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The Bangles were a popular American pop band of the mid 1980s, one of the new generation of independent all-women bands that followed The Go-Gos. The band was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 as The Supersonic Bangs, later shortened to The Bangs. They were forced to change their name to The Bangles when a band from New Jersey, also named The Bangs, threatened to sue. The original lineup was Susannah Hoffs (guitar, vocals), Debbi Peterson (drums, vocals, bass), and Vicki Peterson (guitar, vocals, bass); this lineup made one 45, "Getting out of Hand" b/w "Call on Me." Annette Zilinskas took over bass duties in 1982 and also played harmonica. This lineup put out the Bangles EP that same year. Zilinskas left in 1983 and was replaced with Michael Steele, formerly of The Runaways.

The Bangles' debut album on Columbia, All Over The Place (1984) captured their power-pop roots, and attracted the attention of Prince, who wrote "Manic Monday", a US #2 hit, for the group. The accompanying album Different Light (1986) was more polished than its predecessor and, with the help of the worldwide #1 hit "Walk Like An Egyptian", saw the band firmly in the mainstream as FM radio and MTV stalwarts, recording another #2 hit with a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Hazy Shade Of Winter".

1988's Everything was another multi-platinum smash, and included their biggest selling single in the soft ballad "Eternal Flame", but working relationships within the band had broken down and they split shortly after, with Hoffs embarking on a solo career and Vicki Peterson touring as a member of The Go-Gos and the Continental Drifters.

In 2000 they reformed to tour, and in 2001-2002 recorded a new record. A cover version of "Eternal Flame" was a 2001 UK #1 for Atomic Kitten.

Doll Revolution, featuring such songs as "Stealing Rosemary", "Ride the Ride", "Nickel Romeo", and the single "Something That You Said", was released in early 2003. The title track was written by Elvis Costello. The Japanese version of the album features as bonus tracks both sides of their debut single.

The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000.

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, a list of 150 songs circulated on the Internet, purported to be from radio conglomerate Clear Channel Communications to its subsidiaries, with the recommendation that these songs be pulled from airplay (it was later revealed that the list was originally the work of a few specific station program directors, was not an official Clear Channel missive, and changed over time as it was redistributed). The Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian" was on the list.

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