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

Monday

A masked Lady Gaga accepts the Best collaboration award for "Rain on Me" onstage during the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards. Kevin Winter/MTV VMAs 2020/Getty Images for MTV hide caption

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Kevin Winter/MTV VMAs 2020/Getty Images for MTV

Friday

Angel Olsen's Whole New Mess is one of our favorite albums out Aug. 28 Kylie Coutts/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Kylie Coutts/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out Aug. 28

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Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter star in Bill & Ted Face The Music. Patti Perret/Orion Pictures hide caption

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Patti Perret/Orion Pictures

Thursday

Wednesday

Friday

Robert MacDougall, one of several teenage boys featured in the documentary film Boys State, on Apple TV+. Apple TV+ hide caption

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Apple TV+

Wednesday

Ensign Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero), Ensign D'Vana Tendi (Noel Wells), Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), and Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) in the new CBS All Access animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks. CBS All Access hide caption

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CBS All Access

Friday

Kumail Nanjiani, pictured here in 2019, is a longtime friend of Pop Culture Happy Hour. He recently joined the panel for a virtual 10th birthday party. Jesse Grant/Getty Images for THR hide caption

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Jesse Grant/Getty Images for THR

Friday

Portland rapper Aminé. His sophomore full-length, Limbo, tops our shortlist for the week's best new albums. Micaiah Carter/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Micaiah Carter/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out On August 7

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Wednesday

Beyoncé performs in "Mood 4 Eva" from the visual album Black Is King released on July 31 on Disney+. Disney hide caption

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Disney

Wednesday

Taylor Swift surprised fans with her eighth studio album, Folklore, released on July 24. Beth Garrabrant/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Beth Garrabrant/Courtesy of the artist

Tuesday

Taylor Swift's eighth album, Folklore, was surprise-released Friday. The record features production by The National's Aaron Dessner and a new set of songwriting tools. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Friday

Taylor Swift. Her surprise new album, Folklore tops our picks for the best new albums out on July 24. Beth Garrabrant/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Beth Garrabrant/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday: The Top 10 Albums Out July 24

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