Music

4. Does the album feel to you like it moves her beyond Short n’ Sweet, or do you think it mostly doubles down on what that album did successfully?

Eric Renner Brown: It’s a Sabrina Carpenter album! She ran it back for an album that, to my ears, pretty much picks up right where Short n’ Sweet left off. And that wasn’t a bad idea: Carpenter does a very distinctive thing and does it very well – this is what audiences expect from her. But now I’m wondering… are there people out there hailing this as a major stylistic departure for her?

Lyndsey Havens: At first, I thought it doubled down. And I still think it largely does — which is great! It works for all parties involved. But the more I listen, the more I can see how this is a stepping stone towards whatever comes next, whether it’s a move away from her sex-driven wordplay or a move into the softer production and soaring vocals of a song like “We Almost Broke Up Again,” I can’t wait to see what comes next for Sabrina. And while I’d eagerly press play on a third album in a potential trio of releases, I do hope that there’s a break built in before then — and perhaps ending the album with “Goodbye” is a hint at exactly that. 

Jason Lipshutz: I think even Sabrina would admit that Man’s Best Friend doubles down on a formula that was established on Short n’ Sweet, augmenting the details of a winning blueprint drawn up with close collaborators who understand her voice, sound and humor. Because Short n’ Sweet was such a success, Carpenter has designed Man’s Best Friend as a more personal, and lovably weird, glimpse into her life and relationships, drawing upon similar themes with more confidence and clarity. I doubt Carpenter will linger in this particular mode for too much longer, but for now, she’s having a blast within it.

Joe Lynch: It pushes the envelope a bit further in terms of sexual entendre and transgression (I mean, that album cover) — but musically, she’s doubling down on what worked on SNS. Which is fine – coming almost a year to the date after that breakthrough album, MBF delivers, to my ear, more of the same sonically. But there’s not a lot of people doing what she’s doing right now (or at least doing it well), so I welcome it. Now, in 2026 or 2027, would I hope there’s a bit of growth? Sure. But as a quick follow-up to a blockbuster, this lands.

Andrew Unterberger: It certainly feels of a piece with her last album both sonically and thematically, but the more you listen to this album the more you realize how far this actually is from Shorter n’ Sweeter. It’s a less-explosive album than its predecessor but arguably a richer one, less concerned with offering a cornucopia of singles and more with a providing full-album experience, a relationship song cycle that feels almost like it’s all telling parts of the same story of post-relationship heartbreak, lust, frustration and (some degree of) acceptance. And the musical influences, pushing her further into unusual pockets of pre-MTV crossover country, synthy soft rock and other little-revived genres, really give this album its own sonic identity as well.

5. It’s been an incredible near-two-year run for Sabrina Carpenter in pop music — how would you recommend she spend the next three months to finish out the year as strongly as possible?

Eric Renner Brown: At this point, she feels too big too fail, which I mean in the most complimentary way. These hits, sales, concerts are simply so massive that it’s hard for me to think of any way she could derail this run at this point. But I will be curious to see how she incorporates this fresh material into her Short n’ Sweet tour when it resumes later this month – and if she can leverage any of these new songs to create viral moments.

Lyndsey Havens: Enjoy it, whatever that looks like for her. It sure could mean continuing to write and record. It could mean continuing to ideate and build worlds with her performances (she has a handful of festival gigs in early 2026). And it could mean taking a long vacation. But, somewhere in all of that, I also hope it means preparing for a busy award season at the start of the new year; at this point, an show-opening career-spanning medley from the superstar to open a particular awards ceremony doesn’t even seem that far-fetched. 

Jason Lipshutz: Considering she just released her new album, has a new smash with “Tears,” just delivered one of the best performance at the MTV VMAs and is playing some fall arena dates… what else is there to ask for? The answer, of course, is a music video for “House Tour,” starring some HGTV personalities. Fingers crossed on that one.

Joe Lynch: Another collab with Van Leeuwen, please – I tragically missed the first one and my tastebuds have been furious with me since. Other than ice cream, I hope Carpenter keeps giving us more of what she brought to the VMAs – it’s hard to pull off a political pop performance without being heavy-handed, but she spoke up for trans right while platforming trans people without losing that ineffable, defiant joy of queer culture.

Andrew Unterberger: Could her upcoming appearance on the closer to Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl album possibly kickstart a run of feature appearances from Sabrina Carpenter? I’d love to see it at some point in her career — nearly all the century’s great pop stars have had at least one such memorable run, and she would be incredible just popping up on a big hook for any number of rappers, rockers or dance DJs out there.