Miley Cyrus Disappoints As Her New Single Launches Low

Forbes

21-04-2025

Miley Cyrus's 'End of the World' debuts on seven Billboard charts, but a No. 52 start on the Hot 100 ... More marks a slow beginning for her new era. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: Miley Cyrus performs onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor The Recording Academy)
Miley Cyrus has officially launched her new musical era, and while the excitement is palpable, the numbers aren't quite catching up just yet. The pop superstar has started promoting her upcoming full-length Something Beautiful, which is expected to drop on May 31. That rollout kicks off with 'End of the World,' the lead single from the project, which debuts on a number of Billboard charts this week.
Despite Cyrus' status as one of the most recognizable names in pop and the attention surrounding her return, the track is off to a relatively slow start in terms of U.S. consumption. Still, this could be just the beginning for the single, as well as for what's sure to be another high-profile album campaign.
'End of the World' launches on seven different Billboard rankings this frame. The tune performs best when it comes to pure purchases and radio airplay, particularly on pop-focused stations.
But when taking a look at the title's overall initial showing, its arrival may not be quite what Cyrus or her label were hoping for. The track opens at No. 52 on the Hot 100, the main list that ranks the most-consumed songs in America using a combination of sales, streams, and airplay. For a heavily-promoted release that serves as the first taste of a new, much-hyped era, failing to crack even the top half of the Hot 100 is a little troubling.
To put that debut into perspective, consider how her last chapter began. 'Flowers,' the Grammy-winning lead single from Cyrus' previous album Endless Summer Vacation, opened at No. 1 on the Hot 100. It ended up staying in charge for eight weeks.
Since then, several other Cyrus releases have easily reached the top 10 on that chart, including 'Used to Be Young' and her collaboration with Beyoncé, 'II Most Wanted.' Both of those tracks launched inside the highest tier on the Hot 100.
Cyrus' new cut is only the fourth-highest debut on the Hot 100 this week, though it may have been one of the most discussed onlone. She trails a pair of relative newcomers, as BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman team up for 'All the Way,' which lands all the way at No. 4 — a massive opening for the rising stars. Ed Sheeran's 'Azizam' appears at No. 28, while hard rock outfit Sleep Token manages to kick off its latest, 'Caramel,' at No. 34.
Even though 'End of the World' didn't perform especially well on the Hot 100, it does notch a solid placement on one of Billboard's sales-focused tallies. The track debuts at No. 12 on the Digital Song Sales chart, which ranks the bestselling songs in the U.S. based on paid downloads. According to Luminate, the cut sold 2,600 purchases in its first seven days of availability.
Radio also gives the track an early lift, as it earns a healthy debut on all three of Billboard's pop-focused airplay charts. Programmers seem optimistic about the tune's potential, as it's an instant top 40 on the trio of tallies.
While domestic performance is mixed, the story isn't much better internationally. 'End of the World' failed to reach the top 40 on either of the company's major worldwide rankings—the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S.
Something Beautiful is set to arrive on May 31, and 'End of the World' is supposed to serve as its foundation. She's also released two other tracks, a prelude and the title tune, with the latter reaching one of Billboard's rock lists this time around – though even that start is fairly low.