The Monkees are an American rock and pop band originally active between 1966 and 1971, with reunion albums and tours in the decades that followed. Their original line-up consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork with English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conceived in 1965 by television producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider specifically for the situation comedy series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968. The band's music was initially supervised by record producer Don Kirshner, backed by the songwriting duo of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart.
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. is the fourth album by the Monkees. It was released on November 6, 1967, when the Monkees were exerting more control over their music and had started to play many of the instruments themselves, something that their record company had previously forbidden. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. sold more than three million copies and was also the band's fourth consecutive album to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard 200.
Headquarters is the third album issued by the Monkees and the first with substantial songwriting and instrumental performances by members of the group itself, rather than by session musicians and professional songwriters. After a struggle for creative autonomy with their record label, the group had been allowed, to a degree, to record by themselves. Headquarters reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified double platinum in the United States with sales of more than two million copies within the first two months of release. It peaked at No. 2 on the UK charts. It is included in the 2006 book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
More of the Monkees is the second studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees. It was recorded in late 1966 and released on Colgems label #102 on January 9, 1967. It displaced the band's debut album from the top of the Billboard 200 chart and remained at No.1 for 18 weeks—the longest of any Monkees album. Combined, the first two Monkees albums were at the top of the Billboard chart for 31 consecutive weeks. More of the Monkees also went to No.1 in the UK. In the U.S. it has been certified quintuple platinum by the RIAA with sales of more than five million copies. More of the Monkees is also notable for being the first pop/rock album to be the best-selling album of the year in the U.S.
The Monkees is the first album by the band the Monkees. It was released in October 1966 by Colgems Records in the United States and RCA Victor in the rest of the world. It was the first of four consecutive U.S. number one albums for the group, taking the top spot on the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks, after which it was displaced by the band's second album. It also topped the UK charts in 1967. The Monkees has been certified quintuple platinum by the RIAA, with sales of over five million copies.
The Monkees Present is the Monkees' eighth album. It is the second Monkees album released after the departure of Peter Tork and the last to feature Michael Nesmith until 1996's Justus.
Changes is the ninth studio album by the Monkees. The album was issued after Michael Nesmith's exit from the band, leaving only Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones to fulfill the recording contract they had signed in the mid-1960s. Changes was their last new album for Colgems Records and the group's last album of all new material until 1987's Pool It.
The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees is the fifth studio album by the Monkees. Released in April 1968, it was the first Monkees album not to reach Billboard's number one, peaking at No. 3 on the U.S. charts. It was also their first album to miss the UK charts altogether, with their four previous efforts all having reached the top ten. The album has sold over a million copies.
Head is the soundtrack to the film Head, the only theatrical release by the Monkees. Released in 1968 through Colgems, it was the band's sixth album. Head was the last Monkees album to feature Peter Tork until Pool It! in 1987 and the last to feature all four Monkees until 1996's Justus.
Instant Replay is the seventh studio album by the Monkees. Issued 11 months after the cancellation of the group's NBC television series, it is also the first album released after Peter Tork left the group and the only album of the original nine studio albums that does not include any songs featured in the TV show from the original NBC run nor the CBS/ABC reruns.
More Greatest Hits of the Monkees is a 1982 greatest hits compilation album of songs by the Monkees, assembled and released by Arista Records. Rather than featuring strictly hit singles, the collection also featured music from their television series, which was still airing in syndication around the US.
Monkee Business is a compilation album of songs by the Monkees, issued by Rhino Records in 1982. It was the first American Monkees rarities collection and was released on both LP and cassette formats, with the LP being a picture disc.
Monkee Flips is a compilation album of songs by the Monkees, issued by Rhino Records in 1984. Labeled as the "Best of the Monkees, Volume Four", the album featured an all-stereo selection of single sides and album tracks, including several songs featured in the Monkees TV series. It was available on both LP record and cassette formats.
Missing Links is a compilation album of rare and previously unreleased songs by the Monkees, issued by Rhino Records in 1987. It is the first volume of a three-volume set, followed by Missing Links Volume Two in 1990 and Missing Links Volume Three in 1996.
Missing Links Volume Three is a compilation album of rare and previously unreleased songs by The Monkees, issued by Rhino Records in 1996. It is the third and final volume of a three-volume set, preceded by Missing Links in 1987 and Missing Links Volume Two in 1990.
The Monkees' 1995 Greatest Hits album was the third so titled to date. It was issued when Rhino Records took over the Monkees' catalog, and was intended to replace the existing Arista compilations. It has since been superseded by The Monkees Anthology and The Best of the Monkees.
"Pleasant Valley Sunday" is a song by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, most famous for the version recorded by The Monkees in 1967. Goffin's and King's inspiration for the name was a street named Pleasant Valley Way, in West Orange, New Jersey where they were living at the time. The road follows a valley through several communities among the Watchung Mountains. The lyrics were a social commentary on status symbols, creature comforts, life in suburbia and "keeping up with the Joneses". It became one of the Monkees' most successful singles.
"A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You" is a song by Neil Diamond that was released by The Monkees in 1967. Davy Jones sang the lead vocal. It went to No. 1 in the US Cashbox charts. On the Billboard charts it went to No. 2, and "Somethin' Stupid" by Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra kept it from the No. 1 spot.
"All of Your Toys" is a song by The Monkees, recorded in 1967 but not released until 20 years later. The song was written by Bill Martin, a friend of The Monkees' Michael Nesmith. "All of Your Toys" was the first Monkees recording to feature all four members performing on the track.
Summer 1967: The Complete U.S. Concert Recordings is a four CD live set by the Monkees, recorded during the band's Summer 1967 tour. The CD was a limited edition release, with 3,500 copies being made available by Rhino Hand Made.
