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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

Play Your Cardigans Right And See 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood'

Tom Hanks stars as Mister Rogers in A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood. Lacey Terrell/Sony Pictures hide caption

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Lacey Terrell/Sony Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Play Your Cardigans Right And See 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood'

Who can possibly play Fred Rogers? That's a question that the new film A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood tries to answer with a performance from Tom Hanks as the beloved TV host. In the movie a journalist played by Matthew Rhys has a transformative experience with Rogers that reshapes his relationship with his troubled father. A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood is directed by Marielle Heller, who most recently made the Melissa McCarthy film Can You Ever Forgive Me? It uses unconventional techniques to place the journalist's story within Rogers' land of make believe.

Play Your Cardigans Right And See 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood'

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Wednesday

Get A Clue, Go See 'Knives Out'

Ana de Armas as Marta Cabrera and Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in Knives Out Claire Folger/Lions Gate Films hide caption

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Claire Folger/Lions Gate Films

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Get A Clue, Go See 'Knives Out'

Whodunit? Was it Jamie Lee Curtis? Chris Evans? Michael Shannon? Don Johnson? Toni Collette? This is the question at the center of the marvelous new comedy Knives Out. The film is directed and written by Rian Johnson, of films like Looper and Brick as well as Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The stellar cast goes on and on to include Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig, LaKeith Stanfield, and, playing the man in the whodunit to whom it was done, Christopher Plummer.

Get A Clue, Go See 'Knives Out'

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Friday

New Music Friday: Our Top 6 Albums Out On Nov. 22

Beck. His 14th full-length, Hyperspace, is on our shortlist for the best new albums out on Nov. 22. Peter Hapak/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Peter Hapak/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Our Top 6 Albums Out On Nov. 22

Our final New Music Friday of 2019 ends with some heavy hitters, from Beck's moody-groovy Hyperspace and Coldplay's most ambitious album yet, to a batch of all-new songs from the late Leonard Cohen.

New Music Friday: Our Top 6 Albums Out On Nov. 22

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Thursday

Wednesday

Music News

62nd Grammy Awards Nominations Announced

The 62nd Grammy Awards nominations came out Wednesday. Lizzo had the most nominations. Other notable nominees include Lil Nas X and Billie Eilish. The ceremony will air Jan. 26, 2020.

62nd Grammy Awards Nominations Announced

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Sunday

Friday

New Music Friday: Our Top 10 Albums Out On Nov. 15

Rapper Lil Peep. His posthumous, third full-length, Everybody's Everything, is on our shortlist for the best new albums out on Nov. 15. Adam DeGross/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Adam DeGross/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Our Top 10 Albums Out On Nov. 15

Our sprint through the best new albums out this week includes a posthumous release from rapper Lil Peep, gorgeous reflections from Bonnie "Prince" Billy, singer Mary Lambert and more.

New Music Friday: Our Top 10 Albums Out On Nov. 15

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A New Podcast Explores 'Dolly Parton's America'

Dolly Parton arrives at the 53rd annual CMA Awards Evan Agostini/Invision/AP hide caption

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Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Pop Culture Happy Hour

A New Podcast Explores 'Dolly Parton's America'

Dolly Parton might be one of the most famous women in the United States. She's one of our great country singers, she produces television including an upcoming Netflix series, and she has her own theme park. And now, inevitably, she's the subject of a podcast. The nine-episode series, Dolly Parton's America, from Jad Abumrad of Radiolab, talks about Parton's life, her music, her home, and what she means to other people.

A New Podcast Explores 'Dolly Parton's America'

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Wednesday

'Last Christmas' Might Warm Your Heart, Or Not

Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding in "Last Christmas," directed by Paul Feig. Jonathan Prime/Universal Pictures hide caption

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Jonathan Prime/Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Last Christmas' Might Warm Your Heart, Or Not

There are a lot of Christmas movies with a lot of different inspirations. The new film Last Christmas, is inspired by Wham! song of the same name. The film is directed by Paul Feig and written by Bryony Kimmings and Emma Thompson, and stars Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. It tells the story of a woman who's struggling to get back on her feet after an illness knocked her out.

'Last Christmas' Might Warm Your Heart, Or Not

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Friday

'Baby, It's Cold Outside' Gets Rewritten By John Legend And Kelly Clarkson

John Legend and Kelly Clarkson, onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images hide caption

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Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Opinion

Music News

'Baby, It's Cold Outside' Gets Rewritten By John Legend And Kelly Clarkson

John Legend and Kelly Clarkson have recorded a consent-minded update to the 1949 holiday standard, sparking a new debate that's sure to drain the last vestiges of joy from the season.

New Music Friday: Our Top 10 Albums Out On Nov. 8

FKA Twigs. Her sophomore full-length, Magdalene, is on our shortlist of the best new albums out on Nov. 8. Matthew Stone/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Matthew Stone/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Our Top 10 Albums Out On Nov. 8

This week's best new albums include a solo release from Leslie Odom Jr., aka Aaron Burr from Hamilton, the woozy world of FKA Twigs, country singer Luke Combs and more.

New Music Friday: Our Top 10 Albums Out On Nov. 8

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'Doctor Sleep': Is This Sequel Equal To 'The Shining'?

Ewan McGregor as Dan Torrance in Stephen King's Doctor Sleep. Jessica Miglio/Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Jessica Miglio/Warner Bros. Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Doctor Sleep': Is This Sequel Equal To 'The Shining'?

Stephen King's novel the shining was about a haunted hotel and a boy named Danny Torrance with psychic powers. In 2013, Stephen King wrote a sequel. In that book Danny Torrance is all grown up, but still haunted — literally and figuratively — by the ghosts of his past. He's played by Ewan MacGregor in the new film Doctor Sleep, which adapts King's novel.

'Doctor Sleep': Is This Sequel Equal To 'The Shining'?

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Wednesday

Music Features

What Goes Into Releasing An Artist's Music Posthumously

George Michael is one of the latest musicians to have music released posthumously. A lot goes into how that music gets released, who profits and what players make it happen.

What Goes Into Releasing An Artist's Music Posthumously

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Friday

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out On Nov. 1

Guru and DJ Premier of the hip-hop group Gang Starr, pictured together in 1991. The duo's first new album in 16 years is One of the Best Yet. Gie Knaeps/Getty Images hide caption

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Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out On Nov. 1

Our picks for the best albums out this week include Gang Starr's first new release in 16 years, humor and heart from country singer Miranda Lambert, the latest in Bob Dylan's Bootleg series and more.

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out On Nov. 1

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