The Bangerz Vault: Revisiting Miley’s Lost Masterpieces It’s been over a decade since Miley Cyrus
swung into our lives on a wrecking ball, forever altering the pop landscape with
. But for the die-hard Smilers, the 16 tracks on the deluxe edition were just the tip of the iceberg. As Miley reflects on the controversial Bangerz-era persona
and the personal toll it took, fans are still digging through the vault of unreleased gems that didn't make the final cut. Here are the most iconic unreleased tracks from the sessions that still haunt our playlists: 1. "Nightmare"
Originally intended for the album, this electronic pop-rock anthem leaked in high studio quality and quickly became a fan favorite. Lyrically, it’s a raw exploration of missing an absent lover
, likely inspired by her then-fiancé Liam Hemsworth. Its heavy synths and soaring vocals make it a true "miss" for the standard tracklist. 2. "Last Goodbye" Produced by Mike WiLL Made-It
, this track was reportedly pulled at the very last minute before the album's release. It’s an emotional electronica/R&B ballad that captures the difficulty of a breakup , echoing the themes found in hits like "Adore You". 3. "The Way I Feel" (feat. Tyler, The Creator)
This leak showcased Miley’s deep dive into hip-hop and Pharrell-inspired production. Featuring a verse from Tyler, The Creator
, the track is a breezy, danceable side of Miley that hinted at the experimental Dead Petz era 4. "Get My Dough" (feat. Nicki Minaj)
Perhaps one of the most famous "what ifs," this track was written by Ester Dean and originally featured Nicki Minaj
. While only a short snippet ever surfaced, the song was eventually released by Ester Dean herself as a solo single. 5. "Pretty Girls (Fun)"
Miley Cyrus Says She 'Lost Everything' Due to 'Bangerz'-Era Persona
The Holy Grail: The Most Legendary Unreleased Tracks
If you ask any fan to name the Bangerz ghost tracks, these five songs are the crème de la crème—the ones that have achieved near-mythical status.
4. "Slab of Butter (Scorpio)"
Perhaps the strangest survivor of the cutting room floor. "Slab of Butter" is a country-trap hybrid (a genre Miley would perfect later on Younger Now). The song features a banjo loop over an 808 beat. Lyrically, it’s about being a sexual, chaotic Scorpio (Miley’s sign). The chorus is absurdly catchy: "I need a slab of butter for this biscuit."
This track was actually released for a hot minute—but only on the Bangerz limited-edition USB drive shaped like a foam finger, which is now a collector’s item fetching over $500 on eBay. It was never made available for streaming, effectively making it unreleased.
The Archives: A Deep Dive into the "Bangerz" Unreleased & Demo Session
Posted on: [Current Date] Category: Pop Music History / Lost Media
It has been a decade since Miley Cyrus swung into our lives on a wrecking ball, forever altering the landscape of pop culture. While the Bangerz era is often remembered for the controversy, the foam fingers, and the cultural shift from Disney darling to rap-pop provocateur, it is also remembered by stans and producers as one of the most fertile creative periods in modern pop history.
The standard edition of Bangerz gave us 13 tracks. The deluxe added a few more. But the reality is that the recording sessions for this album yielded dozens of songs, fragments, and concepts that never saw the light of day. These tracks represent the "Shadow Bangerz"—a grittier, experimental, and sometimes unfinished version of the album that could have been.
Today, we’re opening the vault to look at the most notable unreleased tracks and demos from the Bangerz era.
1. "Dream" (feat. Ghostface Killah)
Arguably the most famous unreleased Miley Cyrus track of all time. "Dream" is a woozy, psychedelic hip-hop slow-burner featuring the Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah. The beat is sparse, built on a warped vocal sample and a bass line that feels like molasses. Lyrically, Miley distances herself from her past: "This ain't the Disney show / I ain't Hannah no more."
It was slated to be the album's moody intro piece, but according to insiders, Ghostface’s verse was delivered too late for the final mastering date. A low-quality snippet leaked in 2014, and fans have been begging for the high-fidelity version ever since.