Sabrina Carpenter’s new album "Man’s Best Friend" hasn’t dropped yet, but the buzz surrounding it is impossible to ignore. The spotlight isn’t just on the music—it’s the album cover that’s sparking headlines. On it, Sabrina kneels in a controlled pose, her arm extended toward a man in a suit, tugging her hair. It’s bold. It’s provocative. And it’s causing people to talk—a lot.

But long before Sabrina’s image trended across social feeds, Carly Simon stirred up similar reactions with a black-and-white cover that shocked mid-70s audiences.

The parallels are impossible to ignore, even if the contexts are decades apart.

Carly Simon’s Provocative Shift

In 1975, Carly Simon released her fifth studio album, "Playing Possum." Up until that point, Simon was known for her warm image—think "Hotcakes," where she appeared visibly pregnant and smiling.

But the "Playing Possum" cover shattered that mold. Pictured on her knees in a negligee and boots, fists clenched and expression intense, the image sparked waves of controversy. It was daring, artistic, and completely unexpected.

Instagram | carlysimonhq | Before "Playing Possum" in 1975, Carly Simon was known for her notably warm image.

That image was captured by photographer Norman Seeff, but it wasn’t meticulously planned. According to Simon, the outfit came into her possession accidentally when her daughter pulled it into a carrier during a shopping trip. When the photo was taken, Simon had just finished a shoot and was dancing freely to Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft."

The moment wasn’t posed—it was spontaneous. Yet the result was a photo that ignited debate across media and retail stores alike.

Retail Pushback and Cultural Critique

Just like "Man’s Best Friend" has ignited debate today, Simon’s cover faced real pushback back then. Sears, one of the major LP sellers at the time, almost refused to carry the album. Reviews often skipped the music entirely, focusing only on the artwork. Crawdaddy, a popular counterculture magazine, printed a piece that was purely an analysis of the photo.

Even Simon’s mother had something to say: “Carly, darling! What are you doing?”

Still, "Playing Possum" soared. It became Simon’s third straight Top 10 album, proving that controversy didn’t hinder commercial success. The negligee from that photoshoot later made it to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exhibit when she was inducted in 2022.

Backlash in the Digital Era

Now, decades later, Sabrina finds herself in similar territory. The "Man’s Best Friend" artwork is being dissected—some calling it a clever power move, others saying it caters too closely to the male gaze. The imagery is modern, polished, and certainly calculated.

But to Simon, the reaction seems outsized. “She’s not doing anything outrageous,” Simon said. “There have been far flashier covers than hers.”

The image may not directly reference "Playing Possum," but Sabrina has acknowledged Simon before. She’s performed "You’re So Vain" on stage, a song that both Olivia Rodrigo and Addison Rae have also spotlighted. Simon appreciates the recognition and seems genuinely happy about the attention from a younger generation. “I love it that the younger girls are discovering me,” she remarked.

Artistic Accident or Statement?

Seeff, who took Simon’s controversial photo, still recalls the unplanned nature of the shot. “It had energy,” he explained. Simon had moved mid-pose, and her head was partially cut off — not by design but by timing. And yet, that image carried more cultural weight than anyone anticipated. Much like Sabrina’s cover, it invited speculation. What was she saying? Who was it for? Did it cross a line?

Interestingly, Simon didn’t set out to shock. “It looked artistic, even though it wasn’t artistic on purpose,” she admitted. A sentiment that could easily be applied to Sabrina’s visual—carefully curated, but also expressive in its own right.

What Comes Next

Insatagram | sabrinacarpenter | Simon advises Sabrina, facing intense public attention, to ignore the press and embrace her beauty.

While Simon hasn’t released a full album since 2009, she’s continued to create music quietly. With contributions from her son Ben, she’s working on tracks with notable names like Nile Rodgers and Natasha Bedingfield. These new songs touch on themes like vengeance, perseverance, and motherhood, but there’s no album cover in the works this time around. “We’re just going to release one by one,” she said.

As for Sabrina, she may not have expected this level of scrutiny. But Simon’s advice is grounded: don’t worry about the press. “Any press is good press,” she says. “She’s beautiful, and she should be proud of how she looks.”

Even so, Simon playfully added one small critique after reviewing the "Man’s Best Friend" cover. “I thought it was going over the line a little bit, touching the man’s knee,” she said with a laugh. “She didn’t have to do that.”

Why These Moments Still Matter

Cultural conversations around album art aren’t just about the image—they reflect broader tensions around identity, expression, and ownership. Both Carly and Sabrina used cover photos to send a message, even if it wasn’t exactly the one the public expected.

The outrage, the praise, and everything in between are just part of how music lives beyond sound—it’s in the visuals, the reactions, and the legacy.

And sometimes, history doesn’t repeat itself—it just rhymes.