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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

2025 Oscars Guide: Who will win and who should win

Oscars statue ahead of the 95th Academy Awards on March 10, 2023. STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

2025 Oscars Guide: Who will win and who should win

This year's Oscar nominees include Wicked, The Substance, Emilia Perez, and Conclave. And we watched all the nominated movies so you don't have to. We're making some bold predictions for who will win, plus vouching for who should take home those shiny gold statues.

2025 Oscars Guide: Who will win and who should win

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 28

Miya Folick. Jonny Marlow/Nettwerk hide caption

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Jonny Marlow/Nettwerk

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 28

Animal Collective's Panda Bear. Nicolás Jaar's DARKSIDE. Newcomer Hope Tala. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson discusses these albums and more with KCRW's Travis Holcombe.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 28

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Wednesday

If you ask us, Pam Grier, John Goodman, Oscar Isaac and Regina Hall are all long overdue for their Oscar nominations. Above, an Oscar statuette is seen backstage during the Academy Awards in 2017.

If you ask us, Pam Grier, John Goodman, Oscar Isaac and Regina Hall are all long overdue for their Oscar nominations. Above, an Oscar statuette is seen backstage during the Academy Awards in 2017. Christopher Polk/Getty Images hide caption

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Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Oscars 2025

Here are our favorite actors who've never been nominated for an Oscar

If you ask us, Pam Grier, John Goodman, Oscar Isaac and Regina Hall are all long overdue for Oscar nominations. Here's why.

Zoe Saldaña performs "El Mal" in Emilia Pérez. The song is one of two from the musical that was nominated for the Oscar for best original song.

Zoe Saldaña performs "El Mal" in the film Emilia Pérez. The song is one of two from the musical that was nominated for the Oscar for best original song. Shanna Besson/Netflix hide caption

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Shanna Besson/Netflix

Oscars 2025

The 2025 Oscars' best original song nominees, cruelly ranked

This year's race — which includes beloved stars, up-and-coming talents and a pair of songs from a successful but controversial musical — feels wide open. That doesn't mean all the songs are equally worthy.

Tuesday

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 9: Rapper Drake performs onstage during "Lil Baby & Friends Birthday Celebration Concert" at State Farm Arena on December 9, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)

This week, a familiar face knocks Kendrick Lamar out of the top spot with an album debuting at No. 1 — Drake's $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. Prince Williams/WireImage hide caption

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Prince Williams/WireImage

Music News

Drake gets his revenge — on the charts, anyway

Kendrick Lamar won his rap war with Drake last year by just about any measure, but this week, Drake got a small measure of revenge when his new album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, knocks Lamar out of the No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts.

Drake's album 'Some Sexy Songs 4 U' knocks Kendrick Lamar out of the top spot

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Monday

Our favorite actors who've never been nominated for an Oscar

Oscar Isaac at the Academy Awards in 2020. Richard Harbaugh/Handout/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images hide caption

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Richard Harbaugh/Handout/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our favorite actors who've never been nominated for an Oscar

The standard line for awards season goes: "It's an honor just to be nominated." But when it comes to the Oscars, there's quite a long list of great performers who have never received this honor. Today, we're talking about some of our favorites who should have at least one Oscar on their mantle — including Pam Grier, John Goodman, Oscar Isaac, and Regina Hall.

Our favorite actors who've never been nominated for an Oscar

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Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 21

Sam Fender's new album, People Watching, is out Feb. 21. Polydor/UMG hide caption

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Polydor/UMG

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 21

Sam Fender. The Drive-By Truckers' Patterson Hood. Jesse Welles. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson discussed these new albums and more with country star Kathy Mattea, who hosts NPR's weekly show 'Mountain Stage.'

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 21

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In 'The Monkey' the goring is never boring

Theo James in The Monkey. Neon hide caption

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Neon

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'The Monkey' the goring is never boring

In the new horror-comedy The Monkey, Theo James plays a pair of identical twin brothers who get saddled with a cursed wind-up toy monkey that causes people around them to die freakish, gory deaths. It's based on a Stephen King short story, and directed by Osgood Perkins, who made last year's Longlegs.

In 'The Monkey' the goring is never boring

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Wednesday

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 09: Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Kendrick Lamar is now the first hip-hop artist ever to land three top 10 albums in the same week. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images hide caption

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Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Music

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance echoes across the charts

Kendrick Lamar's performance at the Super Bowl is paying dividends, as three of his albums find themselves in this week's top 10.

Three of Kendrick Lamar's albums are getting a Super Bowl bump

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Need a laugh in these trying times? 'One of Them Days' is the comedy for you

Keke Palmer and SZA. Getty Images hide caption

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Review

It's Been a Minute

Need a laugh in these trying times? 'One of Them Days' is the comedy for you

Keke Palmer and SZA play two down on their luck friends who run into a series of hilarious unfortunate events in One of Them Days.

Need a laugh in these trying times? 'One of Them Days' is the comedy for you

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Tuesday

We fantasy cast 'The Traitors'

Alan Cumming in the third season of The Traitors. Euan Cherry/Peacock hide caption

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Euan Cherry/Peacock

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We fantasy cast 'The Traitors'

The Peacock reality show The Traitors continues to be a delightful mix of treachery, foolishness, and Alan Cumming's outfits. In the United States, the cast is made up exclusively of so-called celebrities. So today on the show we're fantasy casting who we think should be on the next season of The Traitors.

We fantasy cast 'The Traitors'

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Monday

'Paddington in Peru' puts a mild bear in the wild jungle

Ben Whishaw voices the titular bear in Paddington in Peru. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. hide caption

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Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Paddington in Peru' puts a mild bear in the wild jungle

In the new movie Paddington In Peru, Paddington Bear and the Brown family fly across the globe, into the wilds of Peru, in search of Paddington's Aunt Lucy. Along the way, they meet a not-remotely-suspicious singing nun (Olivia Colman) and a boat captain (Antonio Banderas). The adventure that follows involves lost treasure and narrow escapes — and leads to new revelations about Paddington's past, and a new appreciation for what it means to be home.

'Paddington in Peru' puts a mild bear in the wild jungle

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Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 14

Bartees Strange's Horror is one of our favorite albums out Feb. 14. Elizabeth De La Piedra/Courtesy of 4AD hide caption

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Elizabeth De La Piedra/Courtesy of 4AD

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 14

Bartees Strange. Denison Witmer. The Sun Ra Arkestra's Marshall Allen. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomes Nate Chinen of Philadelphia's WRTI to discuss the best new releases out on Valentine's Day.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 14

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