The Bangles Were Always a Democracy

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( song roulette [The Bangles Were Always a Democracy]( But, as Susanna Hoffs recalls, picking lead singles was tricky territory. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: Michael Tran/FilmMagic When the Purple One heard a song you wrote, loved it, and insisted on gifting one of his own in gratitude, allow yourself a few minutes to freak the hell out before getting back to work. That’s exactly what happened [to the Bangles]( while they were recording their second album, 1986’s Different Light, when [Susanna Hoffs]( found herself with a demo of Prince’s “Manic Monday.” The lyrics, lamenting the start of the corporate week, were all there. The group just needed to make it their own. Or, as they prefer to say, “Bangle-fy” it. “Prince was wise — he gave a lot of songs away to artists and singers that he liked and felt a kinship to,” Hoffs says. “He was onto something with us.” Although the band had plenty of songs co-written by Hoffs, Vicki Peterson, Debbi Peterson, and Michael Steele to consider for Different Light’s lead single, “Manic Monday” fell into place without much debate. It became the band’s first proper hit, peaking at No. 2 on the Hot 100. [read more]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now]( to save over 60% on unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: [Race Relations]( • The Real Housewives of Miami: [Fight Club]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [Opera Review: A Maybe-Midwestern Carmen With No Ticket Out An attempt at modernization that diminishes the opera’s timeliness.]( By Justin Davidson [5 Requests for Pokémon Concierge, Season Two First: Get renewed by Netflix. Second: Interspecies staff meeting?]( By Roxana Hadadi [21 Games We Can’t Wait to Play in 2024 Dragon’s Dogma makes its long-awaited return, Princess Peach dons pants, a survival shooter made in the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine war, and more.]( [Katt Williams Scorches the Earth and Every Comedian on It “What do you mean ain’t no gatekeepers? There’s a hundred gates out here. Every one I seen got a keeper.”]( By Craig Jenkins and Hershal Pandya [14 Plays and Musicals We Can’t Wait to See in 2024 Izzard in Shakespeare, Strong in Ibsen, Carell in Chekhov, and a freaky Michael R. Jackson musical.]( By Sara Holdren and Jackson McHenry [Who Will Win at the First Post-HFPA Golden Globes? It’s anybody’s best guess, and by anybody’s we mean ours.]( By Nate Jones and Jen Chaney [Taylor Tomlinson to Host After Midnight After Midnight At approximately 12:37 a.m. on January 16, to be exact.]( By Bethy Squires [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Today’s Crossword]( 22-Down, Three Letters: “Oompa Loompa Doompity ___…” Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty, Everett A newsletter of TV and movie recommendations. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved