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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

Chappell Roan, performing during the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 11, 2024, is up for six Grammy Awards, which will be handed out Feb. 2 in Los Angeles. Roan, along with Sabrina Carpenter, is nominated for album, song and record of the year, as well as best new artist.

Chappell Roan, performing during the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 11, 2024, is up for six Grammy Awards, which will be handed out Feb. 2 in Los Angeles. Roan, along with Sabrina Carpenter, is nominated for album, song and record of the year, as well as best new artist. Noam Galai/Getty Images hide caption

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Noam Galai/Getty Images

Music

The 5 biggest storylines to watch for at the 2025 Grammy Awards

At Sunday night's Grammys, will Beyoncé finally win album of the year? Will Taylor Swift take that prize for the fifth time? Or will a new generation of pop stars claim the moment?

In 'Companion,' a robot seizes CTRL of her life

Sophie Thatcher in Companion. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'Companion,' a robot seizes CTRL of her life

In the smart, twisty thriller-comedy Companion, three young couples gather at a swanky lake house for the weekend. One of the couples is not like the others – that's because the girlfriend (Sophie Thatcher) turns out to be a companion robot, built to satisfy the boyfriend's (Jack Quaid) every fantasy. Inevitably, things go wrong, which sets off a chain of twists and revelations that comes with a body count.

In 'Companion,' a robot seizes CTRL of her life

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 31

Cymande, one of the most sampled funk groups ever, is back with a new album this week. Dean Chalkley/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Dean Chalkley/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 31

The Weeknd may be the biggest release of the week, but is it the best? We run down five other albums you should hear, with NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and John Morrison, host of Culture Cypher Radio on partner station WXPN.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 31

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Wednesday

Imogen Heap, seen here performing during the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, scored her first song on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart this month, 30 years into her career.

Imogen Heap, seen here performing during the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles, scored her first song on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart this month, 30 years into her career. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Music

Familiar faces top the pop charts, but there's a real surprise near the bottom

Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, all regular fixtures atop the Billboard charts, have the biggest songs and albums of the week. But don't sleep on Imogen Heap.

Imogen Heap's song 'Headlock' hits Billboard charts 20 years after it was released

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Monday

Music News

A preview of Sunday's Grammy Awards

This Sunday's Grammy Awards feature some of the biggest pop stars in the world — as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish and others compete for the top prizes in music.

A preview of Sunday's Grammy Awards

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Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 24

FKA twigs' new album is titled EUSEXUA. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 24

FKA twigs. Central Cee. It's a big week for new releases, and we've got you covered. Host Stephen Thompson welcomes Desiré Moses of Virginia public radio station WNRN to break it all down.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 24

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Thursday

We break down the 2025 Oscar nominations

Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldaña in Emilia Pérez. WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS - PATHÉ FILMS - FRANCE 2 CINÉMA hide caption

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WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS - PATHÉ FILMS - FRANCE 2 CINÉMA

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We break down the 2025 Oscar nominations

This year's Oscar nominations are out, and if you liked Emilia Pérez, Anora, Wicked, The Brutalist, and A Complete Unknown, then you're in luck. As always, there's an eclectic mix of heavy favorites, left-field surprises, and the dreaded snubs. We give a broad sense of this year's major storylines, while also lamenting a few decisions we found baffling.

We break down the 2025 Oscar nominations

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Bad Bunny on stage in Miami in May 2024. The Puerto Rican singer's latest album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, topped Billboard's album chart this week.

Bad Bunny on stage in Miami in May 2024. The Puerto Rican singer's latest album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, topped Billboard's album chart this week. Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images hide caption

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Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images

Music

Bad Bunny blessed with Billboard's biggest boosts (and Bruno bolsters his bona fides)

Bad Bunny, who had the most-streamed album of both 2022 and 2023, seems to have another potential juggernaut on his hands. But to top the chart this week he had to hold off an unlikely challenger.

Bad Bunny blessed with Billboard’s biggest boosts (and Bruno bolsters his bona fides)

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Wednesday

'One of Them Days' turns Keke Palmer and SZA loose

Keke Palmer and SZA in One of Them Days. Anne Marie Fox/Sony Pictures hide caption

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Anne Marie Fox/Sony Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'One of Them Days' turns Keke Palmer and SZA loose

Keke Palmer is one of Hollywood's most charismatic leads, and SZA is one of the world's biggest pop stars. Now, they've teamed up for the raunchy buddy comedy One of Them Days. The movie is about two best friends in L.A., who endure a wild series of misadventures as they try to make rent over the course of one very eventful day. It's rowdy and profane, but it's also got something to say about gentrification, predatory businesses, and other factors that make it hard to survive and advance in America.

'One of Them Days' turns Keke Palmer and SZA loose

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Tuesday

2025's most-anticipated albums

Perfume Genius' Glory, due out March 28, is one of the albums we're most excited about for 2025. Cody Critcheloe/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Cody Critcheloe/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

2025's most-anticipated albums

We highlight some of the most anticipated albums of the year, including upcoming ones from Perfume Genius, Lucy Dacus, serpentwithfeet and more.

2025's most-anticipated albums

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In 'The Brutalist,' art and commerce are always at odds

Adrien Brody in The Brutalist. A24 hide caption

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A24

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'The Brutalist,' art and commerce are always at odds

The new movie The Brutalist is earning a lot of Oscar buzz. Adrien Brody plays a fictional Hungarian architect who settles in America after his family is torn apart during World War II. It's a three-and-a-half-hour epic with much to say about assimilation, wealth, and the creative process.

In 'The Brutalist,' art and commerce are always at odds

Listen · 25:34
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Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 17

Mac Miller's posthumous album Balloonerism arrives two days prior to what would have been the rapper's 33rd birthday. Katharine Lotze/Getty Images hide caption

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Katharine Lotze/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 17

NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomes aboard Kara Manning of New York City public radio station WFUV to discuss the best new albums hitting streaming services on Friday, Jan. 17.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 17

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Tuesday

Lil Baby and his team pulled out all the stops to make sure the artist's WHAM rap would make it to the edge of heaven on this week's Billboard charts.

Lil Baby and his team pulled out all the stops to make sure the artist's WHAM rap would make it to the edge of heaven on this week's Billboard charts. Astrida Valigorsky/WireImage hide caption

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Astrida Valigorsky/WireImage

Music

Lil Baby and Bad Bunny have fantastic chart debuts

Two debuts claim the top two spots on Billboard's main album's chart: Lil Baby and Bad Bunny.

Lil Baby and Bad Bunny have fantastic chart debuts

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