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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

The NPR Politics Podcast

Our Favorite Political Music of 2021

Miles Parks, Juana Summers, and Ayesha Rascoe are joined by Stephen Thompson of NPR Music to discuss their favorite political music of the year.

Our Favorite Political Music of 2021

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What's making us happy: What to watch, read and listen to this weekend

Alexander Skarsgård stars as Amleth and Anya Taylor-Joy as Olga in director Robert Eggers' Viking epic The Northman. Aidan Monaghan/© 2021 Focus Features, LLC hide caption

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Aidan Monaghan/© 2021 Focus Features, LLC

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

What's making us happy: What to watch, read and listen to this weekend

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: the trailer for The Northman, the novel The School for Good Mothers and more.

Thursday

Our 2022 Pop Culture Resolutions
Nora Carol Photography/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our 2022 Pop Culture Resolutions

It's the end of 2021, and the cusp of a new year — which means we're looking back, and we're looking ahead. It's time to see how we did sticking to our pop culture resolutions we made a year ago. And it's time to make some new ones for 2022.

Our 2022 Pop Culture Resolutions

Listen · 25:22
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Wednesday

Our 2022 Pop Culture Predictions
Nora Carol Photography/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our 2022 Pop Culture Predictions

If there's one thing we can tell you about 2021, it's that we didn't see it coming. And we might not see 2022 coming either, but we're going to try — by making some pop culture predictions for next year. And on top of that, we'll look at last year's predictions and see how things turned out.

Our 2022 Pop Culture Predictions

Listen · 21:53
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Tuesday

'Don't Look Up' is an environmental satire that squanders its resources

Cate Blanchett, Tyler Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jennifer Lawrence in Don't Look Up. Niko Tavernise/Netlfix hide caption

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Niko Tavernise/Netlfix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Don't Look Up' is an environmental satire that squanders its resources

The new Netflix film Don't Look Up has a crazy Academy Awards pedigree. Writer-director Adam McKay won an Oscar for The Big Short and the Oscar-studded cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as scientists who discover that a massive comet is hurtling toward Earth. The only problem: They can't get the media's attention (represented here by Cate Blanchett and Tyler Perry) or get the president (played by Meryl Streep) to care. But with all these stars in the mix, did Don't Look Up miss the mark?

'Don't Look Up' is an environmental satire that squanders its resources

Listen · 15:03
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Friday

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' mixes fun and fan service

MJ (Zendaya) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Matt Kennedy/Sony/Columbia Pictures hide caption

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Matt Kennedy/Sony/Columbia Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' mixes fun and fan service

In Spider-Man: No Way Home, we spend time with some familiar characters. The film stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker and Zendaya as MJ, and, this time, also brings in Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), plus an array of villains who'll already be familiar to fans of the franchise. But the film is more complicated than that, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe delves deeper into the mysteries of the Multiverse.

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' mixes fun and fan service

Listen · 23:58
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Thursday

Our 12 favorite moments of 2021

Jason Sudeikis and Sarah Niles in season 2 of Ted Lasso. Apple TV+ hide caption

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Apple TV+

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our 12 favorite moments of 2021

It's tradition here at Pop Culture Happy Hour to look back on some of our favorite things from the last 12 months of television, movies and music. Today, we're revisiting the pop culture that thrilled us, moved us and kept us company in our best and worst moments.

Our 12 favorite moments of 2021

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Monday

Cloy to the world: 'It's A Wonderful Life' revisited

James Stewart, Donna Reed and Thomas Mitchell appear in the 1946 film It's A Wonderful Life. ASSOCIATED PRESS hide caption

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Cloy to the world: 'It's A Wonderful Life' revisited

For many, It's A Wonderful Life is the quintessential Christmas movie. George Bailey's story is filled with life lessons, the importance of community, and a little kid playing carols on the piano. While it wasn't a box office hit when it first debuted 75 years ago, It's A Wonderful Life has somehow persisted and become a staple of holiday viewing.

Cloy to the world: 'It's A Wonderful Life' revisited

Listen · 21:29
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Thursday

'The Beatles: Get Back' is a long-form love letter to creativity

Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison perform their famous rooftop concert in The Beatles: Get Back. Apple Corps Ltd./Disney+ hide caption

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Apple Corps Ltd./Disney+

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Beatles: Get Back' is a long-form love letter to creativity

The Beatles: Get Back captures the tumultuous process of writing and recording some of their best-known songs. Directed by Peter Jackson, the mammoth three-part docuseries shows the day-to-day boredom and grind and thrill of life in the studio — plus, lots of goofing around and never-before-seen footage of The Beatles. If you didn't have opinions about Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, you surely will after watching The Beatles: Get Back, which is now streaming on Disney Plus.

'The Beatles: Get Back' is a long-form love letter to creativity

Listen · 27:16
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Tuesday

Friday

Lil Nas X on 'MONTERO,' NPR Music's song of the year

Lil Nas X's "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" is NPR Music's best song of 2021. Charlotte Rutherford/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Charlotte Rutherford/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Lil Nas X on 'MONTERO,' NPR Music's song of the year

A conversation with the singer, rapper, social-media sensation, and fashion icon about his groundbreaking pop banger "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)."

Lil Nas X on 'MONTERO,' NPR Music's song of the year

Listen · 18:07
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Wednesday

With '30,' Adele unleashes another blockbuster

Adele's fourth studio album 30 finds the singer reflecting on her divorce. Columbia Records hide caption

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Columbia Records

Pop Culture Happy Hour

With '30,' Adele unleashes another blockbuster

Adele is one of the most successful artists of her generation. Her last two records combined sold more than 25 million copies and both won Album Of The Year at the Grammys. Now, the U.K. pop star has put out her fourth studio album 30, which finds Adele reflecting on her divorce with songs that don't shy away from emotional vulnerability or deep melancholy.

With '30,' Adele unleashes another blockbuster

Listen · 18:19
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