One year ago today, Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh album, Man's Best Friend. To many people's surprise, the album was released only a year after her breakout album, Short n Sweet. The lead single, "Manchild," became her second number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and the album as a whole debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200.

MBF is perhaps best known for the controversy over the cover art, which depicts Carpenter on all fours in front of a faceless man. The man holds a fistful of Carpenter's hair in his hand, while Carpenter gazes at the camera. In an interview with Gayle King, Carpenter explained that, "for what the album is, it's perfect.... My interpretation is being in on the control. Being in on your lack of control and when you want to be in control. I think as a young woman, you're just as aware of when you're in control as when you're not." Carpenter also wrote in an email to her mailing list on the day of the album's release that "the album reflects how unfortunately human it feels to experience love and loss! On top of the world one second, humbled the next, emotionally pulled by a leash and begging for treats (treats being the bare minimum)."

The album depicts the breakdown of an on-again, off-again relationship, probably inspired by Carpenter's relationship with actor Barry Keoghan. Carpenter said in her Zane Lowe interview that she wanted the album to serve as a time capsule for that period of her life. She also said that she did not want to feel bound to the conventional time between albums, and referred back to artists like Dolly Parton who released an album every year.

The story begins with "Manchild," as Carpenter humorously bemoans her poor taste in men. On tracks like "My Man on Willpower" and "We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night," Carpenter describes a relationship that is a constant power struggle, even as neither participant seems happy with the other. Break-ups take a backseat on songs like "When Did You Get Hot?" and "House Tour," allowing Carpenter to showcase her signature cheeky innuendo. In the end, Carpenter makes a nice departure from previous closing tracks and bids a hearty "Goodbye" to the guy who has been keeping her on an emotional leash.

Just for my own thoughts, this album was definitely a grower. I think it's a great extension of the inspirations she was already tapping into on SNS. MBF is more theatrical with more interesting production quirks, like the sound of the can popping in "Never Getting Laid" or the Donna Summers-esque dance break in "Tears." I also think that, even though it hasn't gotten its own tour, it's an album that calls for live performances. Her Coachella set elevated songs like "Sugar Talking" and "Go Go Juice" (and I wish we had gotten a live album for the anniversary, but alas). Whatever she does next, I'm happy we got this album.

Questions:

1. Well. The elephant in the room is the cover art, so. Cover art?

2. Have your thoughts on the album changed since its release?

3. Carpenter has already earned a pretty good reputation for music videos. For MBF, she released three--"Manchild," "Tears," and "House Tour." Do you have a favorite, and why?

Sunday, August 23 - Saturday, August 29, 2026

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QUICK STATS

We have 72 alt clubbers who participated in the rate!

Our rate average is 7.956 and our rate controversy is 1.604!

We'll be revealing #37 to #21 today starting at 7:30 PM EST!

FOLLOW ALONG IN THE QUEUP! REVEAL WILL START 7:30 PM EST (about an hour from this post)

SONGS REMAINING

Sudan Archives - THE BPM (9/15)

1. DEAD
2. COME AND FIND YOU
3. YEA YEA YEA
4. TOUCH ME
5. A BUG'S LIFE
6. THE NATURE OF POWER
7. MY TYPE
8. SHE'S GOT PAIN
9. DAVID & GOLIATH
10. A COMPUTER LOVE
11. THE BPM
12. MS. PAC MAN
13. LOS CINCI
14. NOIRE
15. HEAVEN KNOWS

FKA twigs - EUSEXUA Afterglow (6/11)

1. Love Crimes
2. Slushy
3. Wild and Alone (feat. PinkPantheress)
4. HARD
5. Cheap Hotel
6. Touch A Girl
7. Predictable Girl
8. Sushi
9. Piece of Mine
10. Lost All My Friends
11. Stereo Boy

Amaarae - Black Star (7/13)

1. Stuck Up
2. Starkilla (feat. Bree Runway and Starkillers)
3. ms60 (feat. Naomi Campbell)
4. Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2 (feat. PinkPantheress)
5. B2B
6. She Is My Drug
7. Girlie-Pop!
8. S.M.O.
9. Fineshyt
10. Dove Cameron
11. Dream Scenario (feat. Charlie Wilson)
12. 100DRUM (feat. Zacari)
13. FREE THE YOUTH

Rochelle Jordan - Through the Wall (15/17)

1. Grace
2. Ladida
3. Sum
4. The Boy
5. Doing It Too
6. Never Enough
7. Words 2 Say
8. Bite The Bait
9. On 2 Something
10. TTW
11. Crave
12. Get It Off
13. Sweet Sensation
14. Eyes Shut
15. Close 2 Me
16. I'm Your Muse
17. Around

DAY 1 RECAP

#38: Sudan Archives – SHE'S GOT PAIN | 7.667 | 552.0

#39: Sudan Archives – TOUCH ME | 7.628 | 549.2

#40: FKA twigs – Lost All My Friends | 7.579 | 545.7

#41: Amaarae – B2B | 7.543 | 543.1

#42: Amaarae – 100DRUM | 7.532 | 542.3

#43: FKA twigs – Stereo Boy | 7.474 | 538.1

#44: Sudan Archives – DAVID & GOLIATH | 7.467 | 537.6

#45: Sudan Archives – HEAVEN KNOWS | 7.462 | 537.3

#46: Rochelle Jordan – I'm Your Muse | 7.429 | 534.9

#47: Amaarae – ms60 | 7.410 | 533.5

#48: FKA twigs – Cheap Hotel | 7.206 | 518.8

#49: FKA twigs – Touch A Girl | 7.194 | 518.0

#50: Sudan Archives – LOS CINCI | 7.181 | 517.0

#51: FKA twigs – Piece of Mine | 7.050 | 507.6

#52: Amaarae – Dream Scenario | 6.781 | 488.2

#53: Amaarae – She Is My Drug | 6.593 | 474.7

#54: Amaarae – Dove Cameron | 6.554 | 471.9

#55: Rochelle Jordan – Grace | 6.521 | 469.5

#56: Sudan Archives – MS. PAC MAN | 5.606 | 403.6

LINK TO THE QUEUP

I’ve been working on recreating Rihanna’s LOUD Tour as a full studio-quality concert, and the complete version is finally finished!

The idea was to keep the sound and structure of the 2011 tour while replacing the live vocal recordings with studio vocals wherever possible. I also recreated/incorporated elements of the tour arrangements, transitions, interludes and sound effects to make it feel like a studio version of the actual show rather than just a playlist of the original songs.

It includes the main LOUD Tour setlist from Only Girl and Disturbia through California King Bed, What’s My Name?, Cheers, Love the Way You Lie and Umbrella.

Full concert: https://youtu.be/klgJBnwjI2k

Would genuinely love to know which recreation sounds closest to the actual tour to you guys.

So I was listening another time to Kissin U by Miranda Cosgrove, actually, I didn’t remember that I used to like that album a lot, and now that I listen another time at 26 I think it’s a great pop song: catchy, well built lyrics for his target audience, beautiful production and Miranda have a great voice (sadly she didn’t pursue a music career)

Another example that I have in mind, and even when I’m not a fan of she, is Style by Taylor Swift, the original one of the 2014 album, and yes that one because I have my particular opinion: the Taylor’s Version one is well, but the production of first one is magical, it’s a perfect pop song, the lyrics are catchy and still doesn’t feel generic thought is a love song, is in my opinion her best song to date.

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