Editing Billy Ray Cyrus (section)

===The Mercury Records years===
While trying to get a recording contract in Los Angeles, Cyrus suffered many hardships including living in his neighbor's car. However, in 1990, he was signed to [[Mercury Nashville Records|PolyGram/Mercury]]. In the same year he opened for [[Reba McEntire]].<ref name="mileycyrusbio-2009" /> Cyrus began to record and write music for his debut album, released in 1992.

''[[Some Gave All]]'' was released in 1992. The album became an instant chart and sales success. It debuted at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' [[Top Country Albums]], ''Billboard'' 200, Canadian Country Albums chart, [[Canadian Albums Chart]], and on the charts of several other countries. The album featured four consecutive top 40 singles on the [[Hot Country Songs]] chart from 1992 to 1993, including an album cut, the title track. The most successful single released was "[[Achy Breaky Heart]]". It reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and was also a hit on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], where it reached No. 4. Uniquely for a country music song it also became an international success, reaching number 1 in Australia and number 3 on the [[UK Singles Chart]]. Thanks to the video of this hit, there was the explosion of the [[line dance]] into the mainstream, becoming a global craze.<ref name="OutOfStyle">{{cite news|date=October 30, 1992|title=Line dancing refuses to go out of style|newspaper=Star-News|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iqssAAAAIBAJ&pg=2782,6165269&dq=billy+ray+cyrus+line+dancing&hl=en|access-date=August 12, 2010}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Additionally, the singles "[[Could've Been Me]]" reached No. 2, "Wher'm I Gonna Live?" reached No. 23, and "[[She's Not Cryin' Anymore]]" reached No. 6. ''Some Gave All'' was certified 9× multi-platinum in the United States in 1996, and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

[[File:Billy Ray Cyrus Tour.jpg|thumb|Cyrus singing at the Spirit of America tour, October 2005<ref>[http://spiritofamericatour.org/artists/ "Spirit of America Tour: Artists"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701033117/http://spiritofamericatour.org/artists/ |date=July 1, 2016 }}, ''spiritofamerica.org''</ref>]]

In 1993, Cyrus and Mercury Records quickly released Cyrus' second studio album, ''[[It Won't Be the Last]]''. The album featured four singles, three of which made the top 40. The album debuted at No.&nbsp;1 on the Country charts, and No.&nbsp;3 on the ''Billboard'' 200. By the end of the year, ''It Won't Be the Last'' was certified platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]. The highest-charting single, the lead-off single, "[[In the Heart of a Woman]]", charted to No. 3, with "[[Somebody New (Billy Ray Cyrus song)|Somebody New]]" charting to No. 9, "Words By Heart" at No. 12, and "Talk Some" at No. 63. Also in 1993, Cyrus appeared on [[Dolly Parton]]'s single "[[Slow Dancing with the Moon|Romeo]]"; though the single only reached 27 on the country singles charts, the accompanying video was popular on [[Country Music Television|CMT]].

Cyrus' third studio album, ''[[Storm in the Heartland]]'', was released in 1994. It was the final album he recorded for PolyGram, which closed its doors in 1995. The album was not as successful as its predecessors. It only reached No. 11 on the Country albums chart, and only the title track made the top 40 of the Country singles chart. "Deja Blue" was the second single released; however, it only managed to chart to No. 66, and the third and final single, "One Last Thrill", failed to chart at all.

The album managed to be certified gold in the U.S. Before Cyrus started on his next album, he was transferred to [[Universal Music Group Nashville|Mercury Nashville]].

Also in 1994, Cyrus contributed the song "Pictures Don't Lie" to the [[AIDS]] benefit album [[Red Hot + Country]] produced by the [[Red Hot Organization]].

Cyrus' most critically acclaimed album was 1996's ''[[Trail of Tears (Billy Ray Cyrus album)|Trail of Tears]]'' for Mercury Records. The album debuted at No. 20 on the Country chart. Only two songs made the cut to radio, neither of which hit the top 40. The title track and "Three Little Words" reached No. 69 and No. 65 respectively. The album failed to reach any certification, and was off the charts after only four weeks.

In 1998, Cyrus released his last album for Mercury Records ''[[Shot Full of Love]]''. The album became his lowest-peaking album, debuting at No. 32. The first single, "Under the Hood", failed to chart, "Time for Letting Go" hit No. 70, "[[Busy Man]]" charted No. 3, and "I Give My Heart to You" reached No. 41. After the single fell from the charts, Cyrus left Mercury and signed with [[Monument Records]] in 1999.

His debut album for Monument, ''[[Southern Rain]]'', was released in 2000. It debuted at No. 13 on the Country albums chart and No. 102 on the ''Billboard'' 200. Five singles were released and all five charted. The lead-off single, "[[You Won't Be Lonely Now]]", was the highest-peaking single from the album, charting to No. 17. Other singles include "We the People" (No. 60), "Burn Down the Trailer Park" (No. 43), "Crazy 'Bout You Baby" (No. 58), and the title track (No. 45).