The band’s biggest commercial successes include "Walk Like an Egyptian" (1986), which became a worldwide phenomenon, "Manic Monday" (1986), a song written by Prince, and a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s "Hazy Shade of Winter" (1987), which was featured in the film Less Than Zero.

After Zilinskas left in 1983 to focus on other projects, Michael Steele, formerly of The Runaways, joined as bassist and vocalist, cementing the classic lineup.

[7] Susanna Hoffs and sisters Vicki and Debbi Peterson had each been in bands before coming together in Los Angeles, California, in December 1980.

One had been placed by Hoffs, and the only person to respond was Annette Zilinskas, and the other was by Lynn Elkind, the Petersons' housemate and a departing member of their then band Those Girls.

When Hoffs called in response to Elkind's ad, Vicki Peterson answered the phone, and in their conversation, they discovered a great deal of common interests.

The band was part of the Los Angeles Paisley Underground scene, which featured groups that played a mixture of 1960s-influenced rock.

[15] In the meantime, Hoffs and Vicki Peterson appeared on a 1983 album Rainy Day (also the name of the group) which also featured members of Rain Parade, The Dream Syndicate and The Three O'Clock.

The album was released in 1984 on Llama Records (E1024), and featured Hoffs on lead vocals on cover versions of Bob Dylan's "I'll Keep It with Mine" and Lou Reed's "I'll Be Your Mirror".

In 1983, Faulty Products issued a 12-inch "remix" single of "The Real World" to radio and media, but another setback came as the label folded.

Co-writer Billy Steinberg came up with the title after Hoffs told him about the band's recent trip to Memphis, Tennessee, where they visited Graceland, Elvis Presley's estate.

[29] Friction arose among band members after music industry media began singling out Hoffs as the lead singer of the group.

[32] Michael Steele joined a band that did not last long called Crash Wisdom, in which she performed songs such as "Nickel Romeo" and "Between the Two" which both would later be used for the Bangles's 2003 reunion album Doll Revolution.

The band started drifting back together in 1998,[33] and officially re-formed to record a song for the soundtrack of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, at the behest of the film's director Jay Roach (who had married Hoffs in 1993).

In July 2004, Paul McCartney presented the Bangles with "honorary rock'n'roll diplomas" from his Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

[37] On December 31, 2005, the group performed "Hazy Shade of Winter" in front of Times Square and later "Eternal Flame"[citation needed] as part of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2006.

[39][40] In the spring of 2009, the Bangles returned to the studio to begin work on a new album entitled Sweetheart of the Sun, which was released on September 27, 2011.

[42] In December 2013, the Bangles played two nights with three other reunited Paisley Underground bands—the Dream Syndicate, the Three O'Clock and Rain Parade—at the Fillmore in San Francisco and the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles (benefit concert).