Most Wanted is the first compilation album by American actress and singer Hilary Duff. It was released on August 10, 2005, by Hollywood Records. The album comprises ten previously released tracks (three of which are in a remixed form), and three new recordings: "Wake Up", "Beat of My Heart", and "Break My Heart". A deluxe edition of the album, subtitled The Collector's Signature Edition, was also released, containing additional remixes and another new recording "Supergirl". At first, Duff was concerned about the reaction of fans to the new songs, since they carry a "totally different sound" and are more dance-oriented than her previous music.

Following its release, Most Wanted received mostly negative reviews from critics, who deemed the release as premature, stating that Duff did not have enough material to warrant a compilation. However, the Dead Executives-produced tracks received favorable comments; critics wrote that they stood out from the rest of the album. In the United States, the album debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming Duff's second number one entry on the chart, also becoming the second solo artist to chart on the Billboard 200 under the age of 18 twice, and sixth overall. It was later certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Elsewhere, it debuted at number one in Canada, and reached the top ten in Australia, Ireland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand.

Three singles were released from the album. The lead single, "Wake Up", was released in July 2005, and peaked within the top ten in countries including Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the song reached number 29 and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The accompanying music video features Duff portraying styles from cities over the world like London and Tokyo. The second single, "Beat of My Heart", peaked in the top 20 in countries such as Australia, Italy and Spain. "Supergirl" was released in February 2006 exclusively to the iTunes Store as a promotional single and "Fly", originally released as the lead single from Hilary Duff, was re-released throughout Europe as the final single from Most Wanted. Duff embarked on the worldwide Still Most Wanted Tour in support of the album; the tour ran from July 2005 through September 2006.

Background and development On May 20, 2005, MTV News reported that Hilary Duff would be releasing a new album in August, comprising previously released tracks and four new recordings. It was also announced that preceding the album's release, she would begin a 32-date summer concert tour in support of the album. Four days later, on May 24, the album's title was revealed to be Most Wanted, and the album's release date was announced to be August 16, 2005. The following month, Duff said that she had been working with brothers Joel and Benji Madden, of the American rock band Good Charlotte, and Jason Epperson (together known under the production name the Dead Executives) to write and produce new songs for the compilation. She said that " ... they're three of my favorite songs I've ever done. ... It was really fun being in the studio with them." Described by Duff as the first time when "all the responsibility was on [her]", she went into the recording studio without the guidance of her record label or management. Duff said she did not tell anyone at her record label Hollywood Records about working with the Dead Executives. Joel, her boyfriend at the time, was aware that Duff sought new material, and knew that she wanted a "totally different sound". Together, the Dead Executives went into the recording studio and worked on new music for Duff, before bringing her into the studio to collectively work on them.

Duff described working with them as pleasant, and the music as a new milestone in her career, stating that working with "people you're close with makes a world of difference when you're recording and being creative." At the same time, Duff was also nervous about how her fans would react to the new music. Duff recorded four tracks for the album, three of which appear on the standard edition of the album—"Wake Up", "Beat of My Heart" and "Break My Heart"— while the fourth appears only on the deluxe edition: "Supergirl". The song was penned by Duff alongside Kara DioGuardi and Greg Wells. The track listing for Most Wanted was revealed on July 12, 2005, and the album was released on August 16, 2005 in the United States and Canada. The Japanese standard edition of the album features the same track listing as The Collector's Signature Edition, with additional remixes of "Wake Up" by DJ Kaya, and was released on August 10, 2005. Another version with a bonus DVD including music videos to selected songs and "making of" clips was also released in the same region. In the US, the iTunes digital version includes an interview with Duff. A deluxe edition of the album, subtitled The Collector's Signature Edition, was also released, containing an acoustic version of "Who's That Girl?", an alternate version of "Jericho" and a remix of "Party Up" along with "Supergirl". The pressing features a different album art and was packed with four autographed photo cards and a wristband. Most Wanted also contains 10 previously released tracks from Metamorphosis (2003) and Hilary Duff (2004), as well as songs from soundtracks of Duff's films: The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003) and A Cinderella Story (2004), three of which—"Come Clean", "Rock This World" and "Why Not"—are in a remixed form.

New material

"Wake Up", the opening track, is a mid-tempo number backed by dance, pop and electronic beats, and has "a more mature pop-techno sound" than Duff's previous work. Its instrumentation includes a guitar, bass and drums. Kelefa Anneth of The New York Times noted that the song contains musical influences of The Go-Go's. The lyrics of the song speak about having fun. Duff initially sings about the consequences of her fame and how people think they know "everything about [me]" ("There's people talking / They talk about me / They know my name / They think they know everything / But they don't know anything about me"). As the chorus draws near, the song takes on a "party anthem" approach, where Duff discusses the "struggle" for joy and self-confidence: "I know I make mistakes / I'm living life day to day / It's never really easy but it's OK..." According to Duff, the song "makes you want to forget about all the pressure of dealing with your boss, or your teacher, or your mom, or [whoever]," and lyrically discusses "getting out and not forgetting to have some fun." Duff has also said the song also "talks about being in all [my] favorite places in the world, which is Tokyo and Paris and London and New York."2007. "At Home with Hilary Duff" featurette on Dignity deluxe edition DVD. Hollywood Records: Canada (D000033800). "Beat of My Heart", the third track on the album, is inspired by the new wave genre. The song also draws influences from the bubblegum pop and dance genres. It carries a "soft electronic pop" sound and has the heart beat sound as its base. According to Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine, the phrase "beat of my heart" is repeated forty-four times in the song.

The next new track and the ninth track on the album, "Break My Heart" is another dance-inspired number incorporating pop punk elements, and was described as a "highly produced four-on-the-floor rocker." The song interpolates "slick and clean 'punk' guitars and a chugging rhythm". "Break My Heart" leans more towards the rock genre and was compared to the works of Good Charlotte. The lyrics describe the feelings faced by the protagonist, following her heartbreak. Bill Lamb of About.com observed that "Beat of My Heart" and "Break My Heart" were "cookie cutter copies" of Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi" (2002). "Girl Can Rock", according to Anthony Miccio of Baltimore City Paper has a chord progression similar to the song "Cherry Pie" by American band Warrant. The song displays elements of country music and the lyrics are a "statement of purpose". Duff sings the chorus, backed by a guitar: "It ain't no shock/ The girl can rock".

The standard North American edition of Most Wanted includes remixes of "Come Clean", "Why Not", and "Rock This World"; other editions feature additional remixes of "Party Up", "Jericho", and "I Am", and an acoustic version of "Who's That Girl?". Duff described the remixes as having "sort of a Muse feel going on."DeRogatis, Jim. "Is She For Real?". Chicago Sun-Times. July 19, 2005. Retrieved September 22, 2025. According to Spence D. of IGN, "Come Clean" remixed by Chris Cox exhibits elements of house music, and he described the remix of "Why Not" as "hyperkinetic pop" sped-up to a "level of sugar high bounce". He classified "Rock This World" as displaying "Kid Rock-meets-Aerosmith rock blitz", however, Tricia Olszewski of The Washington Post described it as having a "barely noticeable" difference from the original. A remix of the Diane Warren-penned "I Am" is included as a hidden track, with added synths to give it "a decidedly '80s indie waver".

Critical response

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave a mixed review of Most Wanted, stating that "hardcore fans will be hard-pressed for a reason to add this to their collection" and that the new songs—"Wake Up", "Beat of My Heart" and "Break My Heart"—"sound a bit like leftovers". Although he wrote that Most Wanted "isn't a terrible album by any means, it's not particularly a good one, since Duff's two pop albums [Metamorphosis (2003) and Hilary Duff (2004)] have distinctive personalities that don't necessarily mesh together [...], and are both more fun than this." Bill Lamb of About.com noted that the three new songs "seem to be marking time instead of finding a new direction" but said that "[the] remaining bulk of this collection is strong." Anthony Miccio, from the Baltimore City Paper, wrote that the album "doesn't signify the closure of a brief career" but is "meant to satisfy an audience that won't be offended by the opportunity to buy their favorite songs again and again." He noted that Duff's voice was not strong enough and stated that the "rock tracks are surprisingly sluggish." Talia Kraines of BBC Music commented that " ... there isn't enough here to warrant a purchase if you're already the owner of her back catalogue. But if you're after your first taste of Duff-flavoured pop to listen to in the background as you do your homework, then this album can do no harm."