L Because the pop star's seventh album, 'Plastic Hearts', managed to wriggle free of what has probably always been Miley Cyrus' biggest problem; she's a fantastic performer, but such a directionless songwriter that it's been hard to engage with her narratives. The songs on 'Plastic Hearts' brought us closer to an idea of who Cyrus really is as an artist, and they seemed far more intuitive than before.

But you still couldn't completely avoid the fact that some of the album's strongest moments were the two closing covers of The Cranberries' 'Zombie' and Blondie's 'Heart of Glass'. And really, the whole process leading up to 'Plastic Hearts' has also helped to emphasize that Cyrus has a very special nerve and presence when she interprets other artists' songs - a nerve that doesn't always shine through in her own compositions.

Miley Cyrus / Flowers

Miley Cyrus / Jaded

Miley Cyrus / Used To Be Young