Editing The Monkees (section)

==== 1980s renaissance ====
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Initially dismissed by critics in the late 1960s as a fabricated and talentless pop group, The Monkees experienced a significant resurgence in critical and commercial popularity during the mid-1980s. This revival was catalyzed by a marathon of their original television series, titled "Pleasant Valley Sunday", broadcast on [[MTV]] on February 23, 1986. Simultaneously, [[Nickelodeon]] began daily reruns of the show, reintroducing the band to a new generation. These promotional efforts sparked a resurgence of "Monkeemania", leading to a successful concert tour that expanded from smaller venues to becoming one of the most prominent live acts of 1986 and 1987.

The initial spark of the reunion occurred in February and March 1986, when Peter Tork and Davy Jones performed together in Australia. In May 1986, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork announced their "20th Anniversary Tour", which began in North America in June. The tour's success prompted additional performances in Australia, Europe, and North America, culminating in September 1989. These tours solidified the band's renewed status in popular culture.

The Monkees' original albums saw renewed sales, complemented by the release of a new greatest hits compilation, which achieved platinum certification.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.monkeeslivealmanac.com/ |title=Monkees Live Almanac - Home |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130182140/https://www.monkeeslivealmanac.com/ |archive-date=January 30, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The success of the band during this period led to the release of their first single since 1971, "[[That Was Then, This Is Now (song)|That Was Then, This Is Now]]". The track reached No. 20 on Billboard magazine's charts. However, Davy Jones declined to participate in recording the track and two other new songs included in the compilation album ''[[Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees]]''. Some releases credited the songs to "The Monkees", while others specified "Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork (of The Monkees)," creating friction among the group members during their 1986 tour. Jones often exited the stage when these songs were performed. Despite the tension, Jones contributed to the band's follow-up album, ''[[Pool It!]]'' (1987).

To promote ''Pool It!'', Rhino Records released "Heart and Soul: The Official Monkee Videography", featuring contemporary music videos, interviews, and additional content. 

During the 1980s revival, Nesmith made several notable appearanced with the band, but remained largely absent due to commitments with his Pacific Arts video production company. He did not contribute to any of the Monkees' studio recordings during this period.