- Different Light · 1986
- Greatest Hits · 1986
- The Essential Bangles · 1988
- Greatest Hits · 1987
- Greatest Hits · 1988
- Different Light (Expanded Edition) · 1986
- Greatest Hits · 1990
- All Over the Place (Expanded Edition) · 1984
- Stranger Things (Soundtrack from the Netflix Original Series) · 1984
- Greatest Hits · 1984
- All Over the Place (Expanded Edition) · 1984
- Greatest Hits · 1984
- Doll Revolution · 2003
Essential Albums
- Striving to be more than a cult band, the Bangles ratcheted up the commercial quotient of their sound on 1986’s Different Light. Under producer David Kahne’s guidance, synthesizers filled in the spaces between the guitars and the tracks took on a glossier sheen overall. This strategy had its risks but fortunately the group’s impeccable vocal harmonies never sounded better. Even more important, the songs range from strong to excellent. Radio listeners became Bangles fans thanks to the baroque-tinged “Manic Monday” (written by Prince) and the odd-yet-danceable “Walk Like An Egyptian.” Beyond these hits, there’s a wealth of other folk-rock standouts to be found here, with “September Gurls” and the absolutely luminous “If She Knew What She Wants” worth a special mention. Band originals like the jazz-tinged “Return Post” and the sweetly empathetic “Not Like You” compliment the covers. Different Light boosted the profile of Susanna Hoffs in particular, but the rest of the group deserves equal praise. Amidst the cooled-out techno-pop of its time, Different Light shines brightly as a warm-hearted, unremittingly melodic gem of an album.
Albums
- 1988
- 2022
- 2004
- 2004
- 2004
Artist Playlists
- Their groovy hooks and velvety harmonies ruled the ‘80s.
Compilations
Appears On
More To Hear
- Mondays aren’t so great, but this classic song about Mondays is.
About The Bangles
The Bangles were one of the touchstone bands of the 1980s, blending classic ’60s guitar pop with New Wave flair during an all-too-brief initial reign. • The Los Angeles band, which came up as part of the ’60s-influenced “Paisley Underground” scene, released three LPs from 1984 to 1988 before splitting in 1989. The foursome put out two subsequent albums after regrouping in 1998. • Singer and guitarist Susanna Hoffs formed the band in 1981 with sisters Debbi and Vicki Peterson on drums and guitar, respectively, and bassist Annette Zilinskas. After a self-titled 1982 EP, Zilinskas left the band and was replaced by former Runaways member Michael Steele. • The Bangles released five singles, including the theme from the 1985 movie The Goonies, before breaking through in 1986 with the No. 2 hit “Manic Monday,” the first single from Different Light, their second album. Prince wrote the song. • The band cemented their pop-cultural status later in 1986 with “Walk Like an Egyptian,” a No. 1 smash that spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. • They continued their run of chart success in 1987 with a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Hazy Shade of Winter,” which the group recorded for the Less Than Zero soundtrack. Two more Top 5 singles followed: “In Your Room” reached No. 5 in 1988, and “Eternal Flame” hit No. 1 in 1989. Both songs were from The Bangles’ 1988 album Everything. • Rising tension among the musicians prompted the band to split in 1989. They reunited in 1998 to record the song “Get the Girl” for the movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. • In 2003, The Bangles released the new album Doll Revolution, named for the opening track, a version of Elvis Costello’s song “Tear Off Your Own Head (It’s a Doll Revolution).” • Bassist Michael Steele departed in 2005, leaving Hoffs and the Petersons to record their 2011 album Sweetheart of the Sun as a trio. In full-circle fashion, Annette Zilinskas rejoined The Bangles on bass in 2018.
- ORIGIN
- Los Angeles, CA, United States
- FORMED
- 1981
- GENRE
- Pop