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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

New Music Friday: Our Top 7 Albums Out On Sept. 27

Tegan and Sara. Their new album, Hey, I'm Just Like You, is on our shortlist of the best new albums out on Sept. 27. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Our Top 7 Albums Out On Sept. 27

The best new albums out this week include Sturgill Simpson's scuzzy rock record Sound & Fury, reliably infectious pop from The New Pornographers, new Tegan & Sara, a lost John Coltrane album and more.

New Music Friday: Our Top 7 Albums Out On Sept. 27

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Our 2019 Fall Movie Preview

Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver star as a couple going through a divorce in Noah Baumbach's new film Marriage Story. Wilson Webb/Netflix hide caption

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Wilson Webb/Netflix

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our 2019 Fall Movie Preview

In our fall movie preview, we will cover the ones we're excited about, the ones you'll be hearing more about, and the ones that might be picking up awards in a few months. Whether you like comedies or dramas, and whether you like to see your films in a theater or in the comfort of your own home, we're here to give you the scoop.

Our 2019 Fall Movie Preview

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Thursday

Monday

The 2019 Emmys

Billy Porter poses with award for outstanding lead Actor in a drama series in the press room during the 71st Emmy Awards. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images hide caption

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The 2019 Emmys

It was a huge night for Fleabag and a coronation for Game Of Thrones, and there were a few surprises and big moments along the way. The awards got spread out quite a bit this year, including a historic acting win for Billy Porter, several awards for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Ozark.

The 2019 Emmys

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Friday

Wednesday

Girls Strip: Jennifer Lopez Shines In 'Hustlers'

Constance Wu and Jennifer star in the hit film Hustlers. STX films hide caption

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STX films

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Girls Strip: Jennifer Lopez Shines In 'Hustlers'

Anyone who's surprised at the big weekend the new film Hustlers had at the box office probably shouldn't be. Not only does it star popular women like Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu, with drop-ins from Cardi B and Lizzo, but it got very good reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival. What's not to like? Hustlers is based on the true story of a group of women who danced at a strip club together and later drugged and scammed some of their wealthy Wall Street customers. Directed by Lorene Scafaria, the film is already generating awards buzz for Jennifer Lopez.

Girls Strip: Jennifer Lopez Shines In 'Hustlers'

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Friday

'The Goldfinch' Turns A Long Book Into An Overstuffed Movie

Ansel Elgort plays Theo Decker in The Goldfinch. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'The Goldfinch' Turns A Long Book Into An Overstuffed Movie

Donna Tartt's 2013 book The Goldfinch won a Pulitzer Prize for its story of a boy whose mother dies in a bombing. It's an epic tale of grief, abandonment, friendship, drugs, and a stolen painting of a goldfinch. Now, The Goldfinch has been adapted into a movie starring Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Nicole Kidman, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Finn Wolfhard and Sarah Paulsen.

'The Goldfinch' Turns A Long Book Into An Overstuffed Movie

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Wednesday

We Get Up In Our Feelings With 'Steven Universe: The Movie'

Garnet (Estelle) and Steven Universe (Zach Callison) return for Steven Universe: The Movie. Cartoon Network hide caption

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Cartoon Network

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

We Get Up In Our Feelings With 'Steven Universe: The Movie'

The animated show Steven Universe has told the story of a human-alien hybrid boy and the race of alien women called Gems who've helped raise him on Earth. The show has told lighthearted stories of life in the fictional Beach City — and headed to space for a more epic saga about a group of intergalactic leaders, a past rebellion, and a plot to destroy the world. Creator Rebecca Sugar has said that there will be more episodes, but for now, Steven Universe: The Movie has just premiered on the Cartoon Network.

We Get Up In Our Feelings With 'Steven Universe: The Movie'

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Friday

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out Sep. 6

British R&B singer Mahalia. Her debut full-length Love and Compromise is on our shortlist for the best new albums out on Sep. 6. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out Sep. 6

Our list of the best albums out this week includes The Highwomen's self-titled release, R&B singer Mahalia's remarkable Love and Compromise, new Frankie Cosmos, MUNA, Lower Dens and more.

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums Out Sep. 6

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'It: Chapter Two': Everybody Loves A Clown, But Why Don't We?

Bill Skarsgård reprises the role of Pennywise in It: Chapter Two. Brooke Palmer/Warner Bros hide caption

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Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'It: Chapter Two': Everybody Loves A Clown, But Why Don't We?

The 2017 movie It was a massive blockbuster, and became the highest-grossing R-rated horror film of all time. Adapting the Stephen King novel of the same name, it tells the story of seven misfit kids in the late 1980s, and a supernatural being that preys on children in a small town in Maine. The sequel revisits the kids 27 years later — they're now played by the likes of Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Hader.

'It: Chapter Two': Everybody Loves A Clown, But Why Don't We?

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Wednesday

Revisiting The Movies Of 1999

Ellen Barkin, Allison Janney, And Kirsten Dunst in the 1999 film Drop Dead Gorgeous. Getty Images hide caption

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Getty Images

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Revisiting The Movies Of 1999

Just about every week, we talk about what we're watching or reading or listening to right now. Today, we're doing something different. We're going back 20 years to talk about some of the movies of 1999, including Drop Dead Gorgeous, Office Space, and The Talented Mr. Ripley. We'll talk about what holds up, what looks really different, and what we miss the most.

Revisiting The Movies Of 1999

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Friday

New Music Friday: Our Top 7 Albums Out Aug. 30

Lana Del Rey. Her latest release, Norman F****** Rockwell, is on our shortlist for the best new albums out on Aug. 30. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Our Top 7 Albums Out Aug. 30

Our shortlist for the week's best new albums includes Lana Del Rey's odyssey-length adventure Norman F****** Rockwell, Sheryl Crow's final album, Threads, new Black Belt Eagle Scout and more.

New Music Friday: Our Top 7 Albums Out Aug. 30

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Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our 2019 Fall TV Preview

It's autumn again. And that means we're getting a wave of new television. So it's time for the annual fall TV preview. Whether you like superheros or detectives, broadcast or cable or streaming, we're here to share what we're excited to see.

Our 2019 Fall TV Preview

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Tuesday

The 2019 MTV VMAs

Taylor Swift attends the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images hide caption

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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The 2019 MTV VMAs

We just spent three hours watching the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, which are never really about awards so much as moments: big performances and the memes and soundbites we may or may not remember for years to come. This year's show brought lots of Taylor Swift, and Missy Elliott, not to mention Lizzo, Normani, Lil Nas X, Rosalía and more.

The 2019 MTV VMAs

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