Sure, the album you’ve been waiting for, 1989, is finally here, but let’s reflect on the ingenious lead-up to the album’s release that Taylor Swift planned for her fans. Like the fact hundreds of you lucky Swifties ACTUALLY GOT TO GO TO TAYLOR’S HOUSE. And eat her homemade cookies.

It was beyond, right?? All the secret listening sessions Taylor invited fans to, the livestream where she announced she was going full-time pop star, the emphasis on Polaroids… I’m getting nostalgic! Oh, the memories. (Okay, I wasn’t personally invited, but I SWEAR I’M NOT BITTER! I SWEAR!) But as it turns out, all of these bits of nostalgia, memories and intimate get-togethers led to some IRL friendships between Swifties.

Once you’ve had the lifechanging opportunity to go to Taylor Swift’s house and listen to 1989 WITH TAYLOR SWIFT (and her cat), you’ve got two choice: 1.) Die. Or 2.) Become IRL BFFs with your fellow Swifties (which is better than dying, obviously), and that’s exactly what happened, and that’s exactly what Taylor loves about the experience.

Related: Guess Who Loves Taylor Swift’s ’1989′? (Hint: EVERYBODY!)

“One of the things that really blew my mind about the secret sessions is how much unity it brought to groups of people involved,” Taylor told MTV News during her sit-down interview with Jack Antonoff in L.A. on Friday, October 24.

“I was at Hollywood Boulevard performing ...

Kelly Clarkson paid tribute to Taylor Swift in the sweetest way! At her concert in Buffalo, New York last night (October 26), an event that was originally scheduled for the grand opening of the Microsoft store at Walden Galleria, Clarkson gave Swift’s “Shake It Off” a soulful, stripped-down vibe, before bursting into the peppiness of the original when it hit the chorus.

“I love that song!” Clarkson said. “Seriously, everyone gives Taylor such a hard time but she can write a hook—I’m just sayin’.”

For her part, Taylor was thrilled:

And she also continued her established routine of Instagramming some more lyrics from a specific song—but this choice seemed to carry extra weight. Just a day after Katy Perry’s 30th birthday, Tay Tay chose to share lyrics from “Bad Blood”—the song that’s rumored to be about her falling out with Katy.

At least Kelly and Taylor have their friendship established!

Caitlin White

MTV Weekend Editor. Acts like Madonna but listens to Merle.

@harmonicait

Sure, everybody loves the carefree vibes of Taylor Swift‘s debut 1989 single “Shake It Off,” but it’s the moody turbulence of her second single that really had people curious. “Out Of The Woods” is the song that most people have decided reference’s Taylor’s short-lived romance with One Direction‘s Harry Styles, and now Taylor has told us the slightly bizarre backstory that really pulled the song together.

It involves a ‘Gremlin voice’—something that only her songwriting partner Jack Antonoff could have known—which is why having him interview her in New York on Friday (October 24) was the best idea ever.

Related: Taylor Swift Reveals Her 1989 Track List: Panic Accordingly

We didn’t know that a Gremlin was secretly inhabiting Swift’s gorgeous frame, but now it alllll makes sense. The age-old wisdom, the penchant for perfect, out-of-this-world phrases—it’s been actual magic all along.

Caitlin White

MTV Weekend Editor. Acts like Madonna but listens to Merle.

@harmonicait

Just like last Sunday’s leaked Drake song, another new track from Drizzy called “Heat Of The Moment” has appeared mysteriously on the internet. This time, the song is through the OVO rapper’s own Soundcloud, so hopefully it won’t disappear on us.

And instead of sounding like a Nothing Was The Same cast-off, it has a brand new, woozy vibe punctuated by the sensual lyrics.

After shmoney dancing his birthday away, it seems like Drizzy was inspired to get back to work by a lengthy phone conversation with an older, wiser man. His capstone piece of advice? “Use a f–king condom!” At this, Drake dissolves into laughter.

And of course, since it’s Drake, there’s a bedroom voice snippet from an unknown woman. The track was produced by 40, but there’s no word on whether it’s a one off or if it will be on his upcoming album Views From The 6.

Caitlin White

MTV Weekend Editor. Acts like Madonna but listens to Merle.

@harmonicait

Ariana Grande is generally known as a sweet and slightly reserved pop star. But tonight, in the spirit of Halloween mischief, she’s come to *Dracula voice* suck your blood! The “Break Free” singer posted a cute pic of herself all dolled up in vampire duds (is that red eye or some fierce contact lenses?!) and fangs on Instagram tonight (October 25).

So maybe it’s a few days before the actual holiday, but Ari seems eager to get a jumpstart on her Trick or Treating! Kidding, kidding we all know she’s probably going to be hanging out with her new boo (get it?!) Big Sean. Maybe they’ll go to a party with Kanye and Kim? Now I’m just brainstorming cute couple costumes for all of them.

This seemed to be just a sneak peek of a more complex costume though, as Ari wrote: “Fitted my vampire teeth yesterday. I’m being a very specific kind of vampire lol… you’ll see.” Not quite menacing, but definitely intriguing. Stay tuned until All Hallows Eve to see what Ari has up her sleeve. One more question, will her signature cat ears be involved, because that looks like them in the pic!

Caitlin White

MTV Weekend Editor. Acts like Madonna but listens to Merle.

@harmonicait

Have you checked out Kiesza yet? Cuz you’re going to want to. The Candaian experimental pop singer-and-dancer has been turning Brooklyn into her own personal dance studio since she stepped on the scene of Wythe Avenue earlier this year for the acclaimed “Hideaway” video.

Her sophomore album Sound Of A Woman officially came out earlier this week (October 21), but the singer didn’t rest on her laurels at all, following it up with this new video for “No Enemiesz.” As always, she can’t stop moving, and her moves are just as head-turning as her earlier clips.

But Kiesza also seems unable to stop shedding layers as she dances throughout the loft apartment, stripping down right till the end of the track. There’s a reason this girl was a VMA nominee for best choreography—she knows how to move. Watch for yourself below:

Caitlin White

MTV Weekend Editor. Acts like Madonna but listens to Merle.

@harmonicait

Kim Kardashian turned 34 on Tuesday (October 21) earlier this week, and though she probably won’t top last year’s surprise engagement to Kanye West, she still managed to pull off an enviable party in Las Vegas last night (October 24).

She teased the event a week before on Instagram, revealing that she’d be celebrating at The Venetian hotel’s Tao in Las Vegas:

Then, she snapped a pic of everyone before boarding the plane to get to Vegas:

Last night at the actual party, she had plenty of people to pose with and thank for being part of her tumultuous, fashionable life.

But family first, as always:

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Of course she still managed to get some time alone with her husband Kanye:

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And pose with her ver-present glam squad

Related: Happy Birthday, Kim Kardashian! Here Are 34 Times You Ruled Instagram

And embrace a fairly epic birthday cupcake-cake—there’s literally levels to this:

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No matter what happens, Kim doesn’t forget her “OG Crew”—and she never apologizes for cleavage:his own personal “happy birthday” to Kim on Twitter as well, and yes, it did include the word “dopest.” Happy birthday Kim! Next year, invite me to come celebrate with you.

Caitlin White

MTV Weekend Editor. Acts like Madonna but listens to Merle.

@harmonicait

Okay Swifties, you might want to sit down while you read this post because it gets really super personal, romantic and swoon-worthy. We got Taylor’s partner-in-songwriting-crime Jack Antonoff to interview her for us yesterday (October 24) in her now-home of New York City about 1989—and the results are much more intimate and emotional given the close relationship the two already have.

I mean, they’re close enough to act like total goofballs together:

MTV News

Related: Taylor Swift’s 1989: What Are The Critics Saying?

Are you ready for a majorly touching tidbit to be revealed? Good, because it involves Antonoff’s long-time girlfriend and Swiftie pal Lena Dunham, who has already dubbed one of the tracks off 1989 as her “someday wedding song,” but that’s probably because Taylor wrote it about Lena and Jack’s relationship.

“You guys are like the benchmark of actual, real true love,” Taylor tells Jack, who manages to take it all in stride. Watch the two discuss the song below, which Jack wrote the music for and Taylor describes as the sound of “real love.”

While Antonoff was working with Tay Tay on one of the songs off 1989, he didn’t realize that he was closer to the heart of the song than just as a musical collaborator.

For “You Are In Love,” Taylor used the relationship that Jack and Lena Dunham share as her inspiration to get all lovey dovey. But apparently, Lena didn’t even know it was about ...

Lady Gaga decided to take a trip down the jazzy lane this year, and put out an album that went in a totally different direction from ARTPOP with her Tony Bennett collaboration Cheek To Cheek.

The album is jazz standards done by Gaga and Bennett in duets, and you’d think that some of her pop-loving fans might not want to make the transition into jazz, right? Nope. Wrong—monstrously wrong. Instead, the Little Monsters have been losing their minds over the album, and specifically during tonight’s (October 24) special PBS performance of the album.

Gaga herself was obviously stoked about the event, and live-tweeted along with the taped performance:

But she wasn’t the only one—countless fans reflected on how excited they were about the unlikely fact that they were falling in love with jazz.

Even Tony Bennett got into the live-tweeting! He was watching along with his wife Susan and this adorable bundle of fluff named Happy. Uhhh Tony, can I come over and watch with you??

After all that tweeting, the site even went down for a few minutes—something the monsters gladly took responsibility for.

Wanna get in on all that jazz? Get your copy of Cheek to Cheek here, or, if you missed the special you can watch a brief clip of them watching the title track below.

Caitlin White

MTV Weekend Editor. Acts like Madonna but listens to Merle.

@harmonicait

Clearly, every day of the week should be a celebration of all that is Britney Spears, but the good people of Las Vegas have finally made this into a reality. The City of Lights has dedicated November 5 to Brit in recognition of her impact on the city since her residency began there in December of 2013. Britney was just as excited about the announcement of “Britney Day” as we are, tweeting about how honored she felt:

Yes, it is an honor, but we are also expecting on “Britney Day” that our beloved Britney Jean will be working it, bitch! Here’s a rundown of what the day will probably look like:

Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak will give Britney an an official proclamation, declaring it her day in a bunch of legal jargon.

Sisolak will also hook Britney up with a key to the city of Las Vegas! Which, if you think about it literally, presents endless possibilities…

Britney will completely take over The LINQ Promenade and hang out with her fans — especially fellow Britneys! The first 100 will get a free pair of tickets to her concert at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino that night.

But if your name isn’t Britney don’t worry, you can still purchase tickets to see “Britney: Piece Of Me” performed that night.

You can get even more details about the first ever “Britney Day” via her website. Until then, we’ll be rocking out to ...