One year ago, tears were running down Sabrina Carpenter’s thighs while fans were teleported to Pretty Girl Avenue and oh boy! What a year it has been.
On August 29th, 2025, Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, less than a year after the release of her Grammy winning album, Short n’ Sweet. Man’s Best Friend encapsulates romantic highs and intense heartbreak with a shower of unhinged humour. In the past year, fans have been fed with iconic tunes, music festivals, and amazing celebrity appearances. So, as the record turns one, let’s recap and celebrate a year of Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend.
The playful era officially started on June 5th, 2025 when Carpenter changed our lives and dropped the first single ‘Manchild’. The tune was accompanied by a wildly chaotic video directed by Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia, as it featured Carpenter’s unhinged tradition of sending the men in her videos to an early grave. The song and music video were pretty much a big confident sigh and eyeroll towards beautiful but immature men. We’ve all been there! And Carpenter managed to explore the internal question every person who has experienced dating in today’s society asks: Where on earth do these men spawn from? The very relatable, cheeky single quickly became a fan favourite and debuted at number one on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Charts, and number two here in NZ. The single perfectly blended elements of disco, country pop and synth pop to create an irresistible, brutally honest, upbeat tune that gets listeners like you and me dance ready.
But then came June 12th…
Carpenter took to Instagram to announce the album release date, with the official cover art for the album depicting her on her knees, staring at the camera while a standing man wearing a suit holds her hair in his hand.
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As Carpenter unveiled the album artwork, it grabbed attention and everyone began talking about it. Was this setting women back? Critics argued that the cover degraded women, and promoted harmful ideas about submitting to men. Fans quickly came to Carpenter’s defence online, noting that she usually uses humour in her art and this was just one of those moments. After all, the lead single of the record was a powerful anthem that calls out men for acting like children.
The controversy eventually led to Carpenter weighing in on it herself during an interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings in September. “My fans that know me and know the person behind the music will look at that photo and know exactly what it is,” she said. She explained that to her, the cover was about being in on the control. Whether you loved it or hated it, you couldn’t look away and the world couldn’t stop talking about Man’s Best Friend!
So, yeah, compared to Short n’ Sweet, Man’s Best Friend came in hot n’ spicy.
When the record came out on August 29th, Carpenter dove more into the evocative atmosphere of ‘Manchild’ with songs like ‘Sugar Talking’ and ‘Nobody’s Son’. The record inevitably challenged the criticism towards the cover and became an anthem for girlhood. We were lucky to receive 12 honest and flawless tracks that lyrically flipped the submissive narrative. “A little respect for women can get you very very far” she sings in the second single ‘Tears’. From thoughtful, heartfelt lyrics like “Emotional lottery is all you’ll ever get with me” on ‘Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry’ to sarcastic, playful lines like “Ain’t nobody safe when I’m a little bit drunk” on ‘Go Go Juice’, Carpenter took fans on an emotional rollercoaster ride that perfectly encapsulates the passionate, sensitive, messy, yet exciting experience of navigating life in your 20s.
So, looking back one year later, it’s no surprise the album reached number one on the Billboard Hot 200 and became her highest debut ever. It was Carpenter’s first co-production across a whole album, alongside main producers Jack Antonoff and John Ryan, with Amy Allen as a co-composer. It marked her second number one album, after Short n’ Sweet, with the second single ‘Tears’ debuting at number three on the US Hot 100.
When the album’s tracklist was revealed, fans began claiming the second track ‘Tears’, expecting an emotional, heavyhearted ballad. Instead, they were hit in the face with an upbeat reminder that eyes aren’t the only body part that cries. And honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way! ‘Tears’ released simultaneously to the album, with the official video, directed by Bardia Zeinali, paying homage to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It starred Colman Domingo and other dancers dressed head to toe in drag and featured a catchy dance break. But the song became an even bigger pop culture moment when Carpenter brought it to the MTV Video Music Awards stage on September 7th, 2025. Carpenter performed alongside drag queens and signs reading, “Protect Trans Rights”, “Support Local Drag”, and “Gay Rights Are Human Rights”. After the iconic in the rain dance break, Carpenter and the dancers posed with the signs, turning the moment into a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. From the music video to the VMAs performance, ‘Tears’ quickly became a significant pop culture moment and will go down as one of Carpenter’s most memorable performances.
So, as far as music videos go, ‘Tears’ set a high standard, and after getting an appearance from Colman Domingo, you wouldn’t think anything could level to it. But of course, you can’t underestimate Carpenter and her celebrity appearances in this era!
Originally not a single, the 11th track on the record, ‘House Tour’ became a fan favourite. Carpenter uses a house tour as a clever and flirtatious metaphor. “My house is on pretty girl avenue. My house was especially built for you,” she sings. The track became iconic, peaking at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming number one on the UK Official Vinyl Singles Charts. It perfectly encapsulates femininity with a playful and flirty atmosphere and definitely went platinum in every fan’s household. It officially released as a single on January 23rd, 2026 with the music video, directed by Carpenter and Margaret Qualley releasing on April 6th, 2026. The official video starred Carpenter alongside Qualley and Madelyn Cline as glamorous burglars disguised as a “Pretty Girl Cleanup Crew”. I mean, what a line up! The video was fun, exciting, girly and tied a perfect bow on Man’s Best Friend as a whole.
So what has Carpenter achieved since releasing Man’s Best Friend?
In 2025, Carpenter headlined multiple big music festivals, including Primavera Sound, BST Hyde Park, Lollapalooza, and the Austin City Limits Music Festival. At these, she brought out various legendary musicians, including Shania Twain. She also continued to police the hot girl population, carrying over the iconic ‘Juno’ arrests from her Short n Sweet Tour. In May, she won three American Music Awards, including two for Man’s Best Friend. In September, Carpenter took home three MTV Video Music Awards and in October, she hosted Saturday Night Live, creating hilarious scenes we’ll never forget. Although we officially said goodbye to the Short n’ Sweet era in November as Carpenter wrapped up the tour, the Man’s Best Friend era was just beginning.
Her hard work certainly showed through as Man’s Best Friend received six Grammy nominations at the 68th Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. Although Carpenter didn’t take home any Grammys for the record, it’s safe to say that with the production and playful humour of Man’s Best Friend, it won Album of the Year for every fan.
But the most amazing part of the Man’s Best Friend chapter is that dreams really do come true. In April 2026, Carpenter headlined Coachella after casually manifesting it at her 2024 set. Sabchella became memorable. She transformed the main stage into “Sabrinawood”, telling the story of a young performer’s rise to fame with incredible dances, visuals and props to bring a vision of Man’s Best Friend to life. Coachella fans were surprised with incredible guest appearances from Sam Elliott, Susan Sarandon, Will Ferrell, Samuel L. Jackson, Corey Fogelmanis, Terry Crews, Geena Davis, and Madonna! Carpenter and Madonna performed their new song, ‘Bring Your Love’, giving the crowd a taste of Madonna’s new album CONFESSIONS II.
Fans watching in person and online were amazed with Sabchella’s production, with the performances of ‘We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night’, ‘My Man on Willpower’, and ‘Sugar Talking’ becoming favourites and trending on TikTok. Because of Man’s Best Friend and Coachella, now, every time we put on a flowy outfit and catch a gust of wind, we’re strutting straight into Sabrinawood.
So, it’s safe to say that Man’s Best Friend left an incredible impact.
But the most important part is that Carpenter loved creating the record. In an Instagram post when the album came out, Carpenter wrote how amazing the process was. “How special to make something out of pure inspiration and zero pressure,” she wrote. Compared to her previous records, Man’s Best Friend left a significant memorable impact on her and we’re so glad that she had just as much fun making it as we did listening to it.
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So, as we celebrate one year of Man’s Best Friend, let’s also celebrate the memories, moments and the chapter of elegant chaos that comes with it. From ‘Manchild’ and Grammy nominations, to Sabrinawood at Coachella, the record created unforgettable moments that sum up the mind of someone in their 20s. Carpenter perfectly blended her passion for music, heartbreak and her celebration for disappointment into the record to create a fantastic collection of tunes that tugs at the heartstrings of listeners on a personal level. One year later, Man’s Best Friend still feels unapologetically honest and taught listeners that it’s okay to make mistakes, laugh at our decisions, but also live our best and passionate lives, navigating gracefully (or ungracefully) through any challenges.
