Living in the Cyrus Shadow: How Trace Cyrus Navigated Metro Station and Sibling Fame

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Metro Station stood apart from traditional 2000s alternative rock bands by ditching heavy distortion pedals in favor of bright synthesizers, fast four-on-the-floor drum patterns, and hook-heavy call-and-response vocals. When their self-titled debut album dropped in September 2007, it initially moved at a modest pace. Then, mainstream Top 40 radio picked up "Shake It."

The track was relentless. It paired new-wave basslines with an explosive, danceable chorus that captured suburban youth culture at the dawn of the smartphone era. By mid-2008, "Shake It" cracked the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, hit number one on the Canadian Hot 100, and went top ten across Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Their follow-up single, "Seventeen Forever," reaffirmed their radio viability, securing a spot on the Billboard charts and attaining RIAA Gold certification.

The contrast between Trace’s musical reality and Miley’s career was sharp. Miley was filling 20,000-seat arenas under the Disney banner. Trace was playing 1,500-capacity venues alongside bands like Motion City Soundtrack, Cobra Starship, and Boys Like Girls. The crowds were distinct, but the charts showed both siblings competing simultaneously within the Top 10.