Sabrina Carpenter’s controversial masterpiece

Design by Lola Rodriguez

With over 76 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Sabrina Carpenter has become one of the fastest growing pop artists over the last few years. Carpenter’s big break in the music industry came from her sixth studio album, “Short and Sweet,” which was fully released on Aug. 23, 2024. Almost exactly a year later, she released her most recent album, “Man’s Best Friend.” However, the album cover and title stirred up debate across the internet. People began to question Carpenter’s morals. Critics suggested she was comparing herself and, by association, all women, to dogs. This led me to wonder: Is this criticism of “Man’s Best Friend” valid? And, is this album enjoyable beyond just its shock factor? 

Since the beginning of the album roll-out, I blindly trusted in Carpenter, having adored her newer work, especially “Short and Sweet” and “Manchild.” After “Manchild,” the first single, and clear brutal dig at her ex-boyfriends, I immediately saw the irony and assumed that she had to be going for some kind of bit with the “Man’s Best Friend” cover and title. I’m very glad I did because after listening to the songs and Carpenter’s interviews about the album, I think it is clearly not misogynistic. In fact, at points, I found it almost misandristic. For instance, in some songs, Carpenter portrays men as childlike with lyrics such as, “A little initiative can go a very long, long way/Baby just do the dishes” and “How survive the earth so long?” 

After listening to the album, it is obvious that this controversy and criticism is not valid. In fact, the irony is so evident it is almost painful. This controversy, to me, is one of the starkest examples of how people throw around words like feminism and misogyny to attack others without seriously engaging or critically thinking about their work. Carpenter’s satire was not recognized, which fueled this online hatred. In my opinion, the cover and title are intended to make fun of men’s views of women, exposing them in a misogynistic light, not the other way around. 

On “Man’s Best Friend,” Carpenter plays with lyrics in her typical, carefree way. This is clear by the sheer amount of fun metaphors, some obvious and some subtle. In songs like “House Tour” and “When Did You Get Hot?”, Carpenter trashes her ex-boyfriends, but she does so with a fun, theatrical feel, especially in songs like ”We Almost Broke Up Again.”

Musically, I have to say, this is one of the only albums that Jack Antonoff has produced, where I don’t feel like there is synth pop being shoved down my throat. Carpenter’s country-pop sound is reminiscent of her previous album, “Short and Sweet.” Her instrumentals also remind me of the disco era combined with many ABBA and Madonna-esque touches. This mix makes it truly feel like a timeless pop anthology. Not only are the instrumentals great but, in my opinion, the vocals are on another level, serving as a reminder that Carpenter was on Broadway. Possibly the best part of “Man’s Best Friend” is that it never takes itself too seriously. The entire album is extremely representative of Carpenter’s brand: fun, unserious, and showy, and, most importantly, one that supports women.