Sabrina Carpenter, ‘Manchild’

Sometimes the test of a great singer is how they attack the world “stupid.” Sabrina sings it with a thrilled sense of discovery, like she’s unwrapping a surprise gift. (If you’re a connoisseur of 1980s synth-pop trash, it sounds like Julie Brown in her immortal hit “I Like ‘Em Big and Stupid,” which Sabrina must have studied like a sacred text.) “Manchild” is the Dolly Parton/Mae West fusion we needed, and even though I loved it right away, it just kept growing on me all year long — that Wham! synth intro is such an automatic “hey, this one.” Such a big year for “I choose to blame your mom” songs, as in Jensen McRae’s excellent “Praying for Your Downfall,” where she’s “downing Stellas and blaming your mom.” (But in defense of all these mankids’ Gen X moms, they were probably into Liz Phair and “Whipsmart” is still a hell of a song.)