Miley Cyrus Could Be "Person of The Year"

It’s hard to believe that the girl who twerked her way through the VMA’s, got engaged at 19, and doesn’t own anything but crop tops is a girl who got her start on Disney Channel. However, seven years after Hannah Montana first aired, Miley Cyrus has proven she is here to stay becoming the leading candidate for TIME magazine’s Person of the Year.

Every year, TIME magazine’s editors choose a “person of the year,” which is someone who has for better or for worse had a big influence over the events of the year. However, the editors feel that readers should have a say. In this year’s reader’s poll, Miley Cyrus is at the top of chart, beating influential people such as the Pope, Edward Snowden and the Boston bombers, begging the question: Is Miley really that influential?

During the 2013 Video Music Awards, Miley Cyrus hit viewers with a huge wrecking ball. Not only did she change the way we will look at teddy bears forever, but she popularized twerking, a dance craze that has become so popular, schools are banning it from their talent shows. Though she clearly resurrected a dance move the world was doing just fine without, it’s clear proof that when Miley’s just being Miley, she’s also influencing millions of people.

Twenty-thirteen seems to be the year of Miley. Just a few months after the VMAs that rocked MTV, the video for “ Wrecking Ball” was released. Not only did she get 1 million hits on YouTube shortly after the video’s release, but the piece sparked multiple parodies that took over the internet. Sure, it didn’t impact world events but like it or not, Miley proved once again that is more than just a fly on the wall.

Though many of Miley’s infamous moments come from her musical career, twitter followers will never forget the day they watched her trade her infamous bun for her current blonde, pixie creation. Even over a year later, celebrities who go for a similar look are compared to the starlet, with headlines reading that they “ pulled a Miley.”

It’s true that Miley Cyrus didn’t solve world hunger, end the crisis in the Middle East, or build homes for tornado victims. And while she may not necessarily deserve “ person of the year,” when it comes to pop culture, Miley’s influence just can’t stop.