Is Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Short n’ Sweet’ now the Grammys front-runner for Best Pop Vocal Album?
Sabrina Carpenter is officially pop’s new diva. The 25 year-old starlet has had a tremendous year with “Short n’ Sweet,” her sixth studio album but her first true venture into pop superstardom. Carpenter has notched four hit singles this year, including the top-three songs “Taste,” “Espresso,” and “Please Please Please,” the last of which went all the way to the top of the Hot 100. “Short n’ Sweet” also topped the Billboard 200 in one of the biggest debuts of the year by album units. At this point, it’s clear that Carpenter will get some nominations at the Grammys. But there’s one category in particular that she might just have on lock: Best Pop Vocal Album.
Best Pop Vocal Album is, in my opinion, just as important as the general field categories. Over the years it has shown who really is here to stay in the pop world, with practically all of its winners being voices of their generations. That includes old-school icons like Sting, Madonna, and Celine Dion; 2000s staples like Justin Timberlake, Kelly Clarkson, and the Black Eyed Peas; and more recent winners who have solidified their place in pop history like Taylor Swift, Adele, and Bruno Mars.
More from GoldDerby
Experts slugfest: Saoirse Ronan, 'Challengers' trio and more Oscar category confirmations
2024 News and Documentary Emmy winners list: The best in nonfiction media awarded on September 25-26
SIGN UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
But why Carpenter? After all, the year has been chock-full of major pop releases. Previous winners like Swift, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and Dua Lipa all dropped new records, and there are also formidable debutantes like Chappell Roan and Benson Boone in the conversation. Against the former group, Carpenter might actually benefit from not being a previous winner. In the category’s history, only three artists have won more than once: Clarkson, Swift, and Adele claimed two apiece, and in most of those cases the victories were undeniable.
That’s not the case this year, with Swift’s “Tortured Poets Department” not being her best-received and not including that many hit songs. Grande’s album “Eternal Sunshine” had great reviews and a big hit single, but the record has underperformed commercially in the United States relative to other top contenders. As for Eilish, while she could win again for “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” there’s probably no rush to give her another Grammy so soon after “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?,” especially as “Short n’ Sweet” has arguably eclipsed Eilish’s new era. Plus, pop voters have not been as enthusiastic about Eilish as the general academy membership: she only has one pop win despite a whopping six general field trophies.
Carpenter would be a fresh choice, a way to crown the new pop princess, and her pop radio domination is far and above anyone else in the running. By the time final-round voting happens, Carpenter will most likely have four pop radio chart-toppers in the year, or more if she releases another mega-hit in the next few months. Why is that so important? Practically all Pop Vocal Album winners from the past 15 years have been huge commercial successes, and it helps having multiple hit singles. If Eilish, Grande, and Swift go into the category with just one genuine smash each, then Carpenter’s multiples will surely position her better.
SEESabrina Carpenter ‘Short n’ Sweet’ reviews: Her latest album ‘seals her arrival as a pop superstar’
Against the new stars, “Short n’ Sweet” might simply be the bigger hit. Her main competitor would be Roan, but there are reasons voters might prefer Carpenter. First, as mentioned above, she has dominated pop radio in a way that Roan hasn’t been able to yet, with the latter just achieving one top-10 hit on pop radio so far. Besides that, Roan’s album is largely a collection of previously released singles, so “Short n’ Sweet” might be perceived as a more cohesive body of work.
Lastly, Roan’s staying power is a bigger question mark. While this is her first year as a true pop heavyweight, Carpenter has been bubbling up for years, so her recent come-up feels more like a steady period of progressive growth than Chappell’s sudden success (though, to be fair, Roan has also been grinding for almost a decade, albeit with more limited success). As such, pop voters might be more comfortable with Carpenter, who has been playing on pop radio for ages despite not achieving high peaks until now.
So as of now, you might want to have Carpenter at the top of your Best Pop Vocal Album list. It’s likely going to be a two-way race between her and fellow breakout Roan, with Eilish perhaps nipping at their heels. Or maybe the race just takes a wild, unpredictable turn … with the Grammys, you truly never know.
Best of GoldDerby
Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.