Monkees

Monkees are an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965–66 for a television series of the same name. The lineup originally consisted of Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. The TV show The Monkees aired on NBC from 1966 to 1968 and combined comedy with musical performances, helping to launch the group’s public profile. The project was devised by producers to create a television-friendly band; the members were cast as actors who could perform music and were later encouraged to develop their own material.

On record, the early work relied heavily on studio musicians and outside songwriters, but the Monkees soon began contributing more of their own material. They produced a string of hit singles, including Last Train to Clarksville, I’m a Believer, and Daydream Believer. Their studio albums from the period—the Monkees (1966), More of the Monkees (1967), Headquarters (1967), and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (1967)—reflected a move toward greater group involvement. The band also released the experimental feature film Head in 1968.

Over the course of their career, the Monkees won two Grammy Awards and maintained a devoted fan base. Although the group dissolved at the end of the 1960s, its members pursued solo projects and occasional reunions in later decades. The Monkees are regarded as a notable example of a television-formed act that achieved significant chart success and enduring cultural impact in 1960s rock.