How Miley Cyrus is using a "Wrecking Ball" to Redefine the American Dream

I've led most of my life under the impression that Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus had as much value to music as Barney's "I Love You, You Love Me". I look for depth in music, as I do in life, culture, and society.

This is why I am so surprised by the new wave of pop music coming out over the last few months. There are some far left home runs from people like Naughty Boy and Macklemore that deserve standing ovations. I was fortunate to grow up during a time of Kurt Cobain and Tori Amos. What, then, can Miley Cyrus offer music when compared to the likes of Gotye, Imogen Heap, or Janelle Monae?

In all honesty, very little we haven't seen before. Beautiful body, great (auto-tuned) voice, and great marketing. Looking at her portfolio, she shouldn't stand out anymore than Britney Spears or Milli Vanilli.

What makes this song great?

It is great because she has tricked the music industry into believing she has no depth and tricked the masses into thinking "Wrecking Ball" is about sex or love or promiscuity, or all of the above.

The only relationship in this song is between Miley Cyrus and fame. Her father was a one-hit wonder but she was more well-known by twelve than he ever hoped to be. And the only way for her to be known as anything other than what she was is to bring in the wrecking ball and tear down everything we ever thought about her.

Hannah Montana was as American as apple pie. But she was never a real person, only an ideal that we were given to live up to. An ideal millions of pre-teens were sold into. And now Hanna Montana is gone and Miley and her fans have grown up.

We are left with an artist struggling with her relationship with fame. Following the rules made her famous. Sticking with them kept people like Hillary Duff from ever moving on. Breaking them is the only way for Miley Cyrus to be viewed as more than a vapid, empty voice.

Miley Cyrus epitomizes the American Dream. Hannah Montana represents the white picket fences, the two and a half kids and the nuclear family. But these things are all a lie and always have been. Life is gritty and raw and dysfunctional. Nothing is perfect, especially the things we are told to believe to be.

This song is Miley in a base form, screaming for recognition while defining trying to define herself. Watching her break with her former persona might not be pretty, but neither have the struggles of every other American. Whether the struggle be about race, color, sexual identity, or just about growing up, it makes it no less difficult for the person doing the struggling.

I don't like twerking. I didn't like the VMA performance. But "Wrecking Ball" has left me excited about the "Bangerz" album because it just might make pop music a little more interesting.