“Angels Like You” by Miley Cyrus

“Angels Like You” is one of 12 tracks that came out on 27 November 2020, through RCA Records, as part of Miley Cyrus’s full-length “Plastic Hearts”, a project that went on to reach the summit of Billboard’s US Top Rock Albums Chart. 

This song also served as the LP’s third and final single and on its own topped music charts in Belgium and the Czech Republic, in addition to charting in over 15 nations overall. 

Also pretty interesting to note is that this track proceeded to go triple-platinum in Brazil and platinum+gold in Mexico, though failed to achieve any certifications in Miley’s homeland of the United States. 

Of further note is that Cyrus used the music video to “Angels Like You”, which she directed alongside Alana O’Herlihy and was filmed during Super Bowl LV (2021) festivities, to promote getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Explanation of The Lyrics

Sentimentally “Angels Like You” is similar to another track on Miley Cyrus’s hit album “Plastic Hearts” which is entitled “Never Be Me“. That is to say that the artist is once again presenting herself as someone who (to the dismay of her partner) is not really into long-term relationships. 

Indeed the title of this track alludes to her perception of the addressee, her romantic interest, as being a better person than she is. 

Or another way of looking at it is that Miley fully understands that the inevitable-forthcoming dissolution of their romance is entirely her own fault. And this is once again due to her unwillingness to settle down in the first place. So in a way it can be said she is sort of apologizing to the addressee for breaking his or her heart in advance.

You’re an Angel

As implied by the title, the thesis sentiment of this track is premised on the vocalist praising the addressee as an ‘angel’, i.e. someone who is exceptionally good, if you will. And Miley has gotten to know this individual’s character via the romantic relationship they’re currently in, whereas for instance the addressee greets her with “flowers in hand” and loving words of “poetry”. So it’s as if as depicted, this person Cyrus is singing of is the perfect lover.

But as utilized in the chorus, the title of this song actually reads in full “angels like you can’t fly down here with me”. That’s the vocalist’s own poetic way of putting forth, most simply put, that the addressee is too good to be in a relationship with someone like her. 

Or as implied, even though this partner treats her lovingly, Miley, being the ‘miserable’ person that she is, rather has the tendency to hurt his or her feelings. Or put more succinctly, here we have the vocalist admitting that she’s a toxic lover. And she also concludes that her current partner is too innocent and caring to be put through such hell.

So it’s as if, as relayed in the second verse, Miley is requesting one last, sound bonking. But then afterwards, she would rather kiss and say goodbye than perpetuate this romance to the chagrin of the other party involved.

Other Notable Facts And Theories Concerning This Song

“Angels Like You” also made headlines more recently, in early 2022, with Miley dedicating a performance of it to Taylor Hawkins, the longtime Foo Fighters’ drummer who passed away at the age of 50 shortly beforehand.

Also, Cyrus is one of those female singers who is so popular that any romance-based single she drops leads to fan theories in terms of what real-life relationship of hers it may be based on. But even though “Plastic Hearts” was dropped during the same year that the songstress divorced from Aussie actor Liam Hemsworth, the prevailing hypothesis is that “Angels Like You” was actually inspired by Miley’s fling with Kaitlynn Carter, the blogger she briefly dated before the aforenoted divorce was finalized.

The Team Behind “Angels Like You”

Miley is one of the credited writers of “Angels Like You”, as are the following:

• Ryan Tedder
• Ali Tamposi
• Watt
• Louis Bell