonas
Joseph Adam Jonas (born August 15, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band the Jonas Brothers, alongside his brothers Kevin Jonas, Kevin and Nick Jonas, Nick. The group released their ...
,
Kevin Jonas
Paul Kevin Jonas II (born November 5, 1987) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band, the Jonas Brothers, alongside his younger brothers Joe and Nick. Jonas became a prominent figu ...
, and Cyrus. At first, the song was solely written by the Jonas Brothers for their third studio album ''
A Little Bit Longer
''A Little Bit Longer'' is the third studio album by the American band the Jonas Brothers and their second album released on Hollywood Records. It was released on August 12, 2008. The album received generally favorable reviews, and four star re ...
'' (2008), but did not make the final cut.
Nick and Cyrus later reworked the song's lyrics to fit their past romance using a
grand piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
.
Composition
"Kicking and Screaming" is the most prominent representation of rock music on ''The Time of Our Lives''.
The track features instrumentation that relies on
glam electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...
riff
A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...
ing and ragged, gutsy vocals,
which, at several points, feature a gravelly element.
It results in an uptempo
electronic rock
Electronic rock is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s, when rock bands began incorporating electronic instrume ...
number.
Lyrically, "Kicking and Screaming" is a merciless message to an ex-boyfriend.
"Party in the U.S.A." is a
pop song with
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
elements while having instrumentation that includes a "clash between feathery jazz
guitar chord
In music, a guitar chord is a set of notes played on a guitar. A chord's notes are often played simultaneously, but they can be played sequentially in an arpeggio. The implementation of guitar chords depends on the guitar tuning. Most guitars ...
s and a booming
synth bassline serving as a
hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
".
Cyrus' vocals display an undertone of
alternative country twang and features
belter refrain
A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in poetry — the "chorus" of a song. Poetic fixed forms that feature refrains include the vi ...
s.
The lyrics for "Party in the U.S.A." discuss Cyrus' relocation from
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
to
Hollywood, California
Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...
.
The refrains mainly speak of how her favorite songs make her feel more confident.
"When I Look at You" is a
power ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. M. C ...
that transitions in instrumentation, from
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
to electric guitar.
Throughout the song, Cyrus keeps a hushed tone, but starts to belt soon before the arrival of the second verse. Lyrically, it speaks of a dream lover. "The Time of Our Lives" is a bouncy,
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
song characterized by 1980s
synths
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and f ...
and a fizzy sound caused by a
bubblegum pop
Bubblegum (also called bubblegum pop) is pop music in a catchy and upbeat style that is considered disposable, contrived, or marketed for children and adolescents. The term also refers to a rock and pop subgenre, originating in the United States i ...
background.
Cyrus' processed vocals display a prominent use of
auto-tune
Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances.
Auto-Tu ...
; influences derive from
new wave music
New wave is a loosely defined music genre that encompasses pop-oriented styles from the late 1970s and the 1980s. It was originally used as a catch-all for the various styles of music that emerged after punk rock, including punk itself. La ...
.
The song's lyrics talk about not worrying so much about the future and simply focusing on the present and having a good time together.
"Talk Is Cheap" is a
pop-punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
,
garage rock
Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
song with
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
influences
and a number of hooks.
"Talk Is Cheap" features lyrics that speak of being extremely irritated after encountering predicaments at a club and others smoking cigarettes.
"Obsessed" is a power ballad with
soft rock
Soft rock is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in Southern California and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. S ...
characteristics and husky vocals.
"Obsessed"'s lyrics deal with teenage lust.
"Before the Storm" is a
country pop
Country pop (also known as pop country or urban cowboy) is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres ...
ballad about a melancholic romantic breakup.
Singles
"
Party in the U.S.A." was released on August 11, 2009 as the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from ''The Time of Our Lives'' through digital distribution. It received praise from critics for its musical composition, reflecting aspects of R&B and catchy effect. "Party in the U.S.A." was also a commercial success for Cyrus; it charted within the top ten of eight countries.
In the United States, the song peaked at number two, becoming Cyrus' best-charting single up to that point
and the sixth best selling digital single of 2009. It was also deemed Hollywood Records' fastest and best-selling single to date.
The single was certified Diamond by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA)
and quadruple platinum by the
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)) is a non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, manufacture, produce, and distribute music in Canada. It a ...
(CRIA).
A music video for "Party in the U.S.A.", directed by Chris Applebaum, was set mainly at a
drive-in theater
A drive-in theater or drive-in cinema is a form of movie theater, cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor movie screen, a projection booth, a concession stand, and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers ...
and pays tribute to the film ''
Grease'' (1978) and Cyrus's parents' courting days.
"
When I Look at You
"When I Look at You" is a song recorded by American singer Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Hillary Lindsey and John Shanks, and produced by Shanks. It was released on February 15, 2010 by Hollywood Records as the second and final single ...
" was released to promote the film ''
The Last Song'', which Cyrus' starred in and became the EP's second and last
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
. "When I Look at You" received average to mixed critical reception, ranging from "inevitable hit single" to "inferior ballad", and was unable to duplicate the commercial success of "Party in the U.S.A."
Its highest international peak was achieved in the United States, where it reached number sixteen, followed by Australia, where it peaked at number eighteen.
The song's accompanying music video was directed by
Adam Shankman. It features Cyrus playing a grand piano in several settings, including a beach and forest.
Promotion
![Obsessed Wonder World 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Obsessed_Wonder_World_3.jpg)
Cyrus' first live performance of "Party in the U.S.A." was at the
Teen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards is an annual awards show that airs on the Fox television network. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, film, sports, television, fashion, social media, and more, voted by viewers living in the United S ...
held on August 10, 2009. Clothed in a tank top that revealed a portion of her bra, black hot pants, and leather boots, Cyrus and her backup dancers appeared from a trailer.
Midway through the performance, Cyrus danced atop an ice cream cart with a pole (which was suggested to be a
dance pole
Pole dance combines dance and acrobatics centered on a vertical pole. This performance art form takes place not only in gentleman's clubs as erotic dance, but also as a mainstream form of fitness, practiced in gyms and dedicated dance studios ...
by numerous critics) for approximately forty seconds.
The performance was met with a media uproar, with some critics suggesting that her dancing was too suggestive and sexual for a teen-oriented event, which caused
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
to issue a statement distancing themselves from the performance. Other critics came to Cyrus' defense, stating that viewers should have fixated on her accomplishments that night, winning six awards, rather than the sexuality of the performance.
In continuation, Cyrus promoted the EP on ''
The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...
''
and ''
VH1 Divas'' in the United States. In December, Cyrus undertook promotion in the United Kingdom at
95.8 Capital FM
Capital London is a radio station owned and operated by the Global media company as part of its national Capital FM Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Britain's first two commercial radio stations. I ...
's
Jingle Bell Ball
The Jingle Bell Ball is a concert held annually in December since 2008 (except for 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), by the radio station Capital FM at The O2. Artists that have headlined the concert include Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Li ...
, the
Royal Variety Performance
The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal f ...
—the annual gala for the
British Royal Family— and various other venues.
"The Time of Our Lives" was released for airplay, exclusively on
Radio Disney
Radio Disney was an American radio network operated by the Disney Radio Networks unit of Disney Branded Television within the Disney General Entertainment Content, headquartered in Burbank, California.
The network broadcast music programming ...
, in order to promote the EP. "The Time of Our Lives" peaked at number twenty-three on the
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...
Chart (
''Billboard'' Hot 100 – 123) and at number fifty-one on the
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
. Cyrus embarked on her second
concert tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
, the
Wonder World Tour, to promote ''The Time of Our Lives'' and her second studio album ''
Breakout'' (2008). The tour was Cyrus's first to not have her costumed as Hannah Montana, and was announced in June 2009, with dates revealed for American venues.
Dates for venues in the United Kingdom were later announced. In to order to avoid the extensive
scalping
Scalping is the act of cutting or tearing a part of the human scalp, with hair attached, from the head, and generally occurred in warfare with the scalp being a trophy. Scalp-taking is considered part of the broader cultural practice of the tak ...
that occurred during her
previous tour, all tickets were sold exclusively through paperless ticket delivery, which required audiences to bring identification to gain entry into the concert.
The tour expanded from September to December 2009.
Critical reception
''The Time of Our Lives'' received generally positive reviews, earning a collective score of 63 out of 100 on
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
. Bill Lamb of
About.com
Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...
said, "Cyrus is developing one of the more distinctive vocal instruments in current pop music, and her songs are turning slowly to reflective adult concerns. Consistent growth and improvement is the key here, and looks likely to turn Miley Cyrus into a long-term pop star."
Lamb did, however, state that the ballads on ''The Time of Our Lives'' were throwaways.
Heather Phares of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
thought otherwise, saying that the EP's highlights came when Cyrus "lets her inner rock chick and ballad-singing diva come to the fore." Phares stated that "If ''
Breakout'' began to establish Miley Cyrus as a singing star in her own right, free of
Hannah Montana
''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), a ...
baggage, then this Walmart Exclusive EP is another confident step in that direction."
Phares concluded that the EP was a good representation of Cyrus's vocal growth and presumed that her vocal abilities would enhance further as she grew into an adult.
Mikeal Wood of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' graded ''The Time of Lives'' a B+ because of its execution of various musical styles and genres.
Nick Levin of
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
reviewed ''The Time of Our Lives'', saying that, although not offering much original material, it did provide evidence that Cyrus could successfully dump her
Disney Channel
Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...
-affiliated image. He said that each of "the six genuinely new songs" are worth listening to, resulting in a worthwhile EP release.
Michael Hann of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' felt that Cyrus managed to project a very wholesome image of herself but argued that she did not succeed in convincing adult audiences there was anything else to her: "She has her name on plenty of inventive, imaginative and precisely calibrated examples of modern chart pop, songs that would have been noticed beyond her audience of young girls had they come from a more credible source".
Jessica Holland of British newspaper ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'' wrote a favorable review of the EP, noting: "Still not yet 17, Miley doesn't need to worry about slipping yet."
Jaime Gill of
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music was a brand under which Yahoo! provided a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming. Previously, users with Yahoo! accounts could gain access to hundreds of ...
described the uptempo numbers on the EP as "brilliantly feisty skate pop" but described the record's ballads as tedious. Gill concluded that, if Cyrus were to take her music more seriously, instead of releasing albums in between various other projects, she might make a great pop album and stated that "As it is, ''The Time Of Our Lives'' is a great pop EP drowning in a sea of bilge."
Commercial performance
![Miley Cyrus - Wonder World Tour - Party in the U](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Miley_Cyrus_-_Wonder_World_Tour_-_Party_in_the_U.S.A._4.jpg)
On the week ending September 12, 2009, ''The Time of Our Lives'' entered the
''Billboard'' 200 at number three, selling a total of 62,000 copies and becoming Cyrus's eighth release to chart within the top ten.
The EP peaked at number two in the following week due to a 154 percent increase in sales (153,000 copies sold). Spending another consecutive week at its peak, ''The Time of Our Lives'' continued to sell strongly throughout the remainder of 2009. On the week ending December 12, 2009, the EP experienced a sudden increase sales, rising from number twenty-nine to number seven with sales of 150,000 copies. ''The Time of Our Lives'' was
certified platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) for shipments of over one million copies.
According to
Nielsen SoundScan
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
, the EP has sold 1.4 million copies in the United States as of July 2013. It debuted and peaked at number nine on the
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocea ...
on the week ending January 30, 2010.
On the week ending November 11, 2009, the EP debuted and peaked at number eleven on the
Australian Albums Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
. It later dropped to number thirteen and ascended and descended until its last week on the chart on May 18, 2010.
''The Time of Our Lives'' was
certified gold
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA) for shipments exceeding 35,000 copies.
''The Time of Our Lives'' entered the
New Zealand Singles Chart
The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...
at its peak of number nine. In the following week the EP dropped to number eleven, where it stayed for two consecutive weeks.
It was certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded Mus ...
(RIANZ) for shipments exceeding 7,500 copies.
On the fourth week ending of January 2010, ''The Time of Our Lives'' debuted at number ten on the
Japanese Albums Chart
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in ...
, selling an estimated 15,000 copies.
In its second week on the chart, the EP descended to number nineteen.
On the week ending November 26, 2009, the EP debuted and peaked at number seventeen on the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
.
''The Time of Our Lives'' was certified gold by the
British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI) for shipments of 100,000 copies.
In Ireland, it peaked at number nine and was certified platinum by the
Irish Recorded Music Association
The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) is a non-profit association set up in 1999 to promote certain interests of the music industry in Ireland. It is particularly active in addressing copyright issues, and it compiles the official music ...
(IRMA) for shipments exceeding 15,000 copies.
In mainland Europe, ''The Time of Our Lives'' peaked at number thirty-three on the
European Top 100 Albums
The European Top 100 Albums chart was the European adaptation of the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. It ran from March 1984 until December 2010. Also commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums, the chart showcased the sales of an act in 19 E ...
Chart,
number five on the
Austrian Albums Chart
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example ...
,
number nine on the
German Albums Chart
The GfK Entertainment charts are the official music charts in Germany and are gathered and published by GfK Entertainment (formerly Media Control and Media Control GfK International), a subsidiary of GfK, on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindust ...
,
and number three on the
Greek Albums Chart
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece, or simply IFPI Greece, is the Greek branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification bo ...
.
On the week ending November 1, 2009, it debuted and peaked at number six in Spain,
where it was also certified platinum by the
Productores de Música de España
Productores de Música de España (English: Spanish Music Producers, shortened as Promusicae) is the national organisation responsible for the music charts of Spain. It is a trade association that represents more than 90% of the Spanish recorded m ...
(PROMUSICAE) for shipments of more than 60,000 copies.
Elsewhere in Europe, the EP reached the top twenty of charts in the Czech Republic and Portugal.
Track listing
;Notes
*
signifies a vocal
producer
*
signifies a live
producer
*
signifies an additional
producer
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Credits and personnel
As listed in the liner notes.
* Jason Coons –
audio mixing assistant (track 7)
*
Jessica "Jessie J" Cornish –
background vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used ...
,
songwriting
A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
(track 2)
*
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
– background vocals (tracks 1, 3, 5-6),
lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
(All tracks)
* Tish Cyrus –
executive producer
Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
*
John Fields –
additional producer (track 7)
* Brian Gardener –
mastering
* Serban Ghenea – audio mixing (tracks 2, 4)
* Aniela Gottwald –
assistant production coordinator (tracks 2, 4)
*
Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald – background vocals (track 2),
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
(2, 4),
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
(2, 4),
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
(2, 4), music producer (2, 4),
music programming
Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices and computer software, such as sequencers and workstations or hardware synthesizers, sampler and sequencers, to generate sounds of musical instruments. These mu ...
(2, 4), vocal producer (2, 4)
* Tatiana Gottwald – assistant production coordinator
* Phil Hadaway – assistant production coordinator (tracks 2, 4)
* John Hanes –
audio mixing engineer (tracks 2, 4)
* James "Hootsie" Huth – recording engineer (track 7)
*
Joe Jonas
Joseph Adam Jonas (born August 15, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band the Jonas Brothers, alongside his brothers Kevin Jonas, Kevin and Nick Jonas, Nick. The group released their ...
–
guest appearance
In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other p ...
(track 7)
*
Kevin Jonas
Paul Kevin Jonas II (born November 5, 1987) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band, the Jonas Brothers, alongside his younger brothers Joe and Nick. Jonas became a prominent figu ...
– guest appearance (track 7)
*
Nick Jonas
Nicholas Jerry Jonas (born September 16, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Jonas began acting on Broadway at the age of seven, and released his debut single in 2002; this caught the attention of Columbia Records, where Jonas ...
– guest appearance (track 7)
*
Claude Kelly
Claude Kelly (born December 27, 1980)Shirley Halperin and Bob Love"THR Names Music's 35 Top Hitmakers,"''The Hollywood Reporter'', February 6, 2013. is an American singer, songwriter and music producer. He is a four-time Grammy Award nominee, a ...
– background vocals, vocal producer (tracks 2, 4)
*
Jon Lind
Jonathan Gus Lind (April 14, 1948 – January 15, 2022), professionally known as Jon Lind, was an American songwriter, performer and A&R Executive
Biography
Lind was born in Brooklyn, New York on April 14, 1948, and raised in New York City. H ...
–
A&R
* Brian Reeves – audio mixing (track 7)
* Tim "Tom" Roberts – assistant mixing engineer (tracks 2, 4)
* Jeff Rothschild – recording engineer, audio mixing (tracks 1, 3, 5-6)
*
Kesha Sebert – background vocals (track 4)
*
John Shanks
John Matthew Shanks (born December 18, 1964) is an American songwriter, record producer and guitarist.
Early life and education
John Matthew Shanks was born in New York City. Shanks moved to Los Angeles when he was 17 years old. He was in a ban ...
– producer (tracks 1, 3, 5-6)
* Shakur Green – producer
* Vanessa Silberman – assistant production coordinator (tracks 2, 4)
* Gary "G" Silver – production coordinator (track 2)
* Cindy Warden – A&R coordinator
* Emily Wright – recording engineer, vocal editing, vocal producer (tracks 2, 4)
* Douglas Wright – background vocals (track 2)
* John Zonars – recording engineer, live producer (track 7)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Time Of Our Lives, The
2009 debut EPs
Albums produced by Dr. Luke
Albums produced by John Fields (record producer)
Albums produced by John Shanks
Hollywood Records EPs
Miley Cyrus albums
Pop rock EPs