Biographical Information
Title: Short n’ Sweet
Artist: Sabrina Carpenter
Record Label: Island Records
Release Date: 2024
Genre: Pop
Format: Music Album
Length: 12 songs / 36 minutes, 15 seconds
Interest Level: 14+
Awards/Honors:
MTV Video Music Award - Song of the Year (2024) - “Espresso”
Album Description:
A pop album full of hits for everyone to bop their heads along to, Short n’ Sweet delivers catchy beats with even catchier lyrics. With influences from disco, rock, R&B and country, the twelve songs (including two singles that were on the Billboard 100 prior to the album’s release) each relate to both Sabrina Carpenter’s short stature and personality, as well as her dating experiences with previous boyfriends (Short n’ Sweet). The album itself was recorded in 8 different studios from Calabasas to France and has a total of four producers (Short n’ Sweet). Overall, with twelve tracks at about three minutes each, Short n’ Sweet is the perfect pop album for summer and fall.
Artist Background:
Carpenter first came to stardom at the age of 15 when she joined the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World in 2014, but had loved singing from a young age and had even began posting videos to YouTube of her coving songs at the age of 10. Her first acting role was at the age of 12 on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and although she enjoyed acting she knew singing was her passion. In 2014 she signed a 5 record deal with Disney-owned Hollywood Records, and completed her deal before signing with Island Records in January of 2021. With the shift to Island Records came a shift in the themes of her songs - from the appropriate Disney approved song to raunchy and slightly sexual becoming her inspiration (Sabrina Carpenter).
Critical Evaluation:
Well, it is what it is. The songs on the album are certainly catchy (who doesn’t sing along to that one very specific line in “Please, Please, Please”?) but unfortunately they are all incredibly surface level. The album itself is great if someone wants something to be playing in the background, but there most definitely is no need for any lyric dissecting videos to be made and put on YouTube. This album is actually what I like to call “retail music”: it’s the music that plays in the background while you shop, but you aren’t exactly memorizing the lyrics to every song so you can sing to it. Rather, it plays so often you know the lyrics by accident.
There were music critics that agreed that Carpenter’s album was not much more than your typical relationship themed pop album, and I have to agree with them. There were no emotional reactions or honestly very much diligent listening skills needed to understand the concept of the album. I understand that pop music is made to be popular and totally get it - it just isn’t for me.
Creative Use for a Library Program:
Let’s do it: TikTok dance class! A great way to have some basic exercise with dances that are simple to learn and do so everyone can join in. Carpenter’s songs have been used for a myriad of TikTok dances since the album was released a couple of months ago. It would also help with social media for the library as well to get the librarians to learn the popular dances to post!
Speed Round Book Talk:
What’s short n sweet? Your favorite librarian, me! Oh wait, and the newest album from Sabrina Carpenter, Short n’ Sweet. Listen to twelve catchy pop songs about short and sweet relationships from the short and sweet singer herself. Be careful though, there are quite a few earworms that will get stuck in your head, and we still haven’t figured out how to get them out. If you have any tips “Please, Please, Please” call us and help us out!
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:
There is some explicit content in the songs of the album - both with swear words and alluding to sexual content as well. This type of content usually does draw challenge issues on their inclusion, especially in reference to what age should be able to access the content. Given that none of the songs are explicitly pornographic or pose a threatening nature against anyone the album does have a place in the library’s collection.
Reason for Inclusion:
Although unlikely to win Album of the Century, Short n’ Sweet has certainly carved itself a spot in pop culture and deserves to be included in a collection for young adults. Unfortunately, a lot of people give pop music flack for being vapid or plain, which at times is understandable, but it is pop - literally short for popular. It is meant to have a wide appeal and to have that wide appeal things need to be somewhat generic. On top of that, it’s a popular album and to not have it would be sending a message to young adults that their interests may not be respected by the library because of a librarian’s opinion.
References:
Sabrina Carpenter. (2012, August 21). Wikipedia.
Short n' Sweet. (2024, June 3). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_n%27_Sweet
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