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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

Three great karaoke songs

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper perform "Shallow" in the film A Star Is Born. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Three great karaoke songs

What makes a good karaoke song? Today, we're suggesting three great songs to sing at karaoke night.

Three great karaoke songs

Listen · 9:58
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Monday

The physical media we still treasure
Roberta Margherita Toselli / Eye/Getty Images/EyeEm

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The physical media we still treasure

The vinyl record, the CD, the DVD, the VHS tape — even the paper book has been the subject of debate and concern over its future. But we haven't given up our collections just yet. Today we're talking about the physical media we still treasure.

The physical media we still treasure

Listen · 15:35
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Friday

New Music Friday: The best releases out on Aug. 26

J.I.D's new album is titled The Forever Story. David KA/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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David KA/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best releases out on Aug. 26

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week, including the highly anticipated third album by Atlanta rapper J.I.D. and a massive Blondie box set.

New Music Friday: The best releases out on Aug. 26

Listen · 27:51
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Wednesday

'King Of The Hill' endures, 25 years later

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PictureLux/The Hollywood Archive/Alamy Stock Photo

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'King Of The Hill' endures, 25 years later

This year marks the 25th anniversary of King Of The Hill the animated sitcom King Of The Hill. Created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, the series ran for 13 seasons on FOX from 1997 to 2010, and is now streaming on Hulu. The show is in fictional Arlen, Texas and focuses on the Hill family - Hank, a propane salesman, his wife Peggy, a substitute teacher, their son Bobby, and Peggy's niece, Luanne. In this encore episode we revisit our conversation about the series.

'King Of The Hill' endures, 25 years later

Listen · 16:32
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Tuesday

Best video games of 2022, so far

Elden Ring is one of 2022's hit games. Bandai Namco hide caption

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Bandai Namco

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Best video games of 2022, so far

This summer, NPR asked its staff and contributors: What are the best video games of 2022, so far? Join The Game, NPR's column on games and gaming culture, has the results in a sortable guide of recommendations. Today, we round up a few of those picks, from epic blockbusters to indie favorites that might just win your heart.

Best video games of 2022, so far

Listen · 14:04
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Friday

What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend listening and viewing

L-R Sydney Bell, Charity Holloway, Arianna Davis, Ashley Williams, Jayla Sullivan, Asia Banks, and Kiara Mooring: some of the hopeful women competing to join Lizzo's Big Grrrls James Clark/James Clark/Amazon Prime Video hide caption

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James Clark/James Clark/Amazon Prime Video

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

What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend listening and viewing

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: The Voyeurs, FBoy Island, and more.

Horror and comedy collide in a pileup of 'Bodies Bodies Bodies'

Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Chase Sui Wonders, and Rachel Sennott in a scene from Bodies Bodies Bodies, directed by Halina Reijn. A24 hide caption

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A24

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Horror and comedy collide in a pileup of 'Bodies Bodies Bodies'

Bodies Bodies Bodies starts with a fairly standard horror-movie premise: A group of wealthy and attractive pleasure-seekers gather at a mansion to party and ride out an oncoming hurricane. But things get quickly messy when one of them turns up dead. With a cast that includes Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Chase Sui Wonders, Myha'la Herrold, Rachel Sennott, Pete Davidson, and Lee Pace, the movie mixes horror, comedy, Gen-Z satire, and a whodunit-style mystery that will keep you guessing.

Horror and comedy collide in a pileup of 'Bodies Bodies Bodies'

Listen · 20:31
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Monday

$#@*! we're talking profanity in pop culture

Shut the front door, we're revisiting an episode about profanity. Robin Olimb/Getty Images hide caption

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Robin Olimb/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

$#@*! we're talking profanity in pop culture

We've got dirty words on the brain. In this encore episode from 2013, we chat about the use and functions of profanity in entertainment. We cover everything from Anchorman to South Park to Shakespeare.

$#@*! we're talking profanity in pop culture

Listen · 16:08
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Sunday

Pop Culture

San Diego Comic-Con is back in person (and character!)

We get the latest from this year's Comic-Con in San Diego. It's being held in person for the first time since the pandemic began.

San Diego Comic-Con is back in person (and character!)

Listen · 5:12
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Wednesday

Lizzo's 'Special' is a giddy burst of affirmation and joy

singer, rapper, dancer, flutist, and actress Lizzo. AB+DM hide caption

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AB+DM

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Lizzo's 'Special' is a giddy burst of affirmation and joy

Grammy-winning artist Lizzo enjoyed a major breakthrough in 2019 with her album Cuz I Love You. Now she's back with Special, which features one of the summer's most inescapable songs "About Damn Time." The album features songs about love, affirmation, friendship, empowerment, and confidence.

Lizzo's 'Special' is a giddy burst of affirmation and joy

Listen · 17:29
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Tuesday

We debate the greatest movie soundtracks of all time

Whitney Houston, Loretta Devine, Lela Rochon, and Angela Bassett in 1995 film Waiting To Exhale. Alamy Stock Photo hide caption

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Alamy Stock Photo

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We debate the greatest movie soundtracks of all time

We debate: what is the greatest movie soundtrack of all time?

We debate the greatest movie soundtracks of all time

Listen · 27:24
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Friday

In 'Where The Crawdads Sing,' a bestseller gets its big screen moment

Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kya Clark in Where the Crawdads Sing. Sony Pictures hide caption

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Sony Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

In 'Where The Crawdads Sing,' a bestseller gets its big screen moment

The new film Where The Crawdads Sing stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kya, a girl who was abandoned in the marshes of North Carolina as a child and raised herself into adulthood. It's part mystery, part courtroom drama, part love triangle, and part nature film. The film is based on Delia Owens' bestselling novel, and features a new Taylor Swift song.

In 'Where The Crawdads Sing,' a bestseller gets its big screen moment

Listen · 22:33
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Thursday

To understand BTS, it helps to reach beyond the hits

V, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope of BTS attend the Grammy Awards in 2022. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy hide caption

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Pop Culture Happy Hour

To understand BTS, it helps to reach beyond the hits

The Korean pop sensation BTS recently announced that its members are taking a break to pursue solo projects. The band has had massive success in the U.S. with songs like "Dynamite" and "Butter", but their discography is farther-reaching than casual fans might think. So we thought now would be a good time to showcase some of the best deep cuts in the BTS catalog.

To understand BTS, it helps to reach beyond the hits

Listen · 22:39
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Friday