Sabrina Carpenter’s latest breakup album, “Man’s Best Friend,” was probably cathartic for her to write, but it’s a chore to listen to.
Released on August 29, 2025, the album is just under 40 minutes with 12 songs.
When the album was first announced in June, the cover sparked online controversy over who Sabrina’s target audience really is.
In the cover photo, she’s on her knees with her hand on the leg of a man who is holding her hair, like he’s walking her on a leash.
It’s a very submissive position that the internet can’t make its mind up about.
Users on Instagram, Reddit, and X (formerly Twitter) have either attacked it and called it degrading or claimed that it’s poking fun at gender stereotypes.
But given the subject matter on most of the album, if it’s satire, it missed the mark.
Sabrina’s lead single and first track tell you everything the rest of the album will.
There’s nothing going on in her man’s head, and there’s not a lot going on in hers either.
Backed by vaguely country influences, Sabrina asks if the man she’s talking to is “stupid. Or is it slow? Maybe it’s useless?”
But there’s one word that sums it all up: Manchild.
Sabrina wastes no time getting into her provocative material.
But unfortunately it’s thirsting over a man doing the bare minimum.
She also stays on the topic for all 12 songs. In “Tears,” Sabrina gets “wet at the thought of you being a responsible guy,” and in “House Tour” she just wants her man to come inside and look around.
“Man’s Best Friend” isn’t terrible–it’s just very simple, as long as you can understand the sexual innuendo in every other lyric.
All of the instrumentals sound the same, and since all of the songs are either about sex or being mad at a man, you can’t really tell what song you’re on.
There are not many standouts, but track nine, “Go Go Juice,” is a fun little tune about drinking all of your problems away and “accidentally” calling up that one person you definitely shouldn’t.
By the last song, “Goodbye,” Sabrina’s just done. Her man changed his mind overnight and left her, and now she’s crying so much she almost faints.
But considering her only prerequisite for sex was him having an ounce of respect for women, maybe she’s better off now.
If “Man’s Best Friend” is supposed to ironically flaunt for the male gaze, Sabrina’s gone too far.
The album feels like a temper tantrum that Sabrina tried to make sexy.
But if she needs to cry so hard she passes out over a man that she has to beg to do the dishes, she should probably just settle for some self-reflection.
