The Bangles

The Bangles are an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the early 1980s, emerging from the city's Paisley Underground scene alongside acts like The Dream Syndicate and Rain Parade. Sisters Debbi and Vicki Peterson joined with Susanna Hoffs to form the group, initially called The Bangs, releasing early material independently before signing with a label and eventually adopting the name The Bangles. Bassist Micki Steele, formerly of The Runaways, joined ahead of their major-label debut, completing the lineup that would define the band's classic era.

Their sound blended jangly 1960s-influenced guitar pop with the polish of 1980s production, built on tight vocal harmonies among Hoffs and the Peterson sisters. The band's commercial breakthrough came with Different Light, which produced the hits «Manic Monday» — written by Prince — and «Walk Like an Egyptian», a chart-topping single that became one of the defining songs of the decade. Their later album Everything included «Eternal Flame», another major hit that showcased the group's softer, ballad-oriented side.

Often cited as one of the most commercially successful all-female rock bands of the 1980s, The Bangles helped bring the paisley underground's retro-pop sensibility to a mainstream audience while writing and performing much of their own material, a point of pride that distinguished them from many contemporaries in an era when female musicians were frequently sidelined as mere performers rather than songwriters.