After signing a recording contract with Hollywood Records in 2007, Cyrus released Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, which served as the series' soundtrack and Cyrus' debut studio album. It was certified quadruple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments exceeding four million copies, and produced the hit single "See You Again". In 2008, Cyrus released her second album Breakout, which featured the successful track "7 Things", and launched her film career as the voice actress in the animated film Bolt. In 2009, Cyrus starred in the feature film Hannah Montana: The Movie, the soundtrack for which produced the hit single "The Climb".
Cyrus developed a maturing image with her extended play The Time of Our Lives (2009), which featured the successful track "Party in the U.S.A.". The transition continued with her third album Can't Be Tamed (2010); however, it made little commercial impact and became the lowest-selling record of her career. Later that year, Cyrus starred in the coming-of-age film The Last Song. During its production, she was involved in an on-again, off-again relationship with her co-star Liam Hemsworth; the couple ultimately separated after ending their year-long engagement in 2013. Cyrus focused on her acting career with several television and film appearances throughout 2011 and 2012. After leaving Hollywood Records, Cyrus signed a recording contract with RCA Records in 2013. Later that year, she released her fourth album Bangerz, by which point she had become associated with a controversial public image. Its singles "We Can't Stop" and "Wrecking Ball" were promoted with provocative music videos. The latter track became her first number-one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Cyrus is recognized as among the most successful artists to originate from The Walt Disney Company. She has five non-consecutive number-one albums on the U.S. Billboard 200, two of which are soundtracks credited to her titular character Hannah Montana, and has earned numerous awards and nominations. In 2010, Cyrus ranked number thirteen on Forbes' Celebrity 100, and was named the "Most Charted Teenager" in the 2011 Guinness World Records with twenty-nine Billboard Hot 100 entries as of November 2009. In 2013, she was recognized as the "Artist of the Year" by MTV.