“Man’s Best Friend,” the most recent album of rising pop star Sabrina Carpenter was announced June 11, 2025 and released on August 29, 2025. The 12-song album had already eclipsed 224,000 pure sales in the first week.
Carpenter’s seventh studio album is pop, disco-pop, R&B, and synth rock journey through heartbreak, expression of sexuality, and the ups and downs of dating, lots of which being common themes of the Pop genre, especially tones of break ups and love related songs, popular ideas that can be displayed through the works of Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, and others. Songs like “Tears” and “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night” written by Carpenter, Amy Allen, and Jack Antonoff display patterns of sarcasm, humor, and sincerity.
She sings lines such as “a little respect for women can get you very, very far” with the next lines displaying raw vulnerability. These tones ripple throughout the entire album with playful yet striking duality. The well known song of the album, “Manchild,” also shows some of the country hits and twang seen across the entire album.
Personally, I think it’s a strong album. It turns the time back a little, several songs leaking a retro flair. It maintains strong points of breakups while having a fun flair, like a dig at an ex wrapped in sequins.
But then we come to the main point that comes up when talking about Carpenter, is it new?
A trending idea in reference to her music is “All her songs sound similar.” While this may be true with most of her music having high pitch, upbeat, and fun sounds and tones paired with cheerful, provocative and witty lyrics, this album is a breath of fresh air, slightly turning off her normal path to a retro flair with the current pop music aesthetic.
A Sabrina Carpenter fan, sophomore Matthew Deitz spoke about the album saying, “I have been a fan of Sabrina Carpenter for quite a bit now, loving her “Emails I Can’t Send” and “Short n’ Sweet” eras. This album however is completely different and unexpected, which is a good thing. After the sensational hits like “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” I was worried this album wouldn’t live up to their standards. However, Man’s Best Friend stands very well on its own, it’s far more meaningful and narrative-driven. Sabrina has created a breakup album targeted towards men but not in your traditional way, she expresses many emotions and even feelings of joy”. He strongly recommends the album for fans of Carpenter, pop, and even nonfans.
Carpenter has wowed us yet again, with another album of whimsy, fun, and catchy tunes that people can listen to,– whether it’s to relate to escaping a controlling boyfriend, or just to relax on a weekend and listen to some upbeat music. So give it a try and maybe you’ll become a fan when you don’t expect it.
