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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

Tuesday

Beck's 'Loser' at 30 and the golden age of slacker rock

Beck as seen in his 1994 video for the song "Loser." Youtube screen grab by NPR hide caption

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Youtube screen grab by NPR

All Songs Considered

Beck's 'Loser' at 30 and the golden age of slacker rock

Nothing on mainstream radio sounded like Beck's "Loser" when it dropped in 1994. Thirty years later, we explain why, look at its impact on the rise of slacker rock and how we still hear it today.

Beck's 'Loser' at 30 and the golden age of slacker rock

Listen · 59:03
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Is 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' fire, or all wet?

Kiawentiio as Katara, Gordon Cormier as Aang and Ian Ousley as Sokka. Netlfix hide caption

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Netlfix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Is 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' fire, or all wet?

The animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender is regarded as a classic. Now, it's gotten a live-action adaptation on Netflix. The series tells the story of a boy named Aang (Gordon Cormier) who must learn how to harness the power of air, water, earth, and fire — and ultimately save the world. But how does the new show hold up to the beloved original?

Is 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' fire, or all wet?

Listen · 20:34
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Wednesday

Pop culture that gets platonic love right

Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman in Parks and Recreation. NBC / Alamy hide caption

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NBC / Alamy

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop culture that gets platonic love right

There have been countless romantic movies and TV shows — and a virtually infinite number of ways to watch people fall in love. But we're here to celebrate pop culture that revolves around friendship — where people love and care about each other deeply, even though they'll never kiss. Today we're recommending things to watch that get platonic love right.

Pop culture that gets platonic love right

Listen · 16:11
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Tuesday

Everyone should attend 'Abbott Elementary'

Quinta Brunson in Abbott Elementary. Gilles Mingasson/Disney hide caption

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Gilles Mingasson/Disney

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Everyone should attend 'Abbott Elementary'

The fantastic ABC series Abbott Elementary is a workplace sitcom set at a severely underfunded Philadelphia public school. It's a giant hit, and it's become an Emmys darling, including two wins for its creator and star Quinta Brunson. Abbott Elementary just returned for its long-awaited third season, so in this encore episode, we are revisiting our conversation about the show's first season.

Everyone should attend 'Abbott Elementary'

Listen · 16:07
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Monday

We recap the 2024 Super Bowl

Usher performs onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jamie Squire/Getty Images hide caption

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Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We recap the 2024 Super Bowl

This year's Super Bowl featured an exciting game in which the Kansas City Chiefs beat San Francisco 49ers. It also featured an attention-grabbing halftime show from Usher, many Taylor Swift sightings, and a big announcement during the commercials: Beyoncé is releasing a new album in March, and she just dropped two new singles.

We recap the 2024 Super Bowl

Listen · 17:06
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Pop Culture

The Super Bowl was more than football — it was a night of pop culture

It was a night of football in Las Vegas' first Super Bowl, but also Usher's halftime show, as well as ads featuring celebrities and the conclusion of an NFL season that also starred Taylor Swift.

The Super Bowl was more than football — it was a night of pop culture

Listen · 3:50
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Saturday

Friday

Super Bowl 2024

Besides the game, a lot of people watch the Super Bowl for the halftime show

Usher headlines the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday. Will it stand up to halftime shows of the past?

Besides the game, a lot of people watch the Super Bowl for the halftime show

Listen · 3:48
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Monday

Our 2024 Grammys Recap

Taylor Swift accepts the best pop vocal album award for Midnights onstage during the 66th Grammy Awards. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our 2024 Grammys Recap

Every night is a big night for Taylor Swift. But this year's Grammy night proved especially big: Swift won album of the year for Midnights and announced her next album, titled The Tortured Poets Department. It may be time to pose the question: Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Other major winners included Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish and SZA. In fact, women swept all nine categories presented during Sunday night's telecast.

Our 2024 Grammys Recap

Listen · 28:35
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Grammys 2024: 10 takeaways from music's biggest night (Taylor's version)

Taylor Swift poses with Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus of boygenius after the 66th annual Grammy Awards. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Grammys 2024: 10 takeaways from music's biggest night (Taylor's version)

Miley Cyrus, SZA, Billie Eilish and others had a big night. But once again, the music industry found itself in the long shadow of Taylor Swift, who won album of the year and announced a new project.

Saturday

Friday

New Music Friday: What Were The Grammys Made For?

Will Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell win their third record of the year award at the Grammys? Rich Fury/Getty Images for The Recording Academy hide caption

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Rich Fury/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: What Were The Grammys Made For?

Ann Powers, Sidney Madden and Stephen Thompson make predictions ahead of Sunday night's 66th annual Grammy Awards.

New Music Friday: What Were The Grammys Made For?

Listen · 54:11
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'Argylle' squanders its cast, but not its cat

Bryce Dallas Howard stars in Argylle. Universal Pictures hide caption

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Universal Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'Argylle' squanders its cast, but not its cat

In the comedic spy thriller Argylle, a reclusive author (Bryce Dallas Howard) gets sucked into a web of danger and intrigue when her books mirror the inner workings of a rogue spy agency. Argylle is full of globe-trotting action, with more twists than you can count. It's directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, the Kingsman movies) with a cast that includes Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, and Dua Lipa.

'Argylle' squanders its cast, but not its cat

Listen · 23:54
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Thursday

Music News

Some of the world's most popular musical artists may leave TikTok

If TikTok can't come to an agreement with Universal Music Group about licensing, music by some of the world's most popular artists will no longer be available to use in videos.

Some of the world's most popular musical artists may leave TikTok

Listen · 3:25
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The pop culture hill I'll die on

Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Part Two. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The pop culture hill I'll die on

Maybe you think you shouldn't read a book before seeing the movie adaptation, or you're convinced season two is the best season of The Wire. We've all got that one argument we're always making: that non-negotiable stance, that immutable truth we're sticking to no matter what. Today, we're talking about the pop culture hills we'll die on.

The pop culture hill I'll die on

Listen · 24:55
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