I like the Monkees. They may have been a manufactured band, but they could actually sing, and a couple of them were real musicians too, and even though they farmed out most of the songwriting, they had good songwriters like Neil Diamond, Carole King, and Harry Nilsson. Not my favorite band of the era, but I still have a Monkees playlist I give a spin once or twice a year.
Plus, if it was general knowledge how many “real” bands had all their songs played by the Wrecking Crew or other studio musicians, then I think the Monkees’ reputation would rank a bit higher.
Actually they did write some songs and all of them could play.
Real musician Del Shannon was interviewed back in the ‘60s about the Monkees, and he insisted that the rap against them was no good, and that they had real talent.
That’s despite the fact that their release of Boyce-Hart’s “She” buried Del’s before it could hit the Hot 100.
As far as my own taste, I am more of a “Tapioca Tundra”-type myself.