Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus song) for "Billboard", Jason Lipshutz stated that the "nude Cyrus shown straddling a swinging wrecking ball" was the most surprising piece of the clip. Amelia Proud from "Daily Mail" provided a mixed review, commenting that Cyrus delivered a visual that was more provocative than its "boisterous" predecessor "We Can't Stop" and questioned if she has "finally gone too far this time". The staff from "Entertainment Weekly" joked that viewers would be "scandalized/titillated/disappointed in Billy Ray Cyrus' parenting skills" after seeing his daughter nude and "fellating a sledgehammer. " Writing for "The Guardian", Michael Hann criticized Cyrus' attempts to distance herself from
Miley Cyrus: Tongue Tied frequently alternates between footage of Cyrus making facial expressions with cartoon-styled eyes and noses layered on her face and Cyrus wearing latex bands commonly associated with sadomasochism (S&M). She is additionally seen suspended mid-air by ribbons in an acrobatic fashion, hanging from a rod with her legs provocatively spread, and suggestively showing her buttocks to the camera. As the clip progresses, Cyrus cries as she spreads black oil across her face, which she later smears across her body in a sexual manner. Contemporary critics centered much of their commentary of "Miley Cyrus: Tongue Tied" around its prominent sadomasochistic elements. Writing