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Ella Langley leads a record-breaking country boom on the charts

NPR | By Stephen Thompson

Published August 6, 2026 at 3:40 PM CDT

This week's Billboard Hot 100 chart is full of country-music crossovers. Stephen Thompson of NPR Music reports.

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All Things Considered

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.

See stories by Stephen Thompson

In the wake of Spokane wildfires, preparedness experts think it could've been worse

Kirk Siegler

As emergency responders in Spokane take stock of the damages from devastating wildfires, there's a prevailing sense that this disaster could have been far worse.
Amid severe drought, Puerto Rico to begin rationing residents' water

Adrian Florido

Puerto Rico's government will begin rationing water on Friday as the island copes with its worst drought in more than a decade.
The first recorded grand slam in Women's Professional Baseball happened this week

Hosts

Professional Women's Baseball is back - and this week the record books added the first Grand Slam -- thanks to the WPBL's Sarah Edwards from the Los Angeles Queens.
The Senate voted to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt. Now what?

Eric McDaniel, Mary Louise Kelly

A Senate committee voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt after he refused to answer questions about his handling of the covid pandemic. Chairman Rand Paul plans to refer the case to the DOJ.
Sources & Methods - Iran hacks the U.S.?

Mary Louise Kelly, Jenna McLaughlin, Greg Myre

At least seven states experienced cyberattacks against their water systems recently, and the FBI is investigating whether they are linked with the war in Iran.