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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

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

Lokita (Joely Mbundu) and Tori (Pablo Schils) are two migrant children making their way in Belgium in Tori and Lokita. Janus Films hide caption

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Janus Films

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

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

Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Sampha's album Lahai, the film Tori and Lokita, rewatching Doctor Who, and the Phillies, sort of.

'Naked Attraction' offers low-hanging fruit

Anna Richardson hosts the Channel 4 reality dating show, Naked Attraction which is now available on Max. Channel 4 / Nicky Johnston hide caption

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Channel 4 / Nicky Johnston

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Naked Attraction' offers low-hanging fruit

It's weird, it's funny, and it's very, very naked. The title of the dating show Naked Attraction tells you everything you need to know. A single person is presented with six entirely naked strangers and whittles them down to one person they want to go on a date with. The long-running U.K. dating show has recently found success in the U.S after streaming on Max. There's some controversy and consternation, but do a bunch of naked bodies really merit all this chatter?

'Naked Attraction' offers low-hanging fruit

Listen · 26:13
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Friday

Review

Music Reviews

Blink-182 is back with reunion record 'One More Time'

Blink-182's new album is called One More Time, and it's the first for their classic lineup in 12 years — the same three members who landed those pop-punk hits in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Blink-182 is back with reunion record 'One More Time'

Listen · 4:17
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New Music Friday: The best releases out on Oct. 20

Sampha's LAHAI tops our shortlist for the best releases out this week. Jesse Crankson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jesse Crankson/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best releases out on Oct. 20

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week include U.K. singer-songwriter Sampha, a Rolling Stones comeback and more.

New Music Friday: The best releases out on Oct. 20

Listen · 25:34
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Thursday

Can we still relate to Bad Bunny?

Bad Bunny performs during the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella hide caption

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Can we still relate to Bad Bunny?

Bad Bunny is one of the biggest stars in music. His previous album Un Verano Sin Tí topped the Billboard charts, won a Grammy, and helped him become most streamed artist on Spotify for a third straight year. Now he's back with a supersized new album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana. The record finds him wrangling with the trappings of fame amid the sounds of trap and electronic music, and the reggaeton sounds that helped make him an icon.

Can we still relate to Bad Bunny?

Listen · 22:04
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Friday

New Music Friday: The best releases out Oct. 13

L'Rain's new album, I Killed Your Dog, is one of our favorite releases of the week. Tonje Thilesen/Courtest of the artist hide caption

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Tonje Thilesen/Courtest of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best releases out Oct. 13

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week include Australian pop star Troye Sivan, singer-songwriter Jamila Woods and more.

New Music Friday: The best releases out Oct. 13

Listen · 30:56
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Friday

Music

Sufjan Stevens shows uncharacteristic vulnerability with new album 'Javelin'

Singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens has been making soulful introspective music for more than 20 years without revealing too much about his own personal life. His latest album, Javelin, is out Friday.

Sufjan Stevens shows uncharacteristic vulnerability with new album 'Javelin'

Listen · 3:45
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'The Exorcist: Believer' is possessed by the familiar

Ellen Burstyn and Leslie Odom, Jr. in The Exorcist: Believer. Anne Marie Fox/Universal Pictures hide caption

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Anne Marie Fox/Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Exorcist: Believer' is possessed by the familiar

The Exorcist came out 50 years ago, and it's still widely considered one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Now, The Exorcist: Believer serves as both a reboot and a sequel. Directed by David Gordon Green, the film stars a mostly new cast, including Leslie Odom, Jr., Lidya Jewett and Olivia O'Neill, but also brings back Ellen Burstyn, who reprises her iconic role from the original film.

'The Exorcist: Believer' is possessed by the familiar

Listen · 18:22
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New Music Friday: The best releases out Oct. 6

Earl Sweatshirt. Ryo Tanzawa/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ryo Tanzawa/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best releases out Oct. 6

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week include the rapper Earl Sweatshirt, the return of Sufjan Stevens and more.

New Music Friday: The best releases out Oct. 6

Listen · 23:36
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Friday

'The Creator' is based on big ideas — and a lot of spare parts

John David Washington as Joshua in The Creator. 20th Century Studios hide caption

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20th Century Studios

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Creator' is based on big ideas — and a lot of spare parts

In the new movie The Creator, humanity is at war with artificial intelligence. It stars John David Washington as a former soldier who's been recruited to find and kill the creator of a powerful AI weapon. Directed by Gareth Edwards, the film's big themes involve the role of AI, the brutality of war, and the building blocks of life and society.

'The Creator' is based on big ideas — and a lot of spare parts

Listen · 22:09
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Tuesday

In 'Dumb Money,' the mischievous are eating the rich

Pete Davidson and Paul Dano in Dumb Money. Claire Folger/Sony Pictures hide caption

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Claire Folger/Sony Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'Dumb Money,' the mischievous are eating the rich

The snappy "eat the rich" comedy Dumb Money is about a sly bunch of Reddit users who made some Wall Street billionaires sweat, in an infamous stock market incident known as the Game Stop short squeeze. With a star-studded ensemble including Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Pete Davidson, the movie has got class warfare and needle drops galore. But will it inspire you to fight the power or just go out and buy some stocks?

In 'Dumb Money,' the mischievous are eating the rich

Listen · 21:39
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Monday

Music

R&B Pillar, Usher, to headline super bowl 58 halftime show

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Stephen Thompson, from NPR Music, about the NFL's announcement that R&B pillar, Usher Raymond, will headline Super Bowl 58's halftime show.

R&B Pillar, Usher, to headline super bowl 58 halftime show

Listen · 4:14
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