Sabrina Carpenter's new album cover for "Man’s Best Friend" sparks controversy
Photo: Instagram
Sabrina Carpenter’s new album cover for Man’s Best Friend has quickly become a topic of heated debate across social media.
Unveiled during a recent Instagram Live session, the provocative artwork has divided fans and critics alike, with many expressing concern over its imagery.
The image shows Carpenter on all fours, with a faceless figure in black slacks gripping her blonde hair, a visual that many fans have described as overly sexual and submissive.
Adding to the controversy, Carpenter posted a close-up of a heart-shaped dog collar engraved with the album title, further intensifying the debate. Critics quickly took to social media, with some labelling the imagery as irresponsible, citing concerns over its portrayal of misogyny and violence.
Every day men men men ENOUGH https://t.co/MtAJGNgCRA
— Sarah (@whomstissarah) June 11, 2025
thinking about how hair pulling was one of the first forms of violent misogyny me and many other women faced as young girls - I really hope this is not the album cover, it feels deeply irresponsible https://t.co/KVz6F8gDP3
— Tara Mae 🤍 (@txrzyy) June 11, 2025
the sydney sweeney of the music industry https://t.co/HeMgoHIIRF
However, many of Carpenter’s supporters saw the backlash as lack of media literacy and defended the cover, praising the pop star for being subversive.
it’s a metaphor for being treated like a dog y’all https://t.co/oPHsePSnG1
— atticus (@bedchemyst) June 11, 2025before #they start crying, this photo is obviously a metaphor for how men treat women like shit look at how the man is gripping her hair…let’s use common sense this round PLEASE pic.twitter.com/1dXvDYlX8G
Alongside the cover controversy, Carpenter’s lead single "Manchild", produced by Jack Antonoff, has topped both the U.S. and Global charts on Spotify, demonstrating her ongoing success in the music industry.
This new album follows Carpenter’s successful Short n’ Sweet release in 2024, which earned critical acclaim and several Grammy wins.