Four years into her career, Miley Cyrus is, like other bubblegum idols before her, getting cranky about her image. In "Robot," the booming dance-pop opus near the end of her third album, Cyrus cries, "I'm not your robot/Stop telling me I'm part of the big machine." But Cyrus is indeed part of a big machine — and is better for it. Tamed was mostly cooked up by the pros who helped make Cyrus a Disney princess. It's a Top 40 record of a high order, packed with electro-pop hooks and big Kelly Clarkson-style shout-along choruses. Cyrus' 17-year-old ire — however genuine it is — just adds spice.

“Youth Knows No Pain”

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”