The Time of Our Lives (EP)
Encyclopedia
The Time of Our Lives is the first extended play
(EP) by American recording artist Miley Cyrus
. The EP was released on August 28, 2009 by Hollywood Records
, initially as a United States' Wal-Mart
exclusive. With alterations in artwork and track listing, an international edition was issued October 16, 2009. The Time of Our Lives was conceived as a release to accompany Cyrus' newly launched apparel line with Max Azria
. The tracks on the EP were primarily composed by John Shanks
and Dr. Luke
, who also produced their respective cuts. Cyrus co-wrote one out of seven songs on The Time of Our Lives; one is a cover
and another is a live rendition. Musically, the uptempo tracks on the record are in the pop rock
and dance-pop
genres while ballads are largely soft rock
. Lyrically, it explores the themes of romantic relationships, among other subjects.
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
(RIAA). Moreover, the EP had success internationally, peaking at number three in Greece, number five in Austria, and number six in Spain.
Two single
s were released from The Time of Our Lives. The lead single
, "Party in the U.S.A.
", became Cyrus' best-selling effort to date, 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
". It was used to promote the 2010 film The Last Song
, which Cyrus starred in. Unable to match "Party in the U.S.A."'s success, the single appeared in the top twenty of charts in Australia and the United States. Cyrus performed songs from The Time of Our Lives live numerous times. Her performance at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards
caused a media uproar because of its sexuality. She embarked on her first world tour, the Wonder World Tour
, to promote the EP in late 2009.
In order to support Cyrus' then newly launched, joint apparel line with Max Azria
, sold exclusively by Wal-Mart
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
sound — I don’t even like using the word 'rock
,' 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
was released approximately ten months later, on June 18, 2010.
of "Kicking and Screaming", written by John Shanks
and Kara DioGuardi
, and originally recorded by Ashlee Simpson
for her 2005 album I Am Me
. "Party in the U.S.A.
" was written by Dr. Luke
, Claude Kelly
, 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
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
", written by Shanks and Hillary Lindsey
, 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 Ke$ha), 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
' fourth studio album Lines, Vines and Trying Times
(2009), is included on The Time of Our Lives as a live rendition. The song was written by Nick Jonas
, Joe Jonas
, Kevin Jonas
, and Cyrus. At first, the song was solely written by the Jonas Brothers for their third studio album A Little Bit Longer
(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.
electric guitar
riffing and ragged, gutsy vocals, which, at several points, feature a gravelly element. It results in an uptempo electronic rock number. Lyrically, "Kicking and Screaming" is a merciless message to an ex-boyfriend. "Party in the U.S.A." mixes R&B and pop music
elements while having instrumentation that includes a "clash between feathery jazz guitar chord
s and a booming synth bassline serving as a hook
". Cyrus' vocals display an undertone of alternative country twang
and features belter
refrain
s. The lyrics for "Party in the U.S.A." discuss Cyrus' relocation from Nashville, Tennessee
to Hollywood, California. The refrains mainly speak of how her favorite songs make her feel more confident. "When I Look at You" is a power ballad that transitions in instrumentation, from piano
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
song characterized by 1980s synths and a fizzy sound caused by a bubblegum pop
background. Cyrus' processed vocals display a prominent use of auto-tune
; influences derive from New Wave music
. 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, garage rock
song with disco
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
characteristics and husky vocals. "Obsessed"'s lyrics deal with teenage lust. "Before the Storm" is a country pop
ballad about a melancholic romantic breakup.
company Wal-Mart
, 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 Leibowitz. On January 5, 2010, the EP became available for purchasing on other digital retailers in the United States.
. Bill Lamb of About.com
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 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 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
graded The Time of Lives a B+ because of its execution of various musical styles and genres.
Nick Levin of Digital Spy
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
-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
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
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
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."
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 by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) for shipments of over one million copies. It debuted and peaked at number nine on the Canadian Albums Chart
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
. 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 by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) for shipments exceeding 35,000 copies. The Time of Our Lives entered the New Zealand Singles Chart
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
(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
, 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 Time of Our Lives was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) for shipments of 100,000 copies. In Ireland, it peaked at number nine and was certified platinum by the Irish Recorded Music Association
(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
Chart, number five on the Austrian Albums Chart
, number nine on the German Albums Chart
, and number three on the Greek Albums Chart
. 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 (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.
" was released on August 11, 2009 as the lead single
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 to date 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 triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) and quadruple platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
(CRIA). A music video for "Party in the U.S.A.", directed by Chris Applebaum
, was set mainly at a drive-in theater
and pays tribute to the film Grease
(1978) and Cyrus's parents' courting days.
"When I Look at You
" was released to promote the film The Last Song
, which Cyrus' starred in and became the EP's second and last single
. "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.
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 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
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 and VH1 Divas
in the United States. In December, Cyrus undertook promotion in the United Kingdom at 95.8 Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball
, the Royal Variety Performance
—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
, in order to promote the EP. "The Time of Our Lives" peaked at number twenty-three on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Chart (Billboard Hot 100
– 123) and at number fifty-one on the Canadian Hot 100
. Cyrus embarked on her second concert tour, the Wonder World Tour
, to promote The Time of Our Lives and her second studio album Brekaout (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
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.
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
(EP) by American recording artist Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
. The EP was released on August 28, 2009 by Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by Disney Music Group, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-History:Hollywood Records was founded in 1989 by then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner with the idea of expanding the music operations of the company and to develop and promote...
, initially as a United States' Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
exclusive. With alterations in artwork and track listing, an international edition was issued October 16, 2009. The Time of Our Lives was conceived as a release to accompany Cyrus' newly launched apparel line with Max Azria
Max Azria
Max Azria is a French fashion designer of Tunisian Jewish descent who founded the contemporary women's clothing brand BCBGMAXAZRIA. Azria is also the designer, chairman and CEO of BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, a global fashion house that encompasses over 20 brands...
. The tracks on the EP were primarily composed by John Shanks
John Shanks
John Matthew Shanks is a modern rock writer and Grammy Award–winning producer.Born in New York City, Shanks moved to Los Angeles when he was 17....
and Dr. Luke
Dr. Luke
Lukasz Gottwald , better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs...
, who also produced their respective cuts. Cyrus co-wrote one out of seven songs on The Time of Our Lives; one is a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
and another is a live rendition. Musically, the uptempo tracks on the record are in the pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
and dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
genres while ballads are largely soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
. Lyrically, it explores the themes of romantic relationships, among other subjects.
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
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA). Moreover, the EP had success internationally, peaking at number three in Greece, number five in Austria, and number six in Spain.
Two single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s were released from The Time of Our Lives. The lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, "Party in the U.S.A.
Party in the U.S.A.
"Party in the U.S.A." is a pop song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, and Jessie J and produced by Dr. Luke. It was released on August 11, 2009, by Hollywood Records, as the lead single from Cyrus' first extended play The Time of Our...
", became Cyrus' best-selling effort to date, peaking at number two in the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. 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
"When I Look at You" is a power ballad performed by American recording artist and actress Miley Cyrus. The song was written by John Shanks and Hillary Lindsey and produced by Shanks. It was released on March 1, 2010 by Hollywood Records as the second and final single from Cyrus's first extended...
". It was used to promote the 2010 film The Last Song
The Last Song (film)
The Last Song is a 2010 American coming of age drama film developed alongside Nicholas Sparks novel by the same name. The film was directed by Julie Anne Robinson in her feature film directorial debut and co-written by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie...
, which Cyrus starred in. Unable to match "Party in the U.S.A."'s success, the single appeared in the top twenty of charts in Australia and the United States. Cyrus performed songs from The Time of Our Lives live numerous times. Her performance at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards
Teen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
caused a media uproar because of its sexuality. She embarked on her first world tour, the Wonder World Tour
Wonder World Tour
The Wonder World Tour is the second concert tour by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The tour was held to promote her second studio album Breakout and first extended play The Time of Our Lives...
, to promote the EP in late 2009.
Background
In order to support Cyrus' then newly launched, joint apparel line with Max Azria
Max Azria
Max Azria is a French fashion designer of Tunisian Jewish descent who founded the contemporary women's clothing brand BCBGMAXAZRIA. Azria is also the designer, chairman and CEO of BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, a global fashion house that encompasses over 20 brands...
, sold exclusively by Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
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
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
sound — I don’t even like using the word 'rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
,' 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
Can't Be Tamed is the third studio album by American recording artist Miley Cyrus, first released on June 18, 2010 by Hollywood Records. Writing and recording commenced while Cyrus traveled on the 2009 Wonder World Tour. 19 live performances and backstage interviews from a performance at London's...
was released approximately ten months later, on June 18, 2010.
Development
Cyrus recorded a cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Kicking and Screaming", written by John Shanks
John Shanks
John Matthew Shanks is a modern rock writer and Grammy Award–winning producer.Born in New York City, Shanks moved to Los Angeles when he was 17....
and Kara DioGuardi
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, composer and TV personality. She writes music primarily in the light pop-rock, dance, and R&B genres. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; her songs have appeared on more than 159...
, and originally recorded by Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Nicole Simpson is an American singer and actress. In 2004, she rose to prominence with the success of her number-one debut album Autobiography and the reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show. In October 2005, following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released...
for her 2005 album I Am Me
I Am Me
I Am Me is the second studio album by singer Ashlee Simpson. The first single from the album was "Boyfriend", and the second single was "L.O.V.E." I Am Me was released in the United States on October 18, 2005 and debuted at number one in sales. The album produced two top 25 hits on the Billboard...
. "Party in the U.S.A.
Party in the U.S.A.
"Party in the U.S.A." is a pop song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, and Jessie J and produced by Dr. Luke. It was released on August 11, 2009, by Hollywood Records, as the lead single from Cyrus' first extended play The Time of Our...
" was written by Dr. Luke
Dr. Luke
Lukasz Gottwald , better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs...
, Claude Kelly
Claude Kelly
Claude Kelly is an American singer-songwriter. He has a prolific discography, well known for writing for artists such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson, Jay Sean, Adam Lambert, Jessie J and Charice.-Career:He began playing the piano...
, 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 music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
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
"When I Look at You" is a power ballad performed by American recording artist and actress Miley Cyrus. The song was written by John Shanks and Hillary Lindsey and produced by Shanks. It was released on March 1, 2010 by Hollywood Records as the second and final single from Cyrus's first extended...
", written by Shanks and Hillary Lindsey
Hillary Lindsey
Hillary Lindsey is a country music singer-songwriter. As a songwriter, she has written songs with or for Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, and Tim McGraw. One of her compositions, Underwood's Number One hit "Jesus, Take the Wheel",...
, was initially to be included on Cyrus' succeeding album; it was eventually chosen to promote the 2010 film The Last Song
The Last Song (film)
The Last Song is a 2010 American coming of age drama film developed alongside Nicholas Sparks novel by the same name. The film was directed by Julie Anne Robinson in her feature film directorial debut and co-written by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie...
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
Kesha
Kesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
(known as Ke$ha), 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
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers are an American boy band. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel children's television network. From the shore region of New Jersey, the band consists of three brothers: Paul Kevin Jonas II , Joseph Adam Jonas , and Nicholas Jerry Jonas...
' fourth studio album Lines, Vines and Trying Times
Lines, Vines and Trying Times
Lines, Vines and Trying Times is the fourth studio album by the Jonas Brothers and their third album released under Hollywood Records. It was released June 16, 2009 in the U.S. The album received mixed reviews from critics and fans. In its first week, Lines, Vines and Trying Times sold 247,000...
(2009), is included on The Time of Our Lives as a live rendition. The song was written by Nick Jonas
Nick Jonas
Nicholas Jerry "Nick" Jonas is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actor best known as one of the Jonas Brothers, a pop-rock band he formed with his brothers Joe and Kevin. The Jonas Brothers originally started as an attempted solo singing career for Nick, but the record producer liked the...
, Joe Jonas
Joe Jonas
Joseph Adam "Joe" Jonas is a Pop American singer, musician, actor, and dancer. He is a member of the Jonas Brothers, a pop-rock band made up of him and his two brothers, Nick and Kevin...
, Kevin Jonas
Kevin Jonas
Paul Kevin Jonas II , better known as Kevin Jonas and K2, is an American musician and actor. He is the oldest member of the Jonas Brothers, a pop rock band he created with his younger brothers Joe and Nick...
, 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
A Little Bit Longer is the third studio album by the American pop rock 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 reviews from Rolling Stone, Allmusic, and Blender....
(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.
Composition and music structure
"Kicking and Screaming" is the most prominent representation of rock music on The Time of Our Lives. The track features instrumentation that relies on glamGlam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
riffing and ragged, gutsy vocals, which, at several points, feature a gravelly element. It results in an uptempo electronic rock number. Lyrically, "Kicking and Screaming" is a merciless message to an ex-boyfriend. "Party in the U.S.A." mixes R&B and pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
elements while having instrumentation that includes a "clash between feathery jazz guitar chord
Guitar chord
In music, a guitar chord is a chord, or collection of tones usually sounded together at once, played on a guitar. It can be composed of notes played on adjacent or separate strings or all the strings together...
s and a booming synth bassline serving as a hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
". Cyrus' vocals display an undertone of alternative country twang
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
and features belter
Belt (music)
Belting refers to a specific technique of singing by which a singer produces a loud sound in the upper middle of the pitch range. It is often described as a vocal register although some dispute this since technically the larynx is not oscillating in a unique way...
refrain
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
s. The lyrics for "Party in the U.S.A." discuss Cyrus' relocation from Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to Hollywood, California. The refrains mainly speak of how her favorite songs make her feel more confident. "When I Look at You" is a power ballad that transitions in instrumentation, from piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
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
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
song characterized by 1980s synths and a fizzy sound caused by a bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
background. Cyrus' processed vocals display a prominent use of auto-tune
Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune is a proprietary audio processor created by Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise off-key inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed singers to perform apparently perfectly tuned vocal...
; influences derive from New Wave music
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
. 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, garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
song with disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
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
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
characteristics and husky vocals. "Obsessed"'s lyrics deal with teenage lust. "Before the Storm" is a country pop
Country pop
Country pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
ballad about a melancholic romantic breakup.
Release
At first, The Time of Our Lives was exclusively released through the American retailRetailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
company Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, 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
The Climb (song)
"The Climb" is a song performed by American recording artist and actress Miley Cyrus, for the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie. The song was written by Jessi Alexander and Jon Mabe, and produced by John Shanks. It was released on March 5, 2009, as the lead single of the film's soundtrack by...
" from Hannah Montana: The Movie
Hannah Montana: The Movie (soundtrack)
Hannah Montana: The Movie is the soundtrack for the film of the same name. The film is an adaptation of the popular Disney Channel original series Hannah Montana, which first aired in 2006. In the television series and film, American singer–songwriter and actress Miley Cyrus portrays Miley Stewart,...
, released earlier in 2009, the edition also featured new cover artwork, with photography by Annie Leibowitz. On January 5, 2010, the EP became available for purchasing on other digital retailers in the United States.
Critical reception
The Time of Our Lives received generally positive reviews, earning a collective score of 63 out of 100 on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Bill Lamb of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
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 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 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
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
graded The Time of Lives a B+ because of its execution of various musical styles and genres.
Nick Levin of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
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
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
-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
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
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
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
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
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
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."
Chart performance
On the week ending September 12, 2009, The Time of Our Lives entered the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
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 by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) for shipments of over one million copies. It debuted and peaked at number nine on the Canadian Albums Chart
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
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
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
. 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 by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) for shipments exceeding 35,000 copies. The Time of Our Lives entered the New Zealand Singles Chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
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
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
(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
Oricon
, 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. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
, 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
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. The Time of Our Lives was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) for shipments of 100,000 copies. In Ireland, it peaked at number nine and was certified platinum by the Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:...
(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
European Top 100 Albums
The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100...
Chart, number five on the Austrian Albums Chart
Ö3 Austria Top 40
Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann...
, number nine on the German Albums Chart
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
, and number three on the Greek Albums Chart
IFPI Greece
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece or IFPI Greece is the Greek branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Greece. Currently two charts are compiled, one for sales of...
. 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 (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.
Singles
"Party in the U.S.A.Party in the U.S.A.
"Party in the U.S.A." is a pop song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The song was written by Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, and Jessie J and produced by Dr. Luke. It was released on August 11, 2009, by Hollywood Records, as the lead single from Cyrus' first extended play The Time of Our...
" was released on August 11, 2009 as the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
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 to date 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 triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) and quadruple platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
(CRIA). A music video for "Party in the U.S.A.", directed by Chris Applebaum
Chris Applebaum
Chris Applebaum is an American music video director, who has worked with a diverse range of artists, among them Rihanna, Hilary Duff, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mandy Moore, Natasha Bedingfield, Fountains of Wayne and Britney Spears...
, was set mainly at a drive-in theater
Drive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
and pays tribute to the film Grease
Grease (film)
Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway...
(1978) and Cyrus's parents' courting days.
"When I Look at You
When I Look at You
"When I Look at You" is a power ballad performed by American recording artist and actress Miley Cyrus. The song was written by John Shanks and Hillary Lindsey and produced by Shanks. It was released on March 1, 2010 by Hollywood Records as the second and final single from Cyrus's first extended...
" was released to promote the film The Last Song
The Last Song (film)
The Last Song is a 2010 American coming of age drama film developed alongside Nicholas Sparks novel by the same name. The film was directed by Julie Anne Robinson in her feature film directorial debut and co-written by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie...
, which Cyrus' starred in and became the EP's second and last single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. "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
Adam Shankman
Adam Michael Shankman is an American film director, producer, dancer, actor, and choreographer. He has been a judge on the television program So You Think You Can Dance since Season 3. He began his professional career in musical theater, and was a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet...
. It features Cyrus playing a grand piano in several settings, including a beach and forest.
Promotion
Cyrus' first live performance of "Party in the U.S.A." was at the Teen Choice AwardsTeen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
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 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
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
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 and VH1 Divas
VH1 Divas
In 1998, VH1 debuted the first annual VH1 Divas concert. VH1 Divas Live was created to support the channel's Save The Music Foundation and subsequent concerts in the series have also benefited that foundation. The VH1 Divas concerts aired annually from 1998 to 2004. After a five year hiatus, the...
in the United States. In December, Cyrus undertook promotion in the United Kingdom at 95.8 Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball
Jingle Bell Ball
The Jingle Bell Ball is a concert held every year in December, by Global Radio at O2 Arena. Headline acts have included superstars like Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas and Kylie Minogue...
, the Royal Variety Performance
Royal Variety Performance
The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince of Wales have alternately attended the performance...
—the annual gala for the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
— and various other venues.
"The Time of Our Lives" was released for airplay, exclusively on Radio Disney
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
, 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
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
Chart (Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
– 123) and at number fifty-one on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
. Cyrus embarked on her second concert tour, the Wonder World Tour
Wonder World Tour
The Wonder World Tour is the second concert tour by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The tour was held to promote her second studio album Breakout and first extended play The Time of Our Lives...
, to promote The Time of Our Lives and her second studio album Brekaout (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 (trading)
Scalping, when used in reference to trading in securities, commodities and foreign exchange, may refer to# a fraudulent form of market manipulation# a legitimate method of arbitrage of small price gaps created by the bid-ask spread....
that occurred during her previous tour
Best of Both Worlds Tour
The Best of Both Worlds Tour was the first concert tour by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The tour was held to promote the double-disc album Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus , which consisted of the soundtrack to Hannah Montanas second season and her debut studio album...
, 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.
Track listing
Charts
| Chart (2009–10) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Argentinean Albums Chart Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers The Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers is an Argentine organization member of the IFPI, which represents the music industry in the country. It is a nonprofit organization integrated by multinational and independent record labels.... |
18 |
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts 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 singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
11 |
| Austrian Albums Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
5 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
74 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Wallonia) |
42 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
9 |
| Czech Albums Chart | 15 |
| European Top 100 Albums European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100... |
33 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
36 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
9 |
| Greek Albums Chart IFPI Greece International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece or IFPI Greece is the Greek branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Greece. Currently two charts are compiled, one for sales of... |
3 |
| Hungarian Albums Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
22 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
9 |
| Italian Albums Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
32 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , 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. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
10 |
| Mexican Albums Chart | 24 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 9 |
| Norway Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
33 |
| Polish Albums Chart OLiS OLiS is the official list of the highest selling music albums in Poland. The list exists since October 23, 2000 and is provided by ZPAV.... |
32 |
| Portuguese Albums Chart Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa The Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa is currently the only recording industry association in Portugal. Created in 1989, it succeeded GPPFV and UNEVA .... |
16 |
| Spanish Albums Chart | 6 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
23 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
17 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
2 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts 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 singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
81 |
| Austrian Albums Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
71 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
175 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
36 |
| Spanish Albums Chart | 25 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
148 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
34 |
| Chart (2010) | Position |
| European Top 100 Albums European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100... |
80 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
38 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Gold |
| Austria | Gold |
| Germany | Gold |
| Hungary Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
Gold |
| Ireland Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... |
Platinum |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Gold |
| Poland OLiS OLiS is the official list of the highest selling music albums in Poland. The list exists since October 23, 2000 and is provided by ZPAV.... |
Gold |
| Spain | Platinum |
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Gold |
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Platinum |
Personnel
As listed in the liner notes.- Jason Coons – mixing assistantAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Jessica CornishJessie JJessica Ellen Cornish , better known by her stage name Jessie J, is an English recording artist currently signed to Island Records. She began her career as a songwriter for artists including Chris Brown and Miley Cyrus. Her debut single, "Do It Like a Dude", was released in November 2010 and peaked...
– background vocals - Miley CyrusMiley CyrusMiley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
– background vocals, lead vocals - Tish Cyrus – executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
- John FieldsJohn Fields (producer)John Fields is an American record producer and musician. Fields has produced for a number of musical artists, including the Jonas Brothers, Switchfoot, Pink, Andrew W. K., Har Mar Superstar, Miley Cyrus, and Demi Lovato...
– additional producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Brian Gardener – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Serban GheneaSerban GheneaSerban Ghenea is a four-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award-winning mixer. He has mixed songs for such artists as Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Jewel, Santana, Ozomatli, Shakira, Jill Scott, R. Kelly, Rod Stewart, and Dave Matthews Band...
– mixing - Aniela Gottwald – assistant production coordinatorProduction coordinatorA Production Coordinator is a unionized position in stagecraft under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and is governed in Los Angeles by ....
- Lukasz "Dr. Luke" GottwaldDr. LukeLukasz Gottwald , better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs...
– background vocals, drums, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboard, producer, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, vocal producer - Tatiana Gottwald – assistant production coordinator
- Phil Hadaway – engineer, assistant engineer, assistant production coordinator
- John Hanes – engineer
- James "Hootsie" Huth – engineer
- Joe JonasJoe JonasJoseph Adam "Joe" Jonas is a Pop American singer, musician, actor, and dancer. He is a member of the Jonas Brothers, a pop-rock band made up of him and his two brothers, Nick and Kevin...
– guest appearanceGuest appearanceIn show business , a guest appearance is a participation of an outsider performer , usually called guest artist , in an event , i.e., the participation of a performer which does not belong to the regular crew In performance... - Kevin JonasKevin JonasPaul Kevin Jonas II , better known as Kevin Jonas and K2, is an American musician and actor. He is the oldest member of the Jonas Brothers, a pop rock band he created with his younger brothers Joe and Nick...
– guest appearance
- Nick JonasNick JonasNicholas Jerry "Nick" Jonas is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actor best known as one of the Jonas Brothers, a pop-rock band he formed with his brothers Joe and Kevin. The Jonas Brothers originally started as an attempted solo singing career for Nick, but the record producer liked the...
– guest appearance - Claude KellyClaude KellyClaude Kelly is an American singer-songwriter. He has a prolific discography, well known for writing for artists such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson, Jay Sean, Adam Lambert, Jessie J and Charice.-Career:He began playing the piano...
– background vocals, vocal producer - Jon LindJon LindJon Lind is an American songwriter and performer.- Biography :Jon Lind was raised in New York City. He studied classical guitar at the Mannes College of Music. His first break was in the 1970s where he worked with Bob Cavallo. At this period he met Maurice White who recorded two of his songs. He...
– A&RA&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :... - Brian ReevesBrian ReevesBrian Reeves is a multi platinum audio engineer based in Los Angeles, California. He co-owns and operates the Jungle Room Recording Studio with Kevin Anderson in Glendale, California...
– mixing - Tom Roberts – assistant engineer
- Tim Roberts – assistant engineer
- Jeff Rothschild – engineer, mixing
- Kesha SebertKeshaKesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
– background vocals - John ShanksJohn ShanksJohn Matthew Shanks is a modern rock writer and Grammy Award–winning producer.Born in New York City, Shanks moved to Los Angeles when he was 17....
– producer - Shakur Green – producer
- Vanessa Silberman – assistant production coordinator
- Gary "G" Silver – production coordinator
- Cindy Warden – A&R coordinator
- Emily Wright – engineer, vocal editing, vocal producer
- Douglas Wright – background vocals
- John Zonars – engineer, live producer