‘It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way’ is a song by British pop band The Blow Monkeys. The song peaked at No. 05 in the UK Singles Chart in 1987.
The Blow Monkeys The Blow Monkeys are a British sophisti-pop band formed in London in 1981, fronted by the charismatic singer-songwriter Dr. Robert (Bruce Robert Howard). Renowned for blending new wave pop, funk, and soul, they achieved international stardom with their 1986 hit “Digging Your Scene”, which famously addressed the societal stigmas of the AIDS crisis. They followed up with the UK Top 5 single “It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way”. After a split in 1990, the original lineup officially reunited in 2007. They remain highly active, touring widely and releasing their acclaimed 13th studio album, Birdsong, under Creation Youth in 2025.