It’s a huge New Music Friday for the Gen Zers who grew up on Disney Channel (AKA me): Both Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus dropped new songs on Aug. 25, with “Single Soon” and “Used To Be Young,” respectively. Both songs are bops and fans want to see these two queens meet at the top of the Billboard charts, especially since they’re friends IRL (there had even been collab rumors brewing earlier this year that ended up being false). But fans of both artists who played the new tracks back-to-back immediately noticed the difference in the songs’ sounds and general vibes, and memes joking about playing one after the other have started making the rounds online.
It’s not hard to see why you’d get emotional whiplash listening to these two songs: Gomez’s “Single Soon” is a fun mid-tempo pop anthem, where she sings about dumping a guy and enjoying the single life after he’s gone. Cyrus’ “Used to Be Young,” meanwhile, is a heartfelt reflection on her past fame and how she’s putting her past “wild” days behind her.
When both songs were announced, Cyrus and Gomez were quick to promote each other’s new tracks on social media, with Gomez adding on her Instagram Story that she was “excited” for the release of both songs. (FWIW, Ariana Grande also dropped new music on the same day, with her deluxe digital release of the Yours Truly 10th Anniversary Album, which first dropped in 2013. I wasn’t lying when I said it was a very nostalgic New Music Friday!)
Immediately after both songs went out into the world, fans were quick to share their reactions. And rather than trying to push one song as better than the other, a lot of people have pointed out that you’re either in a “Single Soon” mood or a “Used to Be Young” mood.
Seriously, they couldn’t be more different.
Some fans couldn’t help but throw it back to their Disney Channel days.
Even Grande was included in some of the jokes. Everybody knows the three emotions, after all: twerking, depression, and nostalgia.
And even though the songs sound so different, some fans couldn’t help but notice parallels in the lyrics.
If nothing else, this just really makes me want a collab between Cyrus and Gomez again. We didn’t get it on Endless Summer Vacation, but now that we know Endless Summer Vacation Vol. 2 and SG3 are on the way, there are at least two more chances for these icons to team up. Until then, you might just have to keep playing “Single Soon” and “Used to Be Young” back to back. Just make sure you have both tissues and a dance floor.