On Aug. 29, Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh studio album, “Man’s Best Friend,” composed of 12 new songs. People have different opinions on it, whether it’s groundbreaking or just inappropriate.
Many of Carpenter’s songs talk about close relationships, such as “Tears,” “We Almost Broke Up Again,” and “When Did You Get Hot?” Nine out of the twelve songs in the playlist are labeled as explicit in Apple Music. Common themes throughout the album are how Carpenter’s partners have hurt her and how she feels about them now, and her being interested in good-looking, responsible, and/or respectful men.
“I think Sabrina Carpenter’s a very good songwriter. She has a lot of catchy tunes, but I feel like just the lyrics and the way she portrays herself in the songs is very inappropriate,” freshman Caroline Suita said.
While there are common themes and content in the lyrics, there are also common themes in the sound and way the songs are written.
“I feel like an album should have some songs in common. Like, sounds in common in the background, especially, which are in this. But you can tell the difference between the songs,” freshman Olivia Seidel said.
Many of Carpenter’s songs have an echoey sound to the lyrics, and some have reprises in the background. Additionally, there are a few of her songs, like “Manchild,” that are reminiscent of an older era of music, with a synthesizer playing in parts of the song.
Another important controversy of Carpenter’s album is her cover. “Man’s Best Friend” depicts Carpenter on her hands and knees while a man in a suit holds a handful of her hair.
“I feel like it definitely could be her saying women should submit like dogs, but honestly, I feel like it’s just her being almost funny or trying to make a joke, which is also not the best thing, so I don’t know,” freshman Ainsley Barabas said.
Barabas explained two different views on the album. While many people criticize it and say that the cover degrades women, other viewers said that Carpenter was making a statement on power dynamics, as seen in a recent Variety article.
Carpenter was surprised by the negativity she received on the album cover. In an interview with CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King, Carpenter told viewers her view on the cover and how she wants people to interpret it the way they want. She interpreted the cover as conveying control, whether someone has control or does not.
“I wouldn’t change anything, but I feel like even if I were, I would want her to have her own style, and she’s perfect the way she is,” Seidel said.
And lastly, Suita said, “I feel like the tunes and the melody of all her songs are really good and catchy and popular, but I feel like if she just changed the lyrics, then it would be a lot better.”
So, whether Sabrina Carpenter’s album is a hit or whether its content diminishes its value is up to the listener to decide.
