From surprise comebacks to celebrity spats and unfortunate deaths, pop stars were never far from the headlines in 2017, writes Ed Power.

Nicky Minaj has fought her way to the top of the music industry – and never made compromises,writes Roxanne Gay. 

Ireland’s most watched videos of 2017 have been announced by YouTube.

“Show me straight As that I can verify with your school and I’ll pay it… Dead serious,”

It’s been an astounding year for Jimmy Rainsford and Ryan Hennessey.

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Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Taylor Swift is following in the footsteps of fellow pop superstars Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Nicki Minaj after signing with Glu Mobile for a digital gaming experience.

Ok, so when can we be besties, Adele? Hello?

Maureen Dowd on why Tinseltown’s toxic brew of fear and sexism is keeping women out of the top jobs

Those who ignore fashion history are doomed to commit some dire faux pas.

Kanye West announced his intention to run for the White House at this week’s VMA awards,

Taylor Swift won video of the year, Miley Cyrus briefly flashed one of her breasts, and Kanye West ranted at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Irish favourite Daniel O’Donnell showed he is not afraid to pull out the moves when required at last night’s

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The ISPCC has welcomed a UK scheme to put age restrictions on music videos and called for other countries to adopt similar measures.

After the success of Kim Kardashian: Hollywood and snapping up Katy Perry and Britney Spears, mobile developer Glu has announced two new mobile games starring Nicki Minaj and Jason Statham.

The Twitter spat between Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift is far more than two pop princesses having a go at one another. Minaj is reminding us how appallingly black women are treated by media, says Louise O’Neill.

A couple were winched to safety on rescue helicopters after becoming stranded in Dublin Bay; a hoax bomb in Cork may have been a warning to a guest; Ballymun went from high hopes to broken dreams; and the post-mortem on Cilla Black has not revealed why she died. These are some of the latest and most read news stories on irishexaminer.com.

Sharknado actress TARA REID is such great friends with pop duo JEDWARD that the Irish twins have introduced her to their granny.

A Dublin man fraudulently claimed almost €30,000 in benefits for three years when he was living in Lanzarote, a court has heard; The Garda Commissioner is defending the appointment of her husband to a team investigating alleged leaks of information to journalists; Police in the US are investigating after a two-year-old child was freed from a locked car on a sweltering day. Here’s this evening’s irishexaminer.com round-up.

Enda Kenny has launched a withering attack on the economic policies of Bertie Ahern's Fianna Fáil governments; an investigation is underway after shots were fired at a house in Co Kildare; how a missed golf putt cost sponsor €128m; and John Creedon takes on the Wild Atlantic Way. Here’s today’s lunchtime irishexaminer.com round-up.

Jane* has heard her children being called “monkeys”; the father of a toddler who has profound disabilities as a result of injuries sustained during her birth, has said that her life has been destroyed; Turkey has blocked access to Twitter to prevent the broadcast of images of a bomb blast which killed 32 people earlier this week. Here’s this evening’s irishexaminer.com round-up.

Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift found themselves embroiled in a very public Twitter spat yesterday, following Swift’s nomination for Video of the Year at the 2015 VMA awards.

Rihanna’s latest video has crossed more lines than Miley’s Wrecking Ball. Louise O’Neill yearns for the days of Bananarama and MT USA.

Nicki Minaj brought drama to the Black Entertainment Television Awards in a lace Givenchy gown with an oversize zipper. 

Beauty houses are vying to sign up Caitlyn, the woman formerly known as Bruce Jenner, as the face of their make-up campaigns. Mac’s Viva Glam, which had associations with Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, is the likely winner . It’s been some week for transgender rights, says Suzanne Harrington

The heartbroken family of murdered student nurse Karen Buckley have spoken of their deep gratitude for the huge outpouring of sympathy; Couples who have married in Gougane Barra, Co Cork, are being asked to search their wedding photos to help recover a stolen religious relic and Man Utd fans are excited by Hugo Lloris' comments. Just some of the latest and most read stories on irishexaminer.com.

Police were trying to trace a fake doctor last night after a Maryland woman who travelled to New York City to receive silicone buttocks injections died during a procedure in a basement apartment.

Your best memories can be summoned with a single spritz of summer perfume. Make new ones this season while wearing Rachel Marie Walsh’s pick of the best new fragrances.

What's on telly tonight - well, the best of it.

With Nicki Minaj playing at the 3Arena tonight, Ed Power selects the ten most important women in recent rap history

Five things in the world of arts to do this week.

A former madam who bragged of doing black-market “body sculpting” on thousands of women was convicted of murder in the death of a dancer whose heart stopped after nearly half a gallon of silicone was injected into her buttocks.

There are sound biological reasons why women’s bodies are naturally curvy and voluptuous. Deirdre Reynolds gets the skinny on essential body fat.

A member of Nicki Minaj’s tour crew has been stabbed to death in Philadelphia, the singer has said.

Grammys newcomer Sam Smith looked dapper in a white bow tie and Madonna rocked one of the season’s most eclectic red carpets in a bedazzled two-corner black hat and burlesque-esque corset with matching thigh-high boots.

Kanye showed off his new kicks to admirers. Rhianna braved the rain sans umbrella. Willow Smith danced to the music, and Beyonce gave out hugs and took pictures with well-wishers.

The Grammy Awards will feature a number of collaborative performances, including Jessie J with Tom Jones, Lady Gaga with Tony Bennett and Adam Levine with Gwen Stefani.

Madonna is teaming up with former champion boxer Mike Tyson for her new album.

Drake, Nicki Minaj and Big Sean are three massive names in the world of hip-hop and R&B. However, in the world of Broadway, not so much.