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Over the course of most seasons of "Dancing With the Stars," this is the point in the season where the competition really gets serious. Theoretically, every cast member left should have a fighting chance at competing in the finale, with a handful of people truly capable of winning the whole thing. But though plenty of dead weight has been shed so far this season, there is still at least one contestant who is just treading water until her inevitable dismissal (probably as soon as this week). We're looking at you, Bristol Palin, and your strange "teen activist" title and your inability to move your feet properly. Palin was saved from the chopping block last week in favor of Florence Henderson, and she was going to really need a stellar showing on Monday night's (October 25) episode of "Dancing With the Stars" in order to continue shaking her tailfeather on national television.

She may have actually bought herself another week with her tango last night, a relatively lively performance during an extremely strange rock-themed episode of the show that also featured a strange "dance marathon" that was confusing and not particularly noteworthy (except for the fact that Brandy won it somehow). Palin began to emerge from her shell last night, and her footwork was the strongest it has been all season (that being said, she still could use a lot of polish). Her confident performance — combined with Kurt Warner's relatively disastrous night on the dance floor — should give Palin a reprieve and could start her on the path to becoming this season's Kelly Osbourne (as in the contestant who starts as a mess and eventually challenges for the title).

However, she'll have to overcome some stiff competition from Brandy (who is getting exponentially better every week), Jennifer Grey (who has been judged a little more harshly if only because she's sort of a ringer) and former "The Hills" star Audrina Patridge (whose paso doble still lacked personality but showed an impressive range of technical skills). Rick Fox also continues to come on strong, which gives the top tier some much-needed testosterone.

Who do you think will be eliminated from "Dancing With the Stars" this week? Let us know in the comments!

Tags Audrina-Patridge, Brandy, dancing with the stars, Jersey Shore, The Hills, The Situation

"One of my favorite things about this album is it's the first time I've ever released an album all over the world at the same time. So I wanted to include everybody. I wanted to include everyone from all these countries where these fans have shown up and been amazing to me. So we are flying people from all over the world to all converge in America and all be together and do some really, really fun things and a concert and play some new songs from the record. And I am very excited."

-Crossover country superstar Taylor Swift, explaining the motivation behind the internationally-flavored "Speak Now: Taylor Swift Live From New York City" concert she'll be performing on Monday night (October 25), which will be streamed live on MTV.com starting at 7 p.m. Eastern. The show happens to fall on the same day that Swift's hotly-anticipated third album Speak Now hits stores.

Though her sound comes from uniquely American roots, Swift experienced a great deal of international interest when her second album Fearless became a universal pop sensation. She has traveled the world entertaining hundreds of thousands of fans, and those journeys have deeply informed the songs on Speak Now. "I've been working on this album for two years and having written every song on this album and not having any co-writers making the concept of this album come together and sort of writing everything for this album within the concept, it actually all happened very naturally," Swift told MTV News in a recent sit-down interview. "So I write songs about things that really intensely, emotionally affect me at the time I'm going through them."

Don't miss "Speak Now: Taylor Swift Live From New York City," streaming live on MTV.com, CMT.com and VH1.com at 7 p.m. ET tonight!

Tags Quote, Taylor Swift

If you were anywhere near a television set, online or on Twitter, I'm sure that your Saturday evening was held hostage by Kanye West mania! For me, it was an entire night flooded with G.O.O.D Music. It all started at MTV studios with the debut of his "Runaway" movie and an in-depth, live Q&A immediately afterward. Kanye was in rare form and seemed extremely ecstatic and gratified that the world finally saw this piece of art.

The night didn't end there for me. Following the interview, we headed to Platinum Sounds Studios, owned by Wyclef Jean and bassist Jerry "Wonder," in midtown Manhattan. There, I watched Ye carefully sift through song selections on his laptop for what was to be a surprise performance at Williamsburg's Brooklyn Bowl (one that I almost ruined unknowingly by mentioning it during our Q&A session). G.O.O.D. Music artists CyHi Da Prynce and Consequence filed into the studio, and soon after music mogul Andre Harrell arrived, it was time to caravan over to BK.
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Tags Brooklyn Bowl, Kanye West, photo, Runaway

Really, you should be listening to music every day, but thanks to Twitter, Monday has become the best day of the week to discover new songs, show some love to the tune currently dominating your iPod playlist and quietly judge the listening habits of your closest friends. Yes, it's #MusicMonday, one of Twitter's most enduring trending topics. Hence "MTV News' #MusicMonday," a weekly look at the songs we are currently crushing on.

This week, welcome former Sleater-Kinney singer/guitarist Corin Tucker (and her Band) back into the fold.

This has been a big year for comebacks on the fringes of the rock world. Pavement got back together for a massively successful tour, Guided by Voices reunited in a classic lineup for Matador Records' 21st birthday and Mike Patton took Faith No More back out on the road. Just a few weeks ago, another rock icon strapped her guitar on for another spin through the universe. Corin Tucker, one third of vital all-female rockers Sleater-Kinney, is back with another trio (this one called simply the Corin Tucker Band) and a new batch of songs — her first proper recordings since Sleater-Kinney's 2005 album The Woods (the last album the group put out before going on their still-active hiatus).

The songs on 1,000 Years still have some of the elements of Sleater-Kinney's classic sound (jagged guitars, jittery rhythms, Tucker's signature croon-wail), but it also represents a clear evolution for Tucker. She has called it "a middle-aged mom record," and that is both metaphorically true (the songs are deeply rooted in domestic issues rather than larger social, political or sexual issues) and literally correct (Tucker is a 37-year-old mother of two kids). It's an incredibly dynamic record, full of moody drones (the title track), fist-pumping anthems ("Doubt," "Riley") and a little bit of country twang for good measure ("It's Always Summer").

It's a great comeback for Tucker, and 1,000 Years is well worth seeking out whether you liked Sleater-Kinney or not (but especially if you did and wished that PJ Harvey was a member of the band too). And in case you aren't familiar with one of riot grrrl's most important acts, dig in to Sleater-Kinney's "You're No Rock and Roll Fun," from their 2000 album All Hands on the Bad One.

Tags #MusicMonday, corin-tucker, sleater-kinney, video

Up until this weekend, Kanye West was mostly known as a rapper and a producer (and a pretty exceptional one at that). But as of Saturday (October 23), we now have to think of West as a filmmaker as well. "Runaway," which premiered on MTV over the weekend, is a complicated and strange film full of eye-popping images and some really excellent music (all of which will appear on West's upcoming release My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which will inevitably be an album of the year candidate), and it's a remarkable accomplishment for West.

In fact, the release of "Runaway" was enough of a catalyst for the MTV Newsroom Blog to declare West the greatest pop star of this generation. There is a mountain of evidence pointing in that direction, as West has managed to conquer a number of different entertainment forums — and he has done everything in his unique way.

However, the fans commenting on the blog did not agree with that sort of elevation for West — or for anybody, for that matter. "Art is relative," reader Artwo wrote. "One cannot simply be the best as this article states." However, the opinion was split on the actual content of the piece. Some people weren't interested at all ("Calling this art is a stretch. It's just an exercise in Kanye's arrogance," wrote reader James) while others seemed to be fine with it ("Not a Kanye fan and not exactly impressed with this vid but I give him credit for trying to do something a little different," wrote T. Joseph).

Still, West can rest assured that "Runaway" managed to convert at least one new fan in his favor. "The way I look at it, I know nothing about Kanye West but loved the piece," wrote Rosemary. "Beautiful modern ballet and theatre. Agree it's an evolved work of art."

What did you think of Kanye West's "Runaway" film? Let us know in the comments!

Tags Kanye West, Runaway

Every day a multitude of stars wander through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.

Over the weekend, Kanye West unveiled his film "Runaway" to the universe, which means that the next big film from a pop star will be Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never." While it's unlikely that there will be any mythical creatures or creepy parades in Bieber's film, it is still likely to be a sensation when it finally hits cinemas in February 2011. In the meantime, Bieber is busy being an internationally recognized icon, and he showed up to Vanity Fair's annual Power of Youth event at Paramount Studios in Hollywood on Sunday (October 24). With manager Scooter Braun at his side, Bieber joined other young celebrities like "Glee" star Chord Overstreet, "Wizards of Waverly Place" actress Bridgit Mendler, "Hannah Montana" regular Mitchel Musso and singer/actress Naturi Naughton. The 16-year-old Canadian pop star stuck around Los Angeles, as he has a huge concert tonight (October 25) at the Staples Center.

Bieber wasn't the only star in a crowd this weekend, as Dave Navarro and Matt Sorum backed up the Darling Stilettos on the orange carpet at the Miami Dolphins game at Sun Life Stadium, while Katy Perry and Russell Brand tied the knot in India. Click here for these photos as well as the entire "Spotted" archive, which includes over 500 candid shots of stars like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Eminem, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Rihanna and the Jonas Brothers!

Tags Justin Bieber, photo, Spotted!

Though she has never really left our consciousness in the two years since Fearless first came out, it still seems like it has been a while since Taylor Swift released an album. But all that waiting is finally over, as Speak Now is out now. The album is a big step for Swift for a number of reasons, as not only does it represent something of a thematic departure for her (in the sense that each song is about a particular person, and they make up a narrative of the last year of her life) but it also means she is at a turning point, as it's her third album.

For any artist who intends on sticking around for the long term, the third album may be the most important. It's always too easy to dismiss a hit debut as a fluke, and a second album tends to be rushed or caught up in the process of actually making a second album (the first album is usually a summation of years of thought and considering; second albums tend to take about six months). The third album is the first chance that the artist really gets to stretch his or her wings as well as solidify exactly what the sound is supposed to be. It's the gateway to the rest of a career, and it can be make or break.

By all accounts, Speak Now is a make, and it takes its place alongside these other important third albums.

Radiohead, OK Computer
Up until the release of OK Computer, Radiohead were simply an interesting guitar band who had one fluke hit ("Creep") and a second album that was considered (at the time, at least) to be surprisingly good and refreshing. But the entire script changed on OK Computer, as the band began its slow movement away from traditional rock sounds and into the outer reaches of electronic music. Kid A was probably the purer form of what Radiohead really wanted to accomplish, but OK Computer is everything that Radiohead is, was and always will be.

Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin III
Another powerful album that represented a huge transition, Led Zeppelin III began the greatest band of the 1970s' move from pounding stadium blues riffs into more experimental bits and brief snatches of folk and psychedelia. But they hadn't given up on making a big racket, as the album opens with the gargantuan "Immigrant Song," which may be the three minutes that best describes Led Zep's sound.

Kanye West, Graduation
West has stuck to his guns from jump street, but his first two albums only hinted at the wide-angle weirdness that would appear on Graduation. From the haunting mood music of "Good Morning" through the pimptastic "Good Life" and the dreamy "Homecoming," Graduation provides the first hints of the darkest corners of West's complicated psychology and everybody-is-on-the-guest-list approach to sounds.
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Tags Speak Now, Taylor Swift

It has been an incredibly busy few days of partying for Katy Perry, as not only did she celebrate her marriage to Russell Brand on Saturday (October 23), but today she'll also commemorate her birth. Perry (born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson) is now 26 years old, and she has crammed quite a bit into those two-decades-and-change. Her latest album Teenage Dream has made a home for itself near the top of the Billboard album chart, and the album's first single "California Gurls" was the unofficial anthem of this past summer. She is currently kicking ass and taking names with "Teenage Dream," an unbelievably lush song that manages to sound cutting edge but also vaguely nostalgic at the same time (the gorgeously-shot video certainly helps).

But even though she's only 26, Perry is really in the midst of her second career run, as she began her performing life in earnest as a Christian artist who scored her first record deal by playing country songs. Her debut album (recorded under the name Katy Hudson) came out way back in 2001 and was filled with gospel rock inflections (and even by the standards of her modest record label, it was considered unsuccessful). Undaunted, Perry (with a new moniker in tow — Hudson is her mother's maiden name) headed to Los Angeles and hooked up with producer Glen Ballard (best known for working on Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill but also notable for his contributions to albums by Michael Jackson, Aerosmith and No Doubt) for an album that was never released (though Perry did get on to the soundtrack for "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants").

Of course, it all ended well for Perry, as she finally released her proper pop debut One of the Boys in 2008, scored a boatload of hit singles and became a video icon. Just about every one of her clips is a modern classic, but "Hot N Cold" is the stuff of legend.

Tags Birthday, Katy Perry, video

In the late night world, sometimes one guest is all you really need to make your mark for the week. Such is that case with "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" this week, as even though some of the other shows have more consistent night-to-night collections of guests this week, Stewart is the only host who will welcome President Barack Obama to the set of his show. The Commander-In-Chief will sit down with Stewart on Wednesday (October 27) to discuss the upcoming "Rally to Restore Sanity," an event that will be going down this Saturday (October 30). It's Obama's first visit to "The Daily Show" since he was elected president, and it should be a lively discussion about the state of his term and the upcoming midterm elections.

But that's not to say you shouldn't be tuning in to the other fine offerings in the after-hours universe. "The Late Show With David Letterman" returns from vacation with a vengeance, as it will feature Charles Barkley and Kings of Leon (Monday, October 25), Taylor Swift (Tuesday, October 26) and Will Ferrell (Thursday, October 28). "The Tonight Show" will feature new friend of MTV News Martha Stewart (Monday), country music outlaw Jamey Johnson (Tuesday), international pop sensation Kylie Minogue (Wednesday) and veteran emo rockers Jimmy Eat World (Friday, October 29).

Jimmy Kimmel will welcome A Perfect Circle (Wednesday) and Mandy Moore (Thursday) to "Jimmy Kimmel Live," while "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" will feature a completely insane Tuesday night lineup (Joan Rivers, Juliette Lewis and Underworld will all be there) and an even more insane Thursday (because the musical guest is GWAR). Also, it's usually a good idea to see what Lauren Conrad is up to, and you can get that opportunity if you tune in to Tuesday night's edition of "Lopez Tonight."

And the strangest booking of the week goes to CBS' new daytime show "The Talk," which will welcome Total Nonstop Action Wrestling champion Jeff Hardy to the roundtable. What will Sara Gilbert and Leah Remini have to say to "The Charismatic Enigma"? You'll have to tune in to find out.

Tags Barack-Obama, kings of leon, Late Night, Talk Shows

The record books established to track the Billboard Hot 100 are littered with female solo artists. Mariah Carey has the most number one singles of any solo artist in history (yes, even more than Elvis Presley) and Madonna isn't that far behind her. But it took a few decades before three female solo artists moved into the top three spots on the chart. On this day in 1986, that all changed, as Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," Tina Turner's "Typical Male" and Janet Jackson's "When I Think of You" occupied the first, second and third places (respectively) on the Billboard Hot 100.

Jackson's "When I Think of You" came from her third (and breakout) album, 1986's Control. Co-written with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jackson took R&B, disco influences, funk and traditional pop and infused it with the noise and energy of hip-hop (which was quickly making the transition from underground sensation to commercially viable pop property). "When I Think of You" was the third single following the hugely popular "What Have You Done For Me Lately" and "Nasty," both of which landed her in the top five on the Hot 100. "When I Think of You" was also Jackson's first chart-topper, having spent the previous two weeks in that spot.

"Typical Male" was the first single from Turner's 1986 album Break Every Rule, which was her follow-up to the massively successful Private Dancer. Though Break Every Rule was not as big a hit as its predecessor, it still spawned a handful of hits, including "Typical Male" and "What You Get Is What You See."

But the top of the chart on this day in '86 belonged to Lauper, whose "True Colors" (from her 1986 album of the same name) began a two week run in that spot. It was Lauper's second trip to the top of the Hot 100 (she had previously scored a number one with "Time After Time") and her fifth single in the top five.

Tags Cyndi-Lauper, Janet-Jackson, Tina Turner, video