Sabrina Carpenter Releases Man’s Best Friend Bonus Track Edition as Year-End Thank You to Fans
Sabrina Carpenter closed out an extraordinary year by offering fans a final, understated gift: Man’s Best Friend (Bonus Track Version), a digital release that expands her chart-topping sophomore album with an additional song and a reflective note of gratitude.
Released across streaming platforms on Christmas Eve, the bonus edition adds “Such a Funny Way,” a track Carpenter had previously shared in limited form, now officially folded into the Man’s Best Friend era. Alongside the release, Carpenter unveiled the song’s official lyric video, further cementing its place within the album’s emotional landscape. Announcing the drop on Instagram, the singer framed the release as both a thank-you and a moment of catharsis. “To thank you for such a beautiful year,” she wrote, adding that the song might resonate with listeners looking for a “cathartic Christmas crashout song.” She closed the message by expressing gratitude for the care fans have shown her work and optimism for what lies ahead.
The bonus track arrives at the end of a defining year for Sabrina Carpenter, one that marked her transition from steadily rising pop presence to full-fledged chart force. In August, Carpenter earned her first-ever Number One debut on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Manchild,” a breakthrough moment that underscored the momentum she had been quietly building for years. Days later, Man’s Best Friend debuted at Number One on the Billboard 200, becoming her first album to top the chart and solidifying 2025 as a turning point in her career. Within three months, the album was certified platinum, a milestone that reflected not just commercial success but a growing cultural presence.
The album’s rollout balanced glossy pop ambition with visual and emotional experimentation. The release of “Tears,” accompanied by a music video featuring actor Colman Domingo, showcased Carpenter’s willingness to lean into theatricality and reinvention. The project’s confident aesthetic, paired with introspective songwriting, helped distinguish Man’s Best Friend from earlier chapters of her discography.
Rolling Stone captured the scope of Carpenter’s ascent by declaring 2025 the “Summer of Sabrina” in its seasonal double issue. In that interview, Carpenter spoke candidly about the paradox of success, how visibility can complicate the very joy that fuels creativity. “The more eyes you have on you, the harder it is to love what you’re doing,” she said, acknowledging how scrutiny can seep into both professional and personal life. Yet she emphasized that staying connected to the reasons she makes music (love, curiosity, and necessity) remains essential to sustaining that success.
By choosing to release the track as a year-end gesture rather than a major promotional event, Carpenter reinforces the reciprocal relationship she has built with her audience. The bonus edition doesn’t attempt to extend the album’s chart life so much as to acknowledge the shared experience that carried it there.
