Sabrina Carpenter Named Variety’s 2025 Hitmaker of the Year

Sabrina Carpenter has been named Variety's Hitmaker of the Year, an honor to be presented at the publication's ninth annual Hitmakers brunch in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 6. The event, backed by Premier Partners TikTok and Riot Games, celebrates the creators behind the year's 25 most-consumed songs, a list compiled from data provided by Billboard and Luminate.

The award caps off an extraordinary period for the singer, whose career has reached a new peak. Her seventh studio album, "Man’s Best Friend," dropped in August and instantly matched the blockbuster success of her Grammy-winning 2024 release, "Short & Sweet." Propelled by the chart-topping single "Manchild," the record debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, generating a colossal 180 million U.S. streams in its first week alone. This level of commercial performance is a testament to her evolution from a Disney Channel actress into a powerful, self-directed pop brand.

Her momentum extends far beyond the studio. Following a debut performance at Nashville's iconic Grand Ole Opry on October 7 and sets at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, Carpenter is launching her "Man’s Best Friend" North American tour on October 23 in Pittsburgh. The tour's scale is particularly ambitious, featuring five-night stands at both New York's Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles's Crypto.com Arena. This grueling schedule marks a major step up in her live show ambitions, which will be further showcased with a coveted headlining slot at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival next April.

Jem Aswad, Variety's Executive Music Editor, commented on Carpenter's distinctive industry standing, stating, "We’ve been huge Sabrina fans for many years. More than virtually any other artist working today, she balances pop with provocation, and she’s very clearly in control of her career and her artistry — Sabrina is a boss!" This recognition places her among an elite group of past Hitmaker of the Year winners, including Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and the duo of Elton John and Dua Lipa. The award often signals an artist's significant cultural and commercial impact during the eligibility period.

Variety will announce more honorees and specific details for the December event in the coming weeks.