Stephen Thompson appears in the following:
Favorite Family Friendly Movies of 2024, and All Time
Tuesday, August 06, 2024
We ask NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour host Stephen Thompson for favorite family friendly movies and we'll take your calls.
Rock icon or a victim of exploitation? Examining Amy Winehouse's legacy
Sunday, May 19, 2024
A just-released, fictionalized film looks at the life of British singer Amy Winehouse. The music and career of the real Amy Winehouse still fascinate.
What 'Pop Culture Happy Hour' thinks of Jerry Seinfeld's Pop-Tart movie 'Unfrosted'
Friday, May 10, 2024
The Netflix movie Unfrosted tells a made-up version of Pop-Tarts' origin story. It hasn't been received favorably, including by NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts.
Review: 'Kung Fu Panda 4'
Sunday, March 17, 2024
How does Kung Fu Panda 4 stack up against its predecessors in the popular animated movie franchise? Stephen Thompson from NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour brings a group together to review the new film.
The Oscar nominees for best original film score
Saturday, March 02, 2024
Host Scott Detrow hears about the Academy Award nominees for best original film score.
The Super Bowl was more than football — it was a night of pop culture
Monday, February 12, 2024
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.
Great football movies
Saturday, February 10, 2024
On this Super Bowl weekend, we ask: What makes a great football movie?
Besides the game, a lot of people watch the Super Bowl for the halftime show
Friday, February 09, 2024
Usher headlines the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday. Will it stand up to halftime shows of the past?
Some of the world's most popular musical artists may leave TikTok
Thursday, February 01, 2024
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.
Movie soundtracks are bringing a fresh set of ears to old classics
Sunday, January 07, 2024
"Murder on the Dancefloor," a 2001 hit song in the U.K., is just the latest old track to be introduced to a new generation of listeners after being used at a pivotal moment on screen.
We made ChatGPT write a song for us
Sunday, December 10, 2023
We kept hearing that Artificial Intelligence is a threat to the creative arts. So we put ChatGPT to the test to see if it can, indeed, write a decent song.
What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening
Friday, November 17, 2023
Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: the Goosebumps TV series, New Blue Sun from André 3000, and Matt Rogers' Christmas album.
2024 Grammy Nominations: A guide to the best, worst and most surprising nominees
Friday, November 10, 2023
Themes emerge quickly when you dig into the nominations for the 66th Grammy Awards. The major categories are dominated by women and seemingly up for grabs; elsewhere, progress is not always so clear.
A review of the 2023 Grammy nominations
Friday, November 10, 2023
NPR Music's Stephen Thompson breaks down the nominations for next year's Grammy Awards, out Friday. Some of the world's biggest pop stars got major nods, with SZA as the most-nominated artist.
Samia: Tiny Desk Concert
Wednesday, November 08, 2023
Samia's set provides a stunning showcase for her charisma, vocal talent and deftly detailed lyricism.
What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening
Friday, November 03, 2023
Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: The Gilded Age podcast, food influencer Keith Lee, the show Bargain, and Madi Diaz's new album.
The Beatles' 'Now and Then' is a wistful curiosity, 45 years in the making
Thursday, November 02, 2023
The Beatles' final song could never live up to the body of work that precedes it. But it could never diminish it, either.
What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing, reading, and listening
Friday, October 27, 2023
Each week, guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Sampha's album Lahai, the film Tori and Lokita, rewatching Doctor Who, and the Phillies, sort of.
Blink-182 is back with reunion record 'One More Time'
Friday, October 20, 2023
Blink-182's new album is called One More Time, and it's the first for their classic lineup in 12 years — the same three members who landed those pop-punk hits in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
'Stop Making Sense (Taylor's Version)' and Your Favorite Concert Films
Monday, October 16, 2023
We celebrate the current concert film renaissance by looking at the best concert films ever released.