Ever since the announcement of pop singer Sabrina Carpenter’s new album, Man’s Best Friend, there has been some backlash because of her album cover. While the discussion of the album cover is more of a debate, some seem to think that the photo is a little over the line, while others seem to think it is not that bad. Her album cover is a picture of Carpenter on all fours with her hand on someone’s leg while they are pulling her hair. Some of the people criticizing the artwork are saying that the photo is anti-feminist and over-sexualized. However, some artists who have faced similar backlash, like Carly Simon, have come to Carpenter’s defense and said the photo “seems tame,” according to an article by Consequence. 

While speaking to Rolling Stone, Simon has reflected on her own work and spoke on when she was receiving the same criticism for her 1975 release, Playing Possum. While Simon never saw anything wrong with the photo, others, including her own mother, felt that it went a little too far. Now that Carpenter is receiving the same comments, she commented on it. “She’s not doing anything outrageous,” said Simon. “There have been far flashier covers than hers. One of the most startling covers I’ve ever seen was [The Rolling Stones’] Sticky Fingers. That was out there in terms of sexual attitude. So I don’t know why she’s getting such flak.” Even though she did not think the cover was completely out there, she did comment on the singer touching the man’s knee. “Touching the man’s knee,” said Simon. “I thought it was going over the line a little bit… I thought she didn’t have to do that.”