Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

“This Set Women Back Like 100 Years”: Sabrina Carpenter Slammed For Provocative New Album Art
Sabrina Carpenter in a black outfit posing with tousled hair, album cover criticized for degrading and misogyny concerns.
1.3K

“This Set Women Back Like 100 Years”: Sabrina Carpenter Slammed For Provocative New Album Art

-16

ADVERTISEMENT

Sabrina Carpenter raised people’s blood pressure with the reveal of what appeared to be the cover of her next album.

Fresh off the success of her sugary album Short n’ Sweet, she announced the reveal of her upcoming albumMan’s Best Friend. The announcement came with a provocative image of her on all fours, being led like a pet.

Highlights
  • Sabrina Carpenter shared provocative cover art for her seventh studio album "Man’s Best Friend."
  • She was captured on all fours, with her hair being yanked by a faceless figure.
  • Another image featured a photo of a furry friend, wearing a collar with the phrase "Man’s Best Friend" engraved.
  • Her album announcement came days after she released the song "Manchild," which some fans believed was a jibe at her ex Barry Keoghan.

“So disgusting and misogynistic,” one commented online. “…We can’t support this behavior.”

RELATED:

    Sabrina Carpenter shared provocative cover art for her seventh studio album—Man’s Best Friend

    Sabrina Carpenter posing in a pale green outfit, amid backlash over tone deaf and degrading album cover controversy.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

    The pop princess dropped the surprise announcement of her album on Wednesday, June 11.

    “My new album, ‘Man’s Best Friend’ is out on August 29, 2025,” she wrote on Instagram. “I can’t wait for it to be yours x Pre-order now.”

    Sabrina Carpenter with curly blonde hair in a sparkly outfit, related to tone deaf and degrading album cover controversy.

    Image credits: sabrinacarpenter

    With the caption, she shared two images of the album cover that sparked widespread commentary online.

    In one of the images, the 26-year-old artist was wearing a black mini dress and heels.

    She was captured on all fours, with her hair being yanked by a faceless figure.

    One of the images saw her on all fours, with her hair being yanked by a faceless figure

    Sabrina Carpenter on hands and knees in black dress with man pulling her hair, album cover criticized for misogyny and tone deafness.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: sabrinacarpenter

    Tweet criticizing Sabrina Carpenter's album cover for tone deafness and extreme misogyny in its portrayal of women.

    Image credits: ninasayerss

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Another image featured a zoomed-in photo of a furry friend, wearing a powder-blue collar with the phrase Man’s Best Friend engraved.

    The album art could be a clue of the upcoming album exploring themes of control, desire, and the dynamics of intimacy and power.

    Close-up of a fluffy dog wearing a blue collar with a heart-shaped tag reading Man's Best Friend in tone deaf album cover context

    Image credits: sabrinacarpenter

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Tweet text saying once again women are blamed for the way men think referencing tone deaf degrading misogyny.

    Image credits: earthtoeffy

    But not all netizens appreciated the tongue-in-cheek imagery, saying, “this is gross.”

    “It’s giving 1950s submissive housewife,” one commented online, while another wrote, “Oh no!!! Cancel her now!!!!”

    “This set women back like a 100 years,” one wrote online

    Couple in a tense embrace with woman showing discomfort, related to Sabrina Carpenter's album cover controversy on misogyny.

    Image credits: Sabrina Carpenter

    ADVERTISEMENT

    User tweet criticizing Sabrina Carpenter's Tone Deaf album cover for perceived extreme misogyny and negative message.

    Image credits: xBIGRUBYx

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “This set women back like a 100 years,” one said.

    “For someone who keeps calling men PIGS she keeps degrading herself to appeal the male gaze,” one said.

    “Acting like a dog while a man in a suit pulls her hair..so weird,” one commented online.

    Sabrina Carpenter in a foam-filled tub with pigs, her album cover receiving criticism for extreme misogyny.

    Image credits: sabrinacarpenter

    Others defended the mischievous images

    “Enjoying s*x is degrading now? This isn’t the 1950’s,” one said.

    “How is that degrading,” another wrote. “Isn’t it empowering, a woman knowing what she likes and going with it.”

    Sabrina’s album announcement came days after she released the song Manchild

    Vinyl record cover art depicting a woman reclining on a bed with a man sitting nearby, linked to Sabrina Carpenter album controversy.

    Image credits: SabrinaCarpenter.com

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Tweet criticizing Sabrina Carpenter’s album cover for tone deafness and promoting misogyny in visual representation.

    Image credits: wolfe2711

    Sabrina’s announcement of her seventh studio album came just days after she released the song Manchild.

    The track, which is the lead single from the album, was written by the Grammy winner and her collaborators Jack Antonoff and Amy Allen.

    She said they wrote the track on a “random Tuesday” shortly after completing Short n’ Sweet.

    Sabrina Carpenter performing live on stage, holding a microphone with rhinestones, amid tone deaf criticism for misogyny claims.

    Image credits: Nina Westervelt/Billboard

    Screenshot of a social media comment discussing Sabrina Carpenter's tone deaf and degrading album cover criticized for extreme misogyny.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: rizzohutchings

    “It ended up being the best random Tuesday of my life,” she wrote in an Instagram post, “not only was it so fun to write, but this song became to me something I can look back on that will score the mental montage to the very confusing and fun young adult years of life.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    The Espresso singer described the track as the “song embodiment” of a “loving eye roll.”

    “Thank you always and forever for listening and thank you men for testing me!!” she concluded.

    The Grammy winner wrote Manchild on a “random Tuesday” with her collaborators Jack Antonoff and Amy Allen

    Image credits: Sabrina Carpenter

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Sabrina shared a message about Manchild on X with a cheeky note, “this one’s about you!!”

    Fans speculated whether Manchild was a jab at her ex Barry Keoghan, who appeared in the music video of her hit song Please, Please, Please.

    They sparked romance rumors in Los Angeles in early December 2023 and are believed to have broken up last year.

    “Barry keoghan ain’t gonna like this i fear,” one commented after the release of Manchild.

    “oh @BarryKeoghan, she tried to warn you…” another said.

    The singer was romantically linked with Barry Keoghan, who appeared in her Please, Please, Please music video

    Sabrina Carpenter in dramatic lighting leaning toward a man tied to a chair, sparking tone deaf album cover controversy.

    Image credits: Sabrina Carpenter

    Others opposed the theory and said, “The way everyone swore Manchild was going to be about Barry only to find out it’s literally a fun cheeky song about practically every single man in existence.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Along with plenty of success, Sabrina has also been at the center of much controversy for her provocative persona.

    She turned the heat up at the 2025 BRIT Awards earlier this year with a sultry performance of hits like Espresso and Bed Chem.

    Sabrina Carpenter performing in a red outfit on a bright pink stage, related to degrading album cover misogyny debate.

    Image credits: Sabrina Carpenter

    ADVERTISEMENT

    But viewers complained on social media about the singer and her backup dancers wearing lingerie and performing risqué moves.

    “It used to be a family event,” one mother complained on X, while others claimed they had to cover their kids’ eyes.

    The pop princess has been at the center of much controversy for her provocative persona

    Image credits: Sabrina Carpenter

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Following the award show, Ofcom (the Office of Communications, which is the UK’s media regulator) received around 825 complaints.

    Most of these complaints were related to Sabrina’s performance and Charli XCX’s outfit.

    Sabrina Carpenter performs on stage in a sparkling outfit, amid controversy over tone deaf degrading album cover and misogyny.

    Image credits: brinasdaily

    Sabrina’s international Short n’ Sweet tour was also apparently too hot to handle for some viewers.

    One particular racy scene saw her performing Bed Chem on a plush, swanky-looking bed.

    As she wrapped up the song, a curtain fell to reveal the shadows of her and a man seemingly performing an intimate act in front of screaming fans.

    Fans were screaming after she and a male dancer appeared to perform an intimate act onstage

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Image credits: livie_sza

    The moment saw praises like “Lovely” and “Impressive performance by Sabrina carpenter” in the comments section.

    But others weren’t too happy about it, with one saying, “Oh this is disgusting.”

    “Omggg she’s vile,” another wrote.

    “She identifies as a dog now???” one commented on her latest album art

    Comment by Zachary Warren-Brown criticizing Sabrina Carpenter's image related to tone deaf degrading album cover controversy.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Teone Phillips commenting online, expressing disbelief at Sabrina Carpenter's tone deaf and degrading album cover criticized for misogyny.

    Comment by Corina Welsh criticizing degrading content, related to Sabrina Carpenter's album cover controversy on misogyny.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    User comment from Jess Taylor questioning when people will stop taking everything so seriously, with 2 likes.

    Screenshot of a social media comment criticizing Sabrina Carpenter's album cover for tone deafness and perceived extreme misogyny.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Comment by Tyler McMullen criticizing cultural sensitivity related to tone deaf issues in media.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Comment by Dean Hokianga stating she is actually Lily Phillips, discussing Sabrina Carpenter's degrading album cover and extreme misogyny.

    Comment by Nicki Tee saying its giving 1950s submissive housewife with a nauseated face emoji.

    Comment by Drea Bakes criticizing Sabrina Carpenter's Tone Deaf album cover for its degrading and misogynistic vibes.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Comment by Tarun Reddy saying If Harvey Weinstein designed an album cover with reaction emojis below.

    Screenshot of a social media comment criticizing Sabrina Carpenter’s tone deaf album cover for alleged misogyny.

    Comment criticizing Sabrina Carpenter's album cover for perceived extreme misogyny and lack of women empowerment.

    Comment from Tommy Thompson expressing discomfort and mentioning consent and respect related to degrading misogyny debate.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Screenshot of a user comment describing Sabrina Carpenter's album cover as tone deaf and lacking context, related to misogyny concerns.

    Text excerpt criticizing Sabrina Carpenter's album cover for tone deafness and extreme misogyny in cultural context.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Poll Question

    Total votes ·

    Thanks! Check out the results:

    Total votes ·
    Share on Facebook

    Explore more of these tags

    Binitha Jacob

    Binitha Jacob

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    Read more »

    At Bored Panda, I dive into breaking celebrity news, Hollywood updates, and viral pop culture stories that spark global conversations. My background as a reporter at International Business Times and Latin Times gave me experience covering fast-moving entertainment stories for international audiences. Today, my work regularly appears on Google News, AOL, and MSN, reaching millions of readers. What excites me most is capturing the pop culture moments that people can’t stop talking about.

    Read less »
    Binitha Jacob

    Binitha Jacob

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    At Bored Panda, I dive into breaking celebrity news, Hollywood updates, and viral pop culture stories that spark global conversations. My background as a reporter at International Business Times and Latin Times gave me experience covering fast-moving entertainment stories for international audiences. Today, my work regularly appears on Google News, AOL, and MSN, reaching millions of readers. What excites me most is capturing the pop culture moments that people can’t stop talking about.

    What do you think ?
    Ellinor
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So just because some uneducated men have lost their media literacy and capacity to think 2 seconds about the hidden meaning of things, all women around the world have to fully stop doing anything sexe-oriented ? No. Sorry but no. (Edit : and why are all the men doing similar things never criticised as much as women who do that ??)

    KatSaidWhat
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pearl clutchers have clearly never heard her music or seen her on stage - she's basically the new Madonna iro her music and artwork. You don't have to listen to it or buy it and she is free to express(o) herself however she wants.

    Ghostpotato
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Women are allowed to express their sexuality however they want to. Women who enjoy being submissive to men on their own terms deserve respect too. Misogyni is not her posing like that for a picture, it's men thinking she's doing it to please them when she is doing it for herself.

    Load More Comments
    Ellinor
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So just because some uneducated men have lost their media literacy and capacity to think 2 seconds about the hidden meaning of things, all women around the world have to fully stop doing anything sexe-oriented ? No. Sorry but no. (Edit : and why are all the men doing similar things never criticised as much as women who do that ??)

    KatSaidWhat
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pearl clutchers have clearly never heard her music or seen her on stage - she's basically the new Madonna iro her music and artwork. You don't have to listen to it or buy it and she is free to express(o) herself however she wants.

    Ghostpotato
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Women are allowed to express their sexuality however they want to. Women who enjoy being submissive to men on their own terms deserve respect too. Misogyni is not her posing like that for a picture, it's men thinking she's doing it to please them when she is doing it for herself.

    Load More Comments
    You May Like
    Related on Bored Panda
    Popular on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda
    ADVERTISEMENT