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Stephen Thompson Stephen Thompson is a host, writer and reviewer for NPR Music and Pop Culture Happy Hour. He appears frequently on All Songs Considered and NPR newsmagazines.
Washington, DC - May 03, 2016: Stephen Thompson CREDIT: Matt Roth
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Stephen Thompson

Friday

'MaXXXine' closes a grisly trilogy in style

Mia Goth and Halsey in MaXXXine. Justin Lubin/A24 hide caption

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Justin Lubin/A24

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'MaXXXine' closes a grisly trilogy in style

The new movie MaXXXine stars Mia Goth as an adult-film actress who gets her big break in Hollywood, only to be revisited by horrors from her past. Set in 1985 Los Angeles, it's the final film in director Ti West's beloved horror trilogy that began with the movie X. MaXXXine also features performances from Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki, and Giancarlo Esposito.

'MaXXXine' closes a grisly trilogy in style

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Friday

Music News

Megan Thee Stallion and Omar Apollo lead the pack in a busy week of new music

NPR Music's Anamaria Sayre and Stephen Thompson round up the week's newest music, from artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Omar Apollo and more.

Megan Thee Stallion and Omar Apollo lead the pack in a busy week of new music

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New Music Friday: The best albums out June 28

Omar Apollo's new album, God Said No, is one of our favorite releases this week. Aitor Laspiur/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Aitor Laspiur/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 28

NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and Anamaria Sayre give you the lowdown on Omar Apollo's new LP, Lil Yachty's collaboration with James Blake, and the fourth album by Hiatus Kaiyote.

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 28

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Thursday

All Things Considered

With 2 back-to-back hit songs, Sabrina Carpenter is on the rise

Former Disney Channel star Sabrina Carpenter is having quite a summer. Two of her songs are in the top three of Billboard's pop chart.

Encore: SABRINA CARPENTER'S TWO HITS

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Music News

With 2 hit songs, ex-Disney Channel star Sabrina Carpenter is having quite a summer

Sabrina Carpenter currently holds down both the No. 2 and No. 3 songs in the nation according to Billboard Magazine. That puts her in rare company.

With 2 hit songs, ex-Disney Channel star Sabrina Carpenter is having quite a summer

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Wednesday

Taylor Swift on stage in France in May, during the European leg of her Eras Tour. Since its release in April, Swift's latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, has been the top album in the United States for eight consecutive weeks.

Taylor Swift on stage in France in May, during the European leg of her Eras Tour. Since its release in April, Swift's latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, has been the top album in the United States for eight consecutive weeks. Julien de Rosa/Getty Images hide caption

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Julien de Rosa/Getty Images

Music News

Taylor Swift and Post Malone top the charts again. How long can their dominance last?

One song has ruled the pop chart for over a month. One album has topped the album chart for two months. But there are signs this week that both could face serious challengers soon.

Monday

We debate the sweatiest movie of all time

Is Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing the sweatiest movie of all time? Anthony Barboza/Getty hide caption

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Anthony Barboza/Getty

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We debate the sweatiest movie of all time

Whether they're lightly perspiring, gently glowing, or soaked through from sweltering, people in the movies sweat a lot. But what movie has had people sweat the very most? With summer underway, we are debating what is the sweatiest movie of all time — including Do the Right Thing, Dog Day Afternoon, Y tu mamá también, and Body Heat.

We debate the sweatiest movie of all time

Listen · 22:10
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Friday

'Inside Out 2' is a Pixar sequel worth celebrating

Amy Poehler as Joy and Maya Hawke as Anxiety in a scene from Inside Out 2. Pixar hide caption

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Pixar

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Inside Out 2' is a Pixar sequel worth celebrating

Pixar's Inside Out introduced us to the core emotions inside an 11-year-old girl named Riley. We met Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), and Anger (Lewis Black). In Inside Out 2, Riley is experiencing puberty and a whole new crop of emotions have popped up. Most notably Anxiety (Maya Hawke) who has literally bottled up Riley's original core emotions and sent them hurtling into the back of her mind, where they plot to get back and set things right.

'Inside Out 2' is a Pixar sequel worth celebrating

Listen · 21:21
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Tuesday

Our favorite graduation moments in pop culture

A graduate in gown and caps and his mother celebrate their graduation. Jens Schlueter/Getty Images hide caption

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Jens Schlueter/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our favorite graduation moments in pop culture

This is the time of year when so many students graduate. Whether it's graduation episodes of our favorite TV series, high school songs, or movies about the last wild night of high school, we're revisiting our episode about the best moments about graduation in pop culture.

Our favorite graduation moments in pop culture

Listen · 23:58
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Friday

Dionne Brown as Queenie Jenkins in the show Queenie, based on the novel by Candice Carty-Williams.

Dionne Brown as Queenie Jenkins in the show Queenie, based on the novel by Candice Carty-Williams. Hulu hide caption

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Hulu

What's Making Us Happy: Recommendations From 'Pop Culture Happy Hour'

What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing, listening and reading

Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: the show Queenie, the song "Kill The Lights," the book The Plot, and the new Knives Out teaser.

Glen Powell's 'Hit Man' won't kill you, but he may seduce you

Adria Arjona and Glen Powell in Hit Man. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Glen Powell's 'Hit Man' won't kill you, but he may seduce you

Netflix's entertaining dark comedy Hit Man is not about a hired killer. It's about a guy who pretends to be a hired killer. Director Richard Linklater co-wrote this film with movie star of the moment, Glen Powell. Based very loosely on a real guy, Powell plays a mild-mannered professor who also works undercover for the police as a fake hitman.

Glen Powell's 'Hit Man' won't kill you, but he may seduce you

Listen · 25:39
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Tuesday

Advice for graduates: Listeners share songs, lessons from high school

Janelle Monáe gives a commencement speech at Loyola Marymount University's 2024 Graduate ceremony. JC Olivera/Getty Images hide caption

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JC Olivera/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

Advice for graduates: Listeners share songs, lessons from high school

Listeners share songs that take them back to the final days of high school, and the lessons they impart.

Advice for graduates: Listeners share songs, lessons from high school

Listen · 48:21
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Friday

We debate the best fictional bands

Rosario Dawson, Tara Reid, and Rachael Leigh Cook in Josie and the Pussycats. Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo hide caption

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Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We debate the best fictional bands

Sometimes, our favorite musical artists are too good to be true because they're sprung from the imaginations of Hollywood screenwriters. But what makes a fake band great? Today, we are debating the best fictional bands in TV and film — including from Mamma Mia!, Josie and the Pussycats, It's Your Move, and Miami Connection.

We debate the best fictional bands

Listen · 27:13
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Tuesday

Terrible but bingeable TV shows

Kiefer Sutherland in Designated Survivor. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Terrible but bingeable TV shows

What is it about a show that turns you into a bitter-ender, that keeps you dutifully watching every last episode, long after the train has jumped the tracks? Even when you know it's not good, but, for you anyway, it's just good enough to muddle through, all the way to the finale? Today, we're talking about terrible but bingeable TV shows.

Terrible but bingeable TV shows

Listen · 23:08
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