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| band_name = Spice Girls |
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| image = [[Image:Sg9d.jpg|350px|The Spice Girls.]] |
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| align="center" | '''[[Clear Channel Communications|Clear Channel Communications, Inc.]]''' |
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| caption = The Spice Girls. |
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| years_active = [[1996]]–[[1998]]/[[2000]] |
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| music_genre = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Dance]] |
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'''[[Corporation|Corporate]] [[Corporate officer|Executives]]''': [[Lowry Mays]] | [[Mark Mays]] | [[Randal Rays]] | [[Tom Hicks]]<br> |
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| record_label = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]] <small>(1996–still signed)</small> |
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'''[[Corporation|Corporate]] [[Board of directors|Directors]]''': [[Alan Feld]] | [[Perry Lewis]] | [[Lowry Mays]] | [[B.J. McCombs]] | [[Phyllis Riggins]] | [[Theodore Strauss]] | [[J.C. Watts]] | [[John H. Williams]] |
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The '''Spice Girls''' (1996–1998/2000) were an [[England|English]] vocal [[girl group]]. They enjoyed substantial commercial success from 1996 to 2000, and it is claimed that they are the biggest-selling girl group of all time, with reported sales of over forty-five million albums and thirty million singles. They are also famous for popularising the term ''[[Girl Power]]''. The group originally consisted of [[Victoria Beckham|Victoria Adams]], [[Emma Bunton]], [[Melanie Chisholm]], [[Melanie Brown]], and [[Geri Halliwell]]. However, in 1998, Halliwell left to pursue a solo career. The remaining four members never formally broke up, but have not performed together or released any new recordings since 2000. They have each released solo material, and some have stated that they have no interest in participating in the group in the future. |
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'''[[Radio station|Radio]]/[[Television station|Television]] stations''': [[List of broadcast stations owned by Clear Channel]]<br> |
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==Beginning== |
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'''Other major assets''': [[Clear Channel Outdoor]] | [[Clear Channel UK]] | [[Premiere Radio Networks]] | [[FOX Sports Radio Network]] | [[United States Hot Rod Association|USHRA]] |
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The group was formed in 1994 when Bob Herbert<!--[[Bob Herbert]] is NOT the same Bob Herbert that brought the group together--> and his son, Chris, advertised through ''[[The Stage]]'' newspaper. Five girls were picked out of the numerous responses to the advertisement: Geri Halliwell, Victoria Adams, Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown, and [[Michelle Stephenson]]. They formed a group called "Touch". However, Stephenson was not completely devoted to the group, and eventually left to pursue her education, being replaced by Emma Bunton. |
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The five girls were placed in a house together so that they could become friends before (it was hoped) going on to become a successful girl group. However, things became tough when arguments broke out. The tension was only increased by promises of a record contract that never seemed to materialise. Despite constant rehearsals and even a visit from a few record executives, the girls were still not given a contract, and in early January 1995, they walked out with no money, still hoping to find a record contract. |
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They were soon signed by pop svengali [[Simon Fuller]] to his [[19 Management]] company and were subsequently signed to [[Virgin Records]]. |
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In 1996 they changed their name to "Spice Girls", and quickly gained popularity. A factor in the group's success was the ability of individual members to appeal to different types of teenage fans. The five members were dubbed "Ginger" (Halliwell), "Baby" (Bunton), "Scary" (Brown), "Posh" (Adams), and "Sporty" (Chisholm) Spice by a British pop music magazine. Though not invented by the band, the nicknames caught on with the public, so they exploited both the name and the suggested persona for each group member. Their diverse appearance and cultural backgrounds ensured broad demographic appeal. |
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A cleverly constructed image combined sex appeal with post-feminist self-confidence (Labelled ''Girl Power'') guaranteed them a large female fanbase. |
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==Spice== |
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[[Image:Spice Girls - Spice.jpg|178px|right|thumb|''Spice'' is seen as the Spice Girls [[signature album]], and has sold over twenty-three million copies globally]] |
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On [[July 8]] [[1996]], the Spice Girls released their first single, "[[Wannabe (song)|Wannabe]]" (which contains the memorable hook "I wanna really, really, really wanna Zig-A-Zig Ah"), in the United Kingdom. Quickly gaining regular airplay and video play, it entered the U.K. singles chart at number three, and reached number one the following week. It topped the charts for seven weeks, becoming the second-best selling single of the year. By the following year, the song had reached number one in thirty-seven countries including [[Canada]], where it spent five weeks at the top, the [[United States]], where it spent four weeks at the top, and [[Australia]], where it spent eleven weeks at the top. "Wannabe" went on to become the twelfth best-selling single of the [[1990s]]. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/spicegirls-wannabe.htm] The Spice Girls became one of the few British acts to break into America during the earliest stages of their career. |
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Along with songwriters [[Richard Stannard]] and [[Matt Rowe]], the girls were able to score many other hits, such as the slightly more mellow follow-up single to their massive debut, "[[Say You'll Be There]]". It entered the U.K. charts at number one, and was another global success, reaching number three in the United States. It also became the thirtieth best-selling single of the 1990s. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/spicegirls-sybt.htm] However, by the time both "Wannabe" and "Say You'll Be There" were released in the U.S., the girls had already released their fourth single in the U.K. The third single, a [[ballad]] about love, "[[2 Become 1]]", became the first of three consecutive Christmas number-one singles for the girls in the U.K., which followed their debut album, ''[[Spice (album)|Spice]]''. It topped the charts for fifteen weeks during late 1996 and early 1997, selling more than three million copies, and becoming the tenth biggest-selling U.K. album of all time. When released in the U.S. the following year, it sold in excess of seven million copies, and "2 Become 1" peaked at number four. The ballad also reached number one in Canada, and would go on to become the twenty-fourth best-selling single of the decade. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/spicegirls-2become1.htm] |
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In early 1997, "[[Who Do You Think You Are]]"/"[[Mama (song)|Mama]]" became the official [[Comic Relief]] song of the year, and sold 672,577 copies, from which many charities benefitted. It was number one on the UK charts for three weeks, making the Spice Girls the first act to have their first four singles make number one on the UK charts, breaking the record established by [[Gerry & the Pacemakers]] thirty-four years earlier, and later matched by [[Frankie Goes to Hollywood]]. The single had no [[North America]]n release because, according to the Spice Girls, the American singles market is slower moving than most other nations' singles markets, and songs remain popular in America longer than they do in other countries. Nevertheless, the Spice Girls were so huge in 1997 and 1998 that American MTV, [[MTV2]] and Canadian [[MuchMusic]] and [[MuchMoreMusic]] played the "Who Do You Think You Are" video occasionally. It may have only been a U.K. release, but the song became the seventy-fifth best-selling single of the 1990s. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/spicegirls-mama.htm] While "2 Become 1" was popular in America during the summer and early autumn of 1997, it (as well as "Who Do You Think You Are" and "Mama") had long run its course in Europe. |
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==Spice World== |
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[[Image:Spice Girls - Spiceworld.jpg|178px|right|thumb|''Spiceworld'' did not sell as well as |
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its predecessor, but was given higher ratings by critics and fans]] |
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[[Image:Spice World (DVD).jpg|178px|thumb|right|''Spiceworld'' DVD cover]] |
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In October 1997, "[[Spice Up Your Life]]" was released internationally, and was hailed as the return of the Spice Girls, since it marked the first single from their forthcoming second album. With this single, the Spice Girls corrected the lag that had existed between European and American singles from their previous album. Americans did not understand why the music industry was touting the song as the group's "return", since it hit the airwaves while "2 Become 1" was still quite popular there. However, internationally, the single marked the Spice Girls' first since March. Its original release date was put forward by a week to have a better chance of displacing [[Elton John]]'s million-selling single, "[[Candle in the Wind 1997]]", from number one, and succeeded in doing upon release. |
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"Spice Up Your Life" was an international hit, topping the Canadian and [[Spain|Spanish]] charts, reaching number eight in Australia, and giving the girls their fifth number one in the U.K., making them the first act to have their first five singles reach number one in their home country. However, it peaked quite quickly on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] at number eighteen, and did not succeed in the United States on the massive level that its three predecessors had. Despite not being as successful as predicted, it did show some evolution in the girls music, with more of a latin/[[samba]] feel than any of their previous songs. It went on to become the forty-sixth best-selling single of the 1990s. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/spicegirls-suyl.htm] |
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The second single taken from the album was a ballad similar to "2 Become 1", but with a bit of an edge. "[[Too Much]]" became the girls' second Christmas number-one single in the U.K. and also made them the first act to have their first six singles make number one there. It was fairly successful in the U.S., peaking at number eight and receiving an extensive amount of airplay, however once again, it did not (like its predecessor) receive the massive airplay that ''Spice'''s singles had acquired. Unlike its four predecessors, "Too Much" was unable to reach number one in Canada, peaking at an unexpectedly low number nine, and halting the girls' consecutive number-ones run. This was a confusing shock to many, but still allowed them to be the first international girl group to have their first four singles make number one in Canada. It also peaked at number seven in Australia. The song eventually became the seventy-sixth best-selling single of the 1990s decade. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/spicegirls-toomuch.htm] |
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The Spice Girls' second album, ''[[Spiceworld]]'', was released on [[November 4]] [[1997]]. Despite selling seven million copies in only two weeks (the highest ever for a sophomore release in two weeks), it only reached number three on the [[Billboard 200]] and was not as successful as ''Spice'', topping the United Kingdom charts for only three weeks, when ''Spice'' had managed fifteen. Although they were still global superstars, ''Spiceworld'' was not the massively successful follow-up people had expected, with sales plummeting and chart positions slowly dropping. However, the album did produce one massive success, which no one expected: their very own movie, which was released in mid-January 1998. The film was in the same vein as some of [[The Beatles]]' films, a factor deliberately played on by director [[Bob Spiers]] (the director of ''[[The Goodies]]'', ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'', and ''[[Absolutely Fabulous]]'' among other notable British comedy successes) and was a commercial success. However, the critics detested the film, and this led to the girls winning a [[Golden Raspberry Awards|Golden Raspberry Award]] each for their efforts. They actually hold a world record documented in the [[Guinness Book of Records]] for receiving the most Razzies (five) at one time. |
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The girls still celebrated ''Girl Power'', and on [[November 7]] [[1997]] they fired their manager Simon Fuller, showing that ultimately, there was no stopping them. Problems would soon arise out of this, because Simon was able to contain the arguments between the girls and with him gone, one of them would have to take control, which would obviously create controversy. In early 1998, "[[Stop (Spice Girls song)|Stop]]", the third single taken from ''Spiceworld'' was released and was their least successful song in terms of chart performance. It peaked at number sixteen in the U.S. and quickly dropped out of the top forty of the airplay charts with very minimal radio airplay. It also became their first single to fail to top the U.K. charts, ending their run at six, despite being their only single that incorporated a dance routine. It entered the U.K. charts at number two, behind the million-selling single, "It's Like That" by [[Run DMC]] versus [[Jason Nevins]], which was to spent six consecutive weeks at the top. |
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"Stop" was the second Spice Girls song not to reach number one in Canada, peaking six positions higher than "Too Much" at number three, and debuted and peaked at number five in Australia. It was also their first song that did not make it into the top one-hundred best-selling songs of the 1990s decade. |
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==5 Become 4== |
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[[Image:Goodbye.jpg|178px|thumb|right|The remaining members continued as a foursome, releasing "[[Goodbye (song)|Goodbye]]]] |
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Geri Halliwell announced her desire to quit the group shortly after the release of "Stop". She claimed she was tired, fed up, and wanted to pursue a solo career. This did not come as a huge surprise, as she had always wanted to do her own thing and the Spice Girls were simply a stepping stone to a successful solo career. She did agree with the girls that she would only leave after the completion of the American Tour which began in June 1998, because "you couldn't get any better than that". However, events quickly spun out of control when [[nudity|nude]] [[photograph]]s of Geri were published by ''[[Playboy]]'' magazine. According to television reports, this was a shock to Geri, making her extremely frustrated, and only added to her desires of leaving the group. She then began missing [[concert]]s in [[Oslo]], due to what she claimed was [[gastroenteritis]]. The final strike came when the girls were due to appear on the U.K. state lottery, the [[National Lottery]], and only four of them showed up. This stirred more "Geri Quits" headlines in the papers than ever before. On the eve of the American Tour, [[May 30]] [[1998]], it was confirmed that Geri Halliwell announced her departure from the group. Here is a portion of the statement read by her lawyer: |
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''"Sadly I would like to confirm that I have left the Spice Girls. This is because of differences between us. I'm sure the group will continue to be successful and I wish them all the best. P.S. I'll be back."'' |
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The four remaining girls decided to continue their career as the Spice Girls and said this in response to Geri's statement; "we are upset and saddened by Geri's departure but we are very supportive in whatever she wants to do. The Spice Girls are here to stay—see you at the stadiums!" They then went on to complete the American Tour without Geri. |
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After Geri's departure, a fourth single from ''Spiceworld'', "[[Viva Forever]]", was released in Europe and Australia (not in North America due to fan reduction and an uncertainty in the video's theme). It was pretty successful in the U.K., returning the girls to the zenith position of the charts for two weeks, and peaked at number two in Australia. Over two million copies were sold across Europe as well. The animated music video received some limited airplay on American [[VH1]], as part of a special on Geri's departure from the group. Her vocals did feature on the song as she had recorded the entire album with them the previous year, however, as she could not feature in the video, an animated version using tin puppets of all five girls were placed in it. This was the last of the group's singles on which Halliwell was featured. |
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==Forever== |
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[[Image:Forever (album).jpg|178px|thumb|right|''Forever'' CD cover]] |
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The remaining members continued as a foursome, releasing "[[Goodbye (song)|Goodbye]]", in December 1998. The song's lyrics pay tribute to Halliwell and talked about how the rest of them would persevere. The [[music video|video]] went on to become a ''[[Total Request Live|TRL]]'' and MuchMusic regular, but barely received any other video play. In the U.K., the song held the number one position during the Christmas week of 1998, giving them three consecutive Christmas number-one singles there, and eight in total. It made the top twenty in the U.S. (number eleven), and was their last single to do so over there. In Canada, where it stayed at number one for six weeks, the single now ranks as the third biggest-selling song of the 1990s, but despite this, it seemed the career of the Spice Girls as a group had come to an end, as during the following year there were no single releases, no talk of a third album, and both of the Melanies started solo careers. "Goodbye" became the forty-second best-selling single of the 1990s. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/spicegirls-goodbye.htm] |
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However, the girls made one last attempt at resurrecting their career with the single "[[Holler]]" in 2000, a much more [[urban contemporary|urban]] and [[soul music|soulful]] offering than any of their previous songs. "[[Holler]]" was released with the ballad, "[[Let Love Lead the Way]]", making it a double A-side, from their third album, ''[[Forever (Spice Girls Album)|Forever]]''. It topped the U.K. charts for a week in 2000, giving them nine number-ones in total. [http://www.onlineweb.com/theones/2000.htm] |
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Their album met a lukewarm response in the U.K., debuting at number two, behind the second album by [[Westlife]], and dropped out of the top ten the following week. It did sell better than what was expected in the U.K., however, but was a failure on a worldwide basis. It peaked at number thirty-nine in the United States, achieving only a fraction of its predecessors sales. Many blame the poor performance of the album in the U.S. on there being no lead single released to promote it. However, a promotional CD was released to U.S. radio stations for "Holler", but it only managed to reach number seven on the [[Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles|Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles]] chart (translating as number one-hundred and seven, if it was officially released). Geri Halliwell's departure seemed to have ended the prospects of a huge comeback with the third album. |
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Subsequently, although there was talk about releasing a second single from ''Forever'' ("Tell Me Why"), the four of them questioned their time as a group. With ever-increasing solo projects in front of them, the girls decided that it would be best if they finally went their separate ways. Although there was no official break-up, they're generally thought of as having done so, though for some reason they were reluctant to announce this. |
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==Solo Careers== |
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''The following section is about solo releases from the Spice Girls.'' |
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===Emma Bunton=== |
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[[Image:Free Me.jpg|thumb|178px|Emma Bunton.]] |
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Her first solo album entitled ''[[A Girl Like Me]]'' (2001) spawned the number one hit "What Took You So Long", top five hits "What I Am" and "Take My Breath Away" and top twenty hit "We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight". The album sold around 125,000 in the U.K. but this was not sufficient for her record company, who dropped her. She also recorded a track "(Hey You) Free Up Your Mind" for ''[[Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back|Pokémon: The First Movie]]'' (1999). |
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However she soon recovered from being dropped, and signed a contract with 19 Management which included TV work and releasing music. In spring 2003 she returned as Emma (losing the Bunton), with the top five hit "Free Me" and later that year released "Maybe" which also went top ten and outsold the previous single. In spring 2004 the single "I'll Be There" and the album ''[[Free Me]]'' were released. The album contained sixties style pop gems and went on to outsell her first album, something other solo Spice Girls have yet to achieve. |
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In the run-up to the 2004 [[Eurovision Song Contest]], rumours circulated that Emma was being lined up as a rare big-name representative for the UK, in an attempt to wipe away the national humiliation of the 'nul points' achieved by the previous year's inexperienced entrants [[Jemini]]. This didn't materialise, but the fact that she ended up performing the interval act in the UK's Eurovision pre-selection show ''Making Your Mind Up'' suggested there may have been a glimmer of truth in the rumours at some stage. The performance gave her another outlet to indulge her passion for sixties pop - she started with a nostalgic burst of the UK's winning song from the [[Eurovision Song Contest 1967|1967 Eurovision Song Contest]], "Puppet On a String", which then melted into her own hit "Maybe". |
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In 2003, Emma made several guest apperances on the UK comedy [[Absolutely Fabulous]]. She played herself opposite the main character Edina Monsoon (played by Jennifer Saunders), who was her agent. |
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The album ''Free Me'' was released in the United States on [[January 25]] [[2005]], failing to make the top 200 albums and selling only 2,817 copies. The first single in the U.S. is a dance remix of the title track, which reached the top five of both the Dance Airplay chart and the Club Play chart. "Maybe" also followed "Free Me"'s success in the U.S. Dance charts. |
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===Geri Halliwell=== |
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[[Image:Passion.jpg|thumb|178px|Geri Halliwell.]] |
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After exiting the Spice Girls in May 1998, Geri Halliwell took a year out of the spotlight to write and record her debut solo album, ''[[Schizophonic (Geri Halliwell)|Schizophonic]]''. As she said that she would "be back" one day, this did not come as a surprise to critics or fans of the Spice Girls, and they anticipated the release of the first single, "Look at Me". |
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Released on [[May 10]] [[1999]], the single debuted at number two on the U.K. charts, behind [[Boyzone]]. Although Halliwell's single had actually sold more copies than Boyzone's release, the pop group issued two commercial CDs—fans of the group purchased both copies to guarantee Boyzone reaching the top spot, while Halliwell had to settle for second place. |
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''Schizophonic'' debuted at number four on the U.K. albums chart, its peak position. Although it would never rise into the top-three, after the release of the second single, "Mi Chico Latino" ([[Spanish language|Spanish]] for "My Latin Boy", which became her first U.K. number one), ''Schizophonic'' would rise back into the top-ten again. The album retained some of the bubble gum pop elements from the Spice Girls albums, but illustrated a new Geri Halliwell, with [[jazz music|jazz]] and [[rock and roll|rock]]-influenced tracks. The next two singles, "Lift Me Up" and "Bag It Up", both made it to number one on the singles chart, giving Halliwell three number-ones. "Lift Me Up" should be noted for since it was released the same week as Emma Bunton's first solo single, "What I Am". Halliwell eclipsed her sales by 33,000 copies, taking the top spot. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/gerihalliwell-lmu.htm] Fourth single "Bag It Up" was another number one single in March 2000, after a memorable [[Brit Awards]] performance. It was the final release from ''Schizophonic''. |
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On [[April 10]] [[2001]], one year after the completion of her debut album, Geri Halliwell released "It's Raining Men", the lead single from her second album, ''[[Scream If You Wanna Go Faster]]''. The song was a cover version of the [[Weather Girls]] hit, "It's Raining Men", and featured on the soundtrack to the popular [[Bridget Jones Diary]] movie. The song went straight to number one for two weeks in the U.K., selling 421,000 copies in total. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/gerihalliwell-irm.htm] The great success of the single helped ''Scream If You Wanna Go Faster'' debut at number five on the albums chart. However, its success would quickly decline. The second single taken from the album, the [[title track]], entered the charts at number eight, becoming Halliwell's sixth solo top ten single, but did not sell anywhere close to her previous five releases. This was also demonstrated through the third single, "Calling" (Halliwell's favourite track on ''Scream If You Wanna Go Faster''), which only peaked at number seven. Because of the underwhelming performance of "Calling", Halliwell moved to [[Los Angeles]] for a few years, taking a break from the spotlight. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/gerihalliwell-calling.htm] |
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In November 2004, Halliwell returned to music with the lead single from her third album, ''[[Passion (Geri Halliwell album)|Passion]]'', "Ride It". The disco number debuted at number four on the U.K. charts, but did not achieve massive success like the singles from ''Schizophonic'' or "It's Raining Men". It did, however, perform better than "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster" and "Calling" and it was also a massive number 3 single in Spain. On [[May 30]] [[2005]], "Desire" was released. The single saw little success in the U.K., debuting at number twenty-two, and slipping out of the top forty the following week. ''Passion'' also had limited success, debuting at number forty-one, and immediately fell out of the albums chart. |
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It was announced that "Love Never Loved Me" was to be the third single from ''Passion'', but it is reported that Halliwell is once again pursuing non-musical projects. Because of this—and the bleak future of her current record deal—it is unknown if its release will ever materialise. |
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It was announced in October 2005 that Halliwell is expecting her first child. |
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===Melanie Brown=== |
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[[Image:Lasom-ukcd.jpg|thumb|178px|Melanie Brown.]] |
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Geri Halliwell was the first Spice Girl to achieve mainstream success, but Melanie Brown was the first to release a single independent from the girl group. After leaving the group, Brown lanuched a solo career under the title "Mel B". "I Want You Back" (featuring [[Missy Elliott]]) was the first solo-Spice Girl number one single, reigning at the top of the U.K. charts for a single week in September 1998, this also means that Melanie Brown is the only Spice Girl to have debuted at number one with her first solo single. Its success separated Brown from ''Girl Power'', establishing her as a solo artist. However, her subsequent releases, "Word Up" (which reached number fourteen on the charts), "Tell Me" (which reached number four on the charts), "Feels So Good" (which reached number five on the charts), and "Lullaby" (which reached number thirteen on the charts) did little to inspire interest in her debut solo album, ''[[Hot (album)|Hot]]'', and |
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it peaked at number twenty-eight on the album charts in 2000. Despite some of the singles reaching the top five, none of her releases were very successful, all quickly plummeting off the charts. |
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Brown pursued non-musical projects from 2001 to 2005, writing a book entitled ''Catch a Fire'', playing [[fictional character]] Mimi in ''Rent on Broadway'', and making time for her daughter, Phoenix. Brown also stated that she would never return to music. However, she released an independent album, ''[[L.A. State of Mind]]'', in June 2005, peaking at number four hundred fifty-three, the lowest position for a solo Spice Girls release. It produced one single, "Today", which never achieved the U.K. Top 40. |
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===Victoria Beckham=== |
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[[Image:VbCover.jpg|thumb|178px|Victoria Beckham.]] |
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Being the last Spice Girl to release a solo project, Victoria Beckham had a lot to prove. After marrying [[soccer|footballer]] [[David Beckham]], Victoria teamed up with [[Truesteppers]] and [[Dane Bowers]] to release her first single, "Out of Your Mind". The song is known for being the solo-Spice Girl release with the biggest first week sales (just under to 200,000 copies). [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/victoriabeckham-ooym.htm] However, despite its large sales, "Out of Your Mind" did not enter the U.K. charts at number one, but at number two, preventing Beckham from achieving the top position. Nonetheless, the song was a huge hit, proving to the public that Beckham had talent as a solo artist. |
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Her debut album, ''Victoria Beckham'', was released following the first single, a pop song with a tacky music video entitled "Not Such an Innocent Girl", which reached number six. Some argue that the single could have reached a higher positon, had it not been up against [[Kylie Minogue]] and her worldwide number-one [[Euro pop]] song, "[[Can't Get You Out Of My Head]]". The second and final single from ''Victoria Beckham'', "A Mind of Its Own", also entered the charts at number six, but fell out of the top one-hundred seven weeks later. The small success of the two singles stirred little interest in Beckham's album, which debuted at a fair number ten on the charts, but failed to sustain its debut positon. Beckham is the only Spice Girl to not obtain a solo number-one. However to credit Victoria Beckham, she is also the only Spice Girl to have all of her records go in the top 10. |
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Beckham was subsequently dropped by Virgin, and she spent the next year and a half to herself. Then, on [[December 29]] [[2003]], released an independent double A-side, "This Groove/Let Your Head Go". The British press were waiting to see the single fail, but it entered the charts at number three, and sold 65,000 copies, which came as a surprise to her doubters. [http://foreverspice.com/spicediscography/victoriabeckham-lyhg.htm] |
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No new material has been released from Beckham since "This Groove/Let Your Head Go". |
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===Melanie Chisholm=== |
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[[Image:Beautifulintentions-ukcd.jpg|thumb|178px|Melanie C.]] |
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Hot on the heels of Melanie Brown's solo debut, in December 1998, Melanie duetted with Canadian superstar [[Bryan Adams]] on "When You're Gone". It reached number three in the U.K., but had a more lasting success on the singles chart, and has subsequently become a perennial airplay favourite on U.K. radio. It also became Adams' biggest U.K. hit since "[[Everything I Do (I Do It For You)]]". Despite its success, Chisholm's success had yet to really begin, although it did introduce her as a solo artist to the Canadian market. |
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In October 1999, Chisholm, after taking a break from the music industry, returned with a new look, new sound and a new single. "Goin' Down" saw Chisholm take on a more rock sound than her Spice Girls tracks, with a short spiky hairstyle to suit. It received a mixed reception, and despite debuting at number four, it quickly dropped out of the U.K. charts. The ''[[Northern Star]]'' album was released soon after, and debuted at number ten, a somewhat unfortunate start for the first solo album of a current Spice Girl. This success was bolstered over the Christmas period, with another number four single, the album's title track, showing a softer side to Chisholm. |
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It wasn't until April 2000 that the album really unlocked its potential. This was triggered by the release of her duet with [[TLC]] member, the late [[Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes]]. "Never Be the Same Again" was a number one hit, and sent the album climbing to number four. This was the high-point of Chisholm's solo career, with the follow-up, "I Turn to You", also reaching the top spot that August. The dance song was backed up by a previously unreleased single, which was to do well on the U.S. Dance charts, as well as send the album back up to number four when it was included on the ''Northern Star'' re-release. |
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Final single "If That Were Me" was released in December 2000, but only reached number eighteen, at that time the lowest position for a solo Spice Girl single. However, this was not a big surprise, as the album was already on its way to its 900,000 copies sold in the U.K. The album was generally well-received, and in hindsight it was generally accepted to be a good variety of great pop songs by many critics, and it is still the biggest selling solo Spice Girl album, selling twice as much as her closest competitor, Halliwell's ''Schizophonic''. |
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It was to be 2003 before the second album was to arrive. Lead single "Here It Comes Again" debuted at number seven in March 2003, suggesting that it might be difficult for Chisholm to duplicate the success of her previous singles. The second album, ''[[Reason (album)|Reason]]'', was released shortly afterwards, debuting at number five, however it was not to have lasting success, and the following week, it dropped out of the top ten. This would be the last time that Melanie would spend a week in the top ten of the album charts. In June, second single, "On the Horizon", was released, and despite being commercial enough for U.K. radio, it stalled at number fourteen. |
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Chisholm then cashed in on her "Sporty Spice" reputation by appearing on [[Channel 4]]'s celebrity [[Olympic Games|Olympic games]], taking part in several sporting events over the course of two weeks. However, she sustained a serious leg injury and had to pull out of the programme. This affected her planned release of "Yeh Yeh Yeh" from ''Reason'', being an upbeat number, and after being delayed several times, it was twinned with slow track "Melt" to allow easier promotion. However, the confusion made the single debut at number twenty-seven, becoming the lowest charting solo Spice Girl song on the charts. Subsequently, Chisholm and Virgin Records parted ways. |
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Her relationship with the U.K. tabloids was rocky at best, with the media constantly speculating on her weight, and Chisholm often making headlines with derogatory comments about other celebrities, and casting aspersions on hopes of a Spice Girls reunion. This reputation did little to help her chances of solo success in the U.K., and this was made apparent with the release of her third album, ''[[Beautiful Intentions]]'', in April 2005. After losing her record deal, she set up "Red Girl" records to release her new material. The album, heralded by "Next Best Superstar" (debuted at number ten the same month), peaked at number twenty-four, and became the least successful solo Spice Girl album until the releases of ''Passion'' and ''L.A. State of Mind''. Further U.K. single releases look unlikely, though "Better Alone" received a download-only release after lukewarm radio reactions. It received a physical release in Australia, and was met with similat reception by the public. In September 2005, ''Beautiful Intentions'' was re-released with a new song (the third single) called "First Day of My Life." The track was part of a highly-promoted soundtrack to a German soap opera. "First Day of My Life" became her third solo #1, managing to hold the number one spot in Germany and Switzerland, for 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. Chisholm is currently on promotional tours in Europe, and is going to release "First Day Of My Life" in Italy by November's end. While a fourth single from the album is still pending, rumours of a supposed US release in the new year will prove to be quite interesting. |
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==Spice's Future== |
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[[Image:Wannabe shot.jpg|178px|thumb|right|The Spice Girls in a scene from the music video for "Wannabe"]] |
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Members of the group have stated that they do not see any future for the Spice Girls, but the group has never formally split up. Each member has released solo albums (with varying degrees of commercial success, but not nearly in the same class as their group efforts). Each of the girls' solo popularity has waned over the past four years: |
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As their layoff extends, speculation grows that the group will not perform or record again. In January 2003, a meeting between all five members spawned rumours of a reunion, but no announcements have been made. To date, such rumours still circulate, as well as, more recently, speculation about a possible Spice Girls greatest hits album and/or reunion tour. Towards the end of 2003, the Spice Girls were featured on an episode of VH1's [[Behind the Music]], and implied that such rumours might end up coming true sometime in the future. |
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In May 2005, Mel B stated in an interview in Britain that the Spice Girls are going to reunite in 2006 to mark the tenth anniversary of their first single, "Wannabe". Though this was not completely certain, other sources indicated that the four were indeed planning a reunion. In an article on the [[Top of the Pops]] website, it was stated that Mel B had been in contact with all of the girls, including Geri, and that all were eager to reunite at some point in the future. A greatest-hits album will definitely be released in 2006. [http://www.sky.com/showbiz/article/0,,50002-1181764,00.html] |
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Rumours of a full reunion intensified as it became known that they wanted to perform together at the [[Live 8]] concert. This was confirmed when organisers excluded them from the schedule. According to the ''[[Daily Mirror]]'', organisers were quoted saying, "their style of music did not fit in with the serious political message about world poverty the transatlantic event hopes to portray". [[Live Aid]] founder [[Bob Geldof]], when making the official announcement for the concerts on [[May 31]] [[2005]], said that they were reconsidering allowing the Spice Girls to perform. |
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The group did not perform at Live 8 due to Melanie B changing her mind a few days before the show. Though widely rumoured in media and music circles, it is untrue that they are recording any new material according to Melanie C, both on her website and on [[Anne Robinson]]'s talk show. |
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In an interview with the ''Daily Mirror'', Mel C claimed she will never get back together with the Spice Girls and that the planned greatest-hits will be a "rip-off", as the only new songs would be those which were deemed not good enough to make it on to any of their previous albums. |
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==Spice Girls== |
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*[[Geri Halliwell]] aka "Ginger Spice" (left 1998) |
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*[[Emma Bunton]] aka "Baby Spice" |
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*[[Victoria Beckham]] (née Adams) aka "Posh Spice" |
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*[[Melanie Chisholm]] aka "Mel C" or "Sporty Spice" |
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*[[Melanie Brown]] aka "Mel B" or "Scary Spice" (and "Mel G" for a short time while married to [[Jimmy Gulzar]]) |
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Halliwell was initially referred to as "Sexy Spice" in the United States, but it reverted to "Ginger Spice" by the release of ''Spiceworld''. |
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==Discography== |
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For a detailed look at the group's discography (include's group and solo sales/chart positions of albums/singles), see [[Spice Girls discography]]. |
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==Career records and achievements== |
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* Biggest-selling girl group of all time, selling in excess of forty-five million albums with only three LPs released. They have also sold in excess of thirty million singles, the most ever for a female group. |
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* First (and only female) act to have their first six singles ("Wannabe", "Say You'll Be There", "2 Become 1", "Who Do You Think You Are"/"Mama", "Spice Up Your Life", and "Too Much") make number one on the U.K. charts. (Their run was broken by "Stop", which peaked at number two in March 1998.) |
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* Female group with the most number one singles in the UK (nine); with only ten singles released. (The aforementioned six number-ones plus "Viva Forever", "Goodbye", and "Holler"/"Let Love Lead the Way".) |
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* Tied with The Beatles for the most consecutive Christmas number-ones. ("2 Become 1", 1996; "Too Much", 1997; "Goodbye", 1998.) This achievement is documented in the Guinness Book of World Records. [http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gwr5/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=50853] |
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* Tied with [[ABBA]] in sixth place for most number-one singles in the U.K., behind [[Elvis Presley]] (twenty-one), The Beatles (seventeen), [[Cliff Richard]] (fourteen), [[Westlife]] (thirteen), and [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] (ten). |
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* Female group with the most consecutive number-one singles in the U.K. (six). |
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* ''Spice'' is the tenth biggest-selling album of all time in the U.K. with over three million copies sold. It topped the charts for fifteen weeks (non-consecutive), the most by a female group in the U.K. [http://www.everyhit.com/recordalb.html] |
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* "Wannabe" is the biggest-selling single by a female group, with over six million copies sold worldwide. It is also one of the fastest-rising songs by a female group to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and one of the fastest-rising singles by an international act. |
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* Highest international debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five with "Say You'll Be There". (This record still holds to date.) [http://www.billboard.com/bb/search/article_display.jsp?schema=&vnu_content_id=1000911907] |
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* ''Spiceworld'' sold seven million copies in just two weeks, the highest sales ever for an LP in fourteen days. |
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* Credited for starting the [[revolution]] in music that got single digit year-olds to beg their parents to purchase mainstream music for them. (This trend is being continued by [[Hilary Duff]], [[Lindsay Lohan]], and [[Ashlee Simpson]] among others.) |
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* Though the group has never won any [[Grammy Award|Grammy Awards]], they have won over thirty awards from around the world, including [[Brit Awards]] and multiple [[MTV Video Music Award|MTV Video Music Awards]]. |
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* [[Spice Girls merchandise|Spice Girls Dolls]] and other merchandise became big sellers worldwide. |
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==References== |
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*[http://www.billboard.com/bb/search/article_display.jsp?schema=&vnu_content_id=1000911907 Billboard British Top-Ten Debuts] — retrieved [[June 19]] [[2005]]. |
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*[http://www.spicediscography.co.uk/ Spice Girls Discography] — retrieved [[July 10]] [[2005]]. |
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*[http://rateyourmusic.com/lists/list_view?list_id=7481&show=50&start=0 Rate Your Music.com] — retrieved [[July 17]] [[2005]]. |
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*[http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gwr5/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=50853 Guinness World Records Concert Pages] — retrieved [[July 21]] [[2005]]. |
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*[http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/behind_the_music/68968/episode_about.jhtml VH1: Behind the Music] — retrieved [[September 24]] [[2005]]. |
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*[http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47D1ED847A47E20E0B11A40DEB561F61A8F1AACD83E284541D1B43844C30E79EC40A6D8B1E8B800E203E3FE2FBB590FCCC8EE56F890673C378CEDAC623B2E2B7B&uid=MIDMR0411302313&sql=10:8zmtk6rxwkrw~T1 All Music Guide.com] — retrieved [[October 2]] [[2005]]. |
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*[http://www.eonline.com/On/Holly/Shows/Spice/ Behind the Scenes look before "Spice"] — retreived [[October 14]] [[2005]]. |
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*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/31/newsid_2494000/2494855.stm Ginger leaves the Spice Girls] — retrieved [[October 14]] [[2005]]. |
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*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/news/news/2005/10/16/25607.shtml Geri's Preggers] — retrieved [[October 16]] [[2005]]. |
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==See also== |
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*[[Musical ensemble]] |
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*[[Girl group]] |
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*[[Spice World (game)|Spice World: Game]] |
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*[[Spice Girls merchandise|Spice Girls Dolls]] |
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==External links== |
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*[http://www.spicediscography.co.uk/ Spice Girls Discography] |
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*[http://www.denden-forums.com/ Denden Forums—the biggest online fan community] |
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*[http://www.biggerthanjesus.co.uk/beatlemaniagirlpower.html Article comparing the Spice Girls to The Beatles] |
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[[Category:1990s music groups]] |
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[[Category:British musical groups]] |
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[[Category:Girl groups]] |
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[[Category:Rhythmic Top 40 acts|Spice Girls]] |
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[[Category:Worst Actress Razzie]] |
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[[Category:Sex symbols]] |
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[[Category:British women]] |
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Revision as of 16:24, 18 December 2005
Spice Girls | |
|---|---|
| The Spice Girls. The Spice Girls. | |
| Background information | |
| Years active | 1996–1998/2000 |
The Spice Girls (1996–1998/2000) were an English vocal girl group. They enjoyed substantial commercial success from 1996 to 2000, and it is claimed that they are the biggest-selling girl group of all time, with reported sales of over forty-five million albums and thirty million singles. They are also famous for popularising the term Girl Power. The group originally consisted of Victoria Adams, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown, and Geri Halliwell. However, in 1998, Halliwell left to pursue a solo career. The remaining four members never formally broke up, but have not performed together or released any new recordings since 2000. They have each released solo material, and some have stated that they have no interest in participating in the group in the future.
Beginning
The group was formed in 1994 when Bob Herbert and his son, Chris, advertised through The Stage newspaper. Five girls were picked out of the numerous responses to the advertisement: Geri Halliwell, Victoria Adams, Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown, and Michelle Stephenson. They formed a group called "Touch". However, Stephenson was not completely devoted to the group, and eventually left to pursue her education, being replaced by Emma Bunton.
The five girls were placed in a house together so that they could become friends before (it was hoped) going on to become a successful girl group. However, things became tough when arguments broke out. The tension was only increased by promises of a record contract that never seemed to materialise. Despite constant rehearsals and even a visit from a few record executives, the girls were still not given a contract, and in early January 1995, they walked out with no money, still hoping to find a record contract.
They were soon signed by pop svengali Simon Fuller to his 19 Management company and were subsequently signed to Virgin Records.
In 1996 they changed their name to "Spice Girls", and quickly gained popularity. A factor in the group's success was the ability of individual members to appeal to different types of teenage fans. The five members were dubbed "Ginger" (Halliwell), "Baby" (Bunton), "Scary" (Brown), "Posh" (Adams), and "Sporty" (Chisholm) Spice by a British pop music magazine. Though not invented by the band, the nicknames caught on with the public, so they exploited both the name and the suggested persona for each group member. Their diverse appearance and cultural backgrounds ensured broad demographic appeal.
A cleverly constructed image combined sex appeal with post-feminist self-confidence (Labelled Girl Power) guaranteed them a large female fanbase.
Spice
On July 8 1996, the Spice Girls released their first single, "Wannabe" (which contains the memorable hook "I wanna really, really, really wanna Zig-A-Zig Ah"), in the United Kingdom. Quickly gaining regular airplay and video play, it entered the U.K. singles chart at number three, and reached number one the following week. It topped the charts for seven weeks, becoming the second-best selling single of the year. By the following year, the song had reached number one in thirty-seven countries including Canada, where it spent five weeks at the top, the United States, where it spent four weeks at the top, and Australia, where it spent eleven weeks at the top. "Wannabe" went on to become the twelfth best-selling single of the 1990s. [1] The Spice Girls became one of the few British acts to break into America during the earliest stages of their career.
Along with songwriters Richard Stannard and Matt Rowe, the girls were able to score many other hits, such as the slightly more mellow follow-up single to their massive debut, "Say You'll Be There". It entered the U.K. charts at number one, and was another global success, reaching number three in the United States. It also became the thirtieth best-selling single of the 1990s. [2] However, by the time both "Wannabe" and "Say You'll Be There" were released in the U.S., the girls had already released their fourth single in the U.K. The third single, a ballad about love, "2 Become 1", became the first of three consecutive Christmas number-one singles for the girls in the U.K., which followed their debut album, Spice. It topped the charts for fifteen weeks during late 1996 and early 1997, selling more than three million copies, and becoming the tenth biggest-selling U.K. album of all time. When released in the U.S. the following year, it sold in excess of seven million copies, and "2 Become 1" peaked at number four. The ballad also reached number one in Canada, and would go on to become the twenty-fourth best-selling single of the decade. [3]
In early 1997, "Who Do You Think You Are"/"Mama" became the official Comic Relief song of the year, and sold 672,577 copies, from which many charities benefitted. It was number one on the UK charts for three weeks, making the Spice Girls the first act to have their first four singles make number one on the UK charts, breaking the record established by Gerry & the Pacemakers thirty-four years earlier, and later matched by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The single had no North American release because, according to the Spice Girls, the American singles market is slower moving than most other nations' singles markets, and songs remain popular in America longer than they do in other countries. Nevertheless, the Spice Girls were so huge in 1997 and 1998 that American MTV, MTV2 and Canadian MuchMusic and MuchMoreMusic played the "Who Do You Think You Are" video occasionally. It may have only been a U.K. release, but the song became the seventy-fifth best-selling single of the 1990s. [4] While "2 Become 1" was popular in America during the summer and early autumn of 1997, it (as well as "Who Do You Think You Are" and "Mama") had long run its course in Europe.
Spice World
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In October 1997, "Spice Up Your Life" was released internationally, and was hailed as the return of the Spice Girls, since it marked the first single from their forthcoming second album. With this single, the Spice Girls corrected the lag that had existed between European and American singles from their previous album. Americans did not understand why the music industry was touting the song as the group's "return", since it hit the airwaves while "2 Become 1" was still quite popular there. However, internationally, the single marked the Spice Girls' first since March. Its original release date was put forward by a week to have a better chance of displacing Elton John's million-selling single, "Candle in the Wind 1997", from number one, and succeeded in doing upon release.
"Spice Up Your Life" was an international hit, topping the Canadian and Spanish charts, reaching number eight in Australia, and giving the girls their fifth number one in the U.K., making them the first act to have their first five singles reach number one in their home country. However, it peaked quite quickly on the Billboard Hot 100 at number eighteen, and did not succeed in the United States on the massive level that its three predecessors had. Despite not being as successful as predicted, it did show some evolution in the girls music, with more of a latin/samba feel than any of their previous songs. It went on to become the forty-sixth best-selling single of the 1990s. [5]
The second single taken from the album was a ballad similar to "2 Become 1", but with a bit of an edge. "Too Much" became the girls' second Christmas number-one single in the U.K. and also made them the first act to have their first six singles make number one there. It was fairly successful in the U.S., peaking at number eight and receiving an extensive amount of airplay, however once again, it did not (like its predecessor) receive the massive airplay that Spice's singles had acquired. Unlike its four predecessors, "Too Much" was unable to reach number one in Canada, peaking at an unexpectedly low number nine, and halting the girls' consecutive number-ones run. This was a confusing shock to many, but still allowed them to be the first international girl group to have their first four singles make number one in Canada. It also peaked at number seven in Australia. The song eventually became the seventy-sixth best-selling single of the 1990s decade. [6]
The Spice Girls' second album, Spiceworld, was released on November 4 1997. Despite selling seven million copies in only two weeks (the highest ever for a sophomore release in two weeks), it only reached number three on the Billboard 200 and was not as successful as Spice, topping the United Kingdom charts for only three weeks, when Spice had managed fifteen. Although they were still global superstars, Spiceworld was not the massively successful follow-up people had expected, with sales plummeting and chart positions slowly dropping. However, the album did produce one massive success, which no one expected: their very own movie, which was released in mid-January 1998. The film was in the same vein as some of The Beatles' films, a factor deliberately played on by director Bob Spiers (the director of The Goodies, Fawlty Towers, and Absolutely Fabulous among other notable British comedy successes) and was a commercial success. However, the critics detested the film, and this led to the girls winning a Golden Raspberry Award each for their efforts. They actually hold a world record documented in the Guinness Book of Records for receiving the most Razzies (five) at one time.
The girls still celebrated Girl Power, and on November 7 1997 they fired their manager Simon Fuller, showing that ultimately, there was no stopping them. Problems would soon arise out of this, because Simon was able to contain the arguments between the girls and with him gone, one of them would have to take control, which would obviously create controversy. In early 1998, "Stop", the third single taken from Spiceworld was released and was their least successful song in terms of chart performance. It peaked at number sixteen in the U.S. and quickly dropped out of the top forty of the airplay charts with very minimal radio airplay. It also became their first single to fail to top the U.K. charts, ending their run at six, despite being their only single that incorporated a dance routine. It entered the U.K. charts at number two, behind the million-selling single, "It's Like That" by Run DMC versus Jason Nevins, which was to spent six consecutive weeks at the top.
"Stop" was the second Spice Girls song not to reach number one in Canada, peaking six positions higher than "Too Much" at number three, and debuted and peaked at number five in Australia. It was also their first song that did not make it into the top one-hundred best-selling songs of the 1990s decade.
5 Become 4
Geri Halliwell announced her desire to quit the group shortly after the release of "Stop". She claimed she was tired, fed up, and wanted to pursue a solo career. This did not come as a huge surprise, as she had always wanted to do her own thing and the Spice Girls were simply a stepping stone to a successful solo career. She did agree with the girls that she would only leave after the completion of the American Tour which began in June 1998, because "you couldn't get any better than that". However, events quickly spun out of control when nude photographs of Geri were published by Playboy magazine. According to television reports, this was a shock to Geri, making her extremely frustrated, and only added to her desires of leaving the group. She then began missing concerts in Oslo, due to what she claimed was gastroenteritis. The final strike came when the girls were due to appear on the U.K. state lottery, the National Lottery, and only four of them showed up. This stirred more "Geri Quits" headlines in the papers than ever before. On the eve of the American Tour, May 30 1998, it was confirmed that Geri Halliwell announced her departure from the group. Here is a portion of the statement read by her lawyer:
"Sadly I would like to confirm that I have left the Spice Girls. This is because of differences between us. I'm sure the group will continue to be successful and I wish them all the best. P.S. I'll be back."
The four remaining girls decided to continue their career as the Spice Girls and said this in response to Geri's statement; "we are upset and saddened by Geri's departure but we are very supportive in whatever she wants to do. The Spice Girls are here to stay—see you at the stadiums!" They then went on to complete the American Tour without Geri.
After Geri's departure, a fourth single from Spiceworld, "Viva Forever", was released in Europe and Australia (not in North America due to fan reduction and an uncertainty in the video's theme). It was pretty successful in the U.K., returning the girls to the zenith position of the charts for two weeks, and peaked at number two in Australia. Over two million copies were sold across Europe as well. The animated music video received some limited airplay on American VH1, as part of a special on Geri's departure from the group. Her vocals did feature on the song as she had recorded the entire album with them the previous year, however, as she could not feature in the video, an animated version using tin puppets of all five girls were placed in it. This was the last of the group's singles on which Halliwell was featured.
Forever
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The remaining members continued as a foursome, releasing "Goodbye", in December 1998. The song's lyrics pay tribute to Halliwell and talked about how the rest of them would persevere. The video went on to become a TRL and MuchMusic regular, but barely received any other video play. In the U.K., the song held the number one position during the Christmas week of 1998, giving them three consecutive Christmas number-one singles there, and eight in total. It made the top twenty in the U.S. (number eleven), and was their last single to do so over there. In Canada, where it stayed at number one for six weeks, the single now ranks as the third biggest-selling song of the 1990s, but despite this, it seemed the career of the Spice Girls as a group had come to an end, as during the following year there were no single releases, no talk of a third album, and both of the Melanies started solo careers. "Goodbye" became the forty-second best-selling single of the 1990s. [7]
However, the girls made one last attempt at resurrecting their career with the single "Holler" in 2000, a much more urban and soulful offering than any of their previous songs. "Holler" was released with the ballad, "Let Love Lead the Way", making it a double A-side, from their third album, Forever. It topped the U.K. charts for a week in 2000, giving them nine number-ones in total. [8]
Their album met a lukewarm response in the U.K., debuting at number two, behind the second album by Westlife, and dropped out of the top ten the following week. It did sell better than what was expected in the U.K., however, but was a failure on a worldwide basis. It peaked at number thirty-nine in the United States, achieving only a fraction of its predecessors sales. Many blame the poor performance of the album in the U.S. on there being no lead single released to promote it. However, a promotional CD was released to U.S. radio stations for "Holler", but it only managed to reach number seven on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart (translating as number one-hundred and seven, if it was officially released). Geri Halliwell's departure seemed to have ended the prospects of a huge comeback with the third album.
Subsequently, although there was talk about releasing a second single from Forever ("Tell Me Why"), the four of them questioned their time as a group. With ever-increasing solo projects in front of them, the girls decided that it would be best if they finally went their separate ways. Although there was no official break-up, they're generally thought of as having done so, though for some reason they were reluctant to announce this.
Solo Careers
The following section is about solo releases from the Spice Girls.
Emma Bunton
Her first solo album entitled A Girl Like Me (2001) spawned the number one hit "What Took You So Long", top five hits "What I Am" and "Take My Breath Away" and top twenty hit "We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight". The album sold around 125,000 in the U.K. but this was not sufficient for her record company, who dropped her. She also recorded a track "(Hey You) Free Up Your Mind" for Pokémon: The First Movie (1999).
However she soon recovered from being dropped, and signed a contract with 19 Management which included TV work and releasing music. In spring 2003 she returned as Emma (losing the Bunton), with the top five hit "Free Me" and later that year released "Maybe" which also went top ten and outsold the previous single. In spring 2004 the single "I'll Be There" and the album Free Me were released. The album contained sixties style pop gems and went on to outsell her first album, something other solo Spice Girls have yet to achieve.
In the run-up to the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, rumours circulated that Emma was being lined up as a rare big-name representative for the UK, in an attempt to wipe away the national humiliation of the 'nul points' achieved by the previous year's inexperienced entrants Jemini. This didn't materialise, but the fact that she ended up performing the interval act in the UK's Eurovision pre-selection show Making Your Mind Up suggested there may have been a glimmer of truth in the rumours at some stage. The performance gave her another outlet to indulge her passion for sixties pop - she started with a nostalgic burst of the UK's winning song from the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest, "Puppet On a String", which then melted into her own hit "Maybe".
In 2003, Emma made several guest apperances on the UK comedy Absolutely Fabulous. She played herself opposite the main character Edina Monsoon (played by Jennifer Saunders), who was her agent.
The album Free Me was released in the United States on January 25 2005, failing to make the top 200 albums and selling only 2,817 copies. The first single in the U.S. is a dance remix of the title track, which reached the top five of both the Dance Airplay chart and the Club Play chart. "Maybe" also followed "Free Me"'s success in the U.S. Dance charts.
Geri Halliwell
After exiting the Spice Girls in May 1998, Geri Halliwell took a year out of the spotlight to write and record her debut solo album, Schizophonic. As she said that she would "be back" one day, this did not come as a surprise to critics or fans of the Spice Girls, and they anticipated the release of the first single, "Look at Me".
Released on May 10 1999, the single debuted at number two on the U.K. charts, behind Boyzone. Although Halliwell's single had actually sold more copies than Boyzone's release, the pop group issued two commercial CDs—fans of the group purchased both copies to guarantee Boyzone reaching the top spot, while Halliwell had to settle for second place.
Schizophonic debuted at number four on the U.K. albums chart, its peak position. Although it would never rise into the top-three, after the release of the second single, "Mi Chico Latino" (Spanish for "My Latin Boy", which became her first U.K. number one), Schizophonic would rise back into the top-ten again. The album retained some of the bubble gum pop elements from the Spice Girls albums, but illustrated a new Geri Halliwell, with jazz and rock-influenced tracks. The next two singles, "Lift Me Up" and "Bag It Up", both made it to number one on the singles chart, giving Halliwell three number-ones. "Lift Me Up" should be noted for since it was released the same week as Emma Bunton's first solo single, "What I Am". Halliwell eclipsed her sales by 33,000 copies, taking the top spot. [9] Fourth single "Bag It Up" was another number one single in March 2000, after a memorable Brit Awards performance. It was the final release from Schizophonic.
On April 10 2001, one year after the completion of her debut album, Geri Halliwell released "It's Raining Men", the lead single from her second album, Scream If You Wanna Go Faster. The song was a cover version of the Weather Girls hit, "It's Raining Men", and featured on the soundtrack to the popular Bridget Jones Diary movie. The song went straight to number one for two weeks in the U.K., selling 421,000 copies in total. [10] The great success of the single helped Scream If You Wanna Go Faster debut at number five on the albums chart. However, its success would quickly decline. The second single taken from the album, the title track, entered the charts at number eight, becoming Halliwell's sixth solo top ten single, but did not sell anywhere close to her previous five releases. This was also demonstrated through the third single, "Calling" (Halliwell's favourite track on Scream If You Wanna Go Faster), which only peaked at number seven. Because of the underwhelming performance of "Calling", Halliwell moved to Los Angeles for a few years, taking a break from the spotlight. [11]
In November 2004, Halliwell returned to music with the lead single from her third album, Passion, "Ride It". The disco number debuted at number four on the U.K. charts, but did not achieve massive success like the singles from Schizophonic or "It's Raining Men". It did, however, perform better than "Scream If You Wanna Go Faster" and "Calling" and it was also a massive number 3 single in Spain. On May 30 2005, "Desire" was released. The single saw little success in the U.K., debuting at number twenty-two, and slipping out of the top forty the following week. Passion also had limited success, debuting at number forty-one, and immediately fell out of the albums chart.
It was announced that "Love Never Loved Me" was to be the third single from Passion, but it is reported that Halliwell is once again pursuing non-musical projects. Because of this—and the bleak future of her current record deal—it is unknown if its release will ever materialise.
It was announced in October 2005 that Halliwell is expecting her first child.
Melanie Brown
Geri Halliwell was the first Spice Girl to achieve mainstream success, but Melanie Brown was the first to release a single independent from the girl group. After leaving the group, Brown lanuched a solo career under the title "Mel B". "I Want You Back" (featuring Missy Elliott) was the first solo-Spice Girl number one single, reigning at the top of the U.K. charts for a single week in September 1998, this also means that Melanie Brown is the only Spice Girl to have debuted at number one with her first solo single. Its success separated Brown from Girl Power, establishing her as a solo artist. However, her subsequent releases, "Word Up" (which reached number fourteen on the charts), "Tell Me" (which reached number four on the charts), "Feels So Good" (which reached number five on the charts), and "Lullaby" (which reached number thirteen on the charts) did little to inspire interest in her debut solo album, Hot, and it peaked at number twenty-eight on the album charts in 2000. Despite some of the singles reaching the top five, none of her releases were very successful, all quickly plummeting off the charts.
Brown pursued non-musical projects from 2001 to 2005, writing a book entitled Catch a Fire, playing fictional character Mimi in Rent on Broadway, and making time for her daughter, Phoenix. Brown also stated that she would never return to music. However, she released an independent album, L.A. State of Mind, in June 2005, peaking at number four hundred fifty-three, the lowest position for a solo Spice Girls release. It produced one single, "Today", which never achieved the U.K. Top 40.
Victoria Beckham
Being the last Spice Girl to release a solo project, Victoria Beckham had a lot to prove. After marrying footballer David Beckham, Victoria teamed up with Truesteppers and Dane Bowers to release her first single, "Out of Your Mind". The song is known for being the solo-Spice Girl release with the biggest first week sales (just under to 200,000 copies). [12] However, despite its large sales, "Out of Your Mind" did not enter the U.K. charts at number one, but at number two, preventing Beckham from achieving the top position. Nonetheless, the song was a huge hit, proving to the public that Beckham had talent as a solo artist.
Her debut album, Victoria Beckham, was released following the first single, a pop song with a tacky music video entitled "Not Such an Innocent Girl", which reached number six. Some argue that the single could have reached a higher positon, had it not been up against Kylie Minogue and her worldwide number-one Euro pop song, "Can't Get You Out Of My Head". The second and final single from Victoria Beckham, "A Mind of Its Own", also entered the charts at number six, but fell out of the top one-hundred seven weeks later. The small success of the two singles stirred little interest in Beckham's album, which debuted at a fair number ten on the charts, but failed to sustain its debut positon. Beckham is the only Spice Girl to not obtain a solo number-one. However to credit Victoria Beckham, she is also the only Spice Girl to have all of her records go in the top 10.
Beckham was subsequently dropped by Virgin, and she spent the next year and a half to herself. Then, on December 29 2003, released an independent double A-side, "This Groove/Let Your Head Go". The British press were waiting to see the single fail, but it entered the charts at number three, and sold 65,000 copies, which came as a surprise to her doubters. [13]
No new material has been released from Beckham since "This Groove/Let Your Head Go".
Melanie Chisholm
Hot on the heels of Melanie Brown's solo debut, in December 1998, Melanie duetted with Canadian superstar Bryan Adams on "When You're Gone". It reached number three in the U.K., but had a more lasting success on the singles chart, and has subsequently become a perennial airplay favourite on U.K. radio. It also became Adams' biggest U.K. hit since "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)". Despite its success, Chisholm's success had yet to really begin, although it did introduce her as a solo artist to the Canadian market.
In October 1999, Chisholm, after taking a break from the music industry, returned with a new look, new sound and a new single. "Goin' Down" saw Chisholm take on a more rock sound than her Spice Girls tracks, with a short spiky hairstyle to suit. It received a mixed reception, and despite debuting at number four, it quickly dropped out of the U.K. charts. The Northern Star album was released soon after, and debuted at number ten, a somewhat unfortunate start for the first solo album of a current Spice Girl. This success was bolstered over the Christmas period, with another number four single, the album's title track, showing a softer side to Chisholm.
It wasn't until April 2000 that the album really unlocked its potential. This was triggered by the release of her duet with TLC member, the late Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes. "Never Be the Same Again" was a number one hit, and sent the album climbing to number four. This was the high-point of Chisholm's solo career, with the follow-up, "I Turn to You", also reaching the top spot that August. The dance song was backed up by a previously unreleased single, which was to do well on the U.S. Dance charts, as well as send the album back up to number four when it was included on the Northern Star re-release.
Final single "If That Were Me" was released in December 2000, but only reached number eighteen, at that time the lowest position for a solo Spice Girl single. However, this was not a big surprise, as the album was already on its way to its 900,000 copies sold in the U.K. The album was generally well-received, and in hindsight it was generally accepted to be a good variety of great pop songs by many critics, and it is still the biggest selling solo Spice Girl album, selling twice as much as her closest competitor, Halliwell's Schizophonic.
It was to be 2003 before the second album was to arrive. Lead single "Here It Comes Again" debuted at number seven in March 2003, suggesting that it might be difficult for Chisholm to duplicate the success of her previous singles. The second album, Reason, was released shortly afterwards, debuting at number five, however it was not to have lasting success, and the following week, it dropped out of the top ten. This would be the last time that Melanie would spend a week in the top ten of the album charts. In June, second single, "On the Horizon", was released, and despite being commercial enough for U.K. radio, it stalled at number fourteen.
Chisholm then cashed in on her "Sporty Spice" reputation by appearing on Channel 4's celebrity Olympic games, taking part in several sporting events over the course of two weeks. However, she sustained a serious leg injury and had to pull out of the programme. This affected her planned release of "Yeh Yeh Yeh" from Reason, being an upbeat number, and after being delayed several times, it was twinned with slow track "Melt" to allow easier promotion. However, the confusion made the single debut at number twenty-seven, becoming the lowest charting solo Spice Girl song on the charts. Subsequently, Chisholm and Virgin Records parted ways.
Her relationship with the U.K. tabloids was rocky at best, with the media constantly speculating on her weight, and Chisholm often making headlines with derogatory comments about other celebrities, and casting aspersions on hopes of a Spice Girls reunion. This reputation did little to help her chances of solo success in the U.K., and this was made apparent with the release of her third album, Beautiful Intentions, in April 2005. After losing her record deal, she set up "Red Girl" records to release her new material. The album, heralded by "Next Best Superstar" (debuted at number ten the same month), peaked at number twenty-four, and became the least successful solo Spice Girl album until the releases of Passion and L.A. State of Mind. Further U.K. single releases look unlikely, though "Better Alone" received a download-only release after lukewarm radio reactions. It received a physical release in Australia, and was met with similat reception by the public. In September 2005, Beautiful Intentions was re-released with a new song (the third single) called "First Day of My Life." The track was part of a highly-promoted soundtrack to a German soap opera. "First Day of My Life" became her third solo #1, managing to hold the number one spot in Germany and Switzerland, for 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. Chisholm is currently on promotional tours in Europe, and is going to release "First Day Of My Life" in Italy by November's end. While a fourth single from the album is still pending, rumours of a supposed US release in the new year will prove to be quite interesting.
Spice's Future
Members of the group have stated that they do not see any future for the Spice Girls, but the group has never formally split up. Each member has released solo albums (with varying degrees of commercial success, but not nearly in the same class as their group efforts). Each of the girls' solo popularity has waned over the past four years:
As their layoff extends, speculation grows that the group will not perform or record again. In January 2003, a meeting between all five members spawned rumours of a reunion, but no announcements have been made. To date, such rumours still circulate, as well as, more recently, speculation about a possible Spice Girls greatest hits album and/or reunion tour. Towards the end of 2003, the Spice Girls were featured on an episode of VH1's Behind the Music, and implied that such rumours might end up coming true sometime in the future.
In May 2005, Mel B stated in an interview in Britain that the Spice Girls are going to reunite in 2006 to mark the tenth anniversary of their first single, "Wannabe". Though this was not completely certain, other sources indicated that the four were indeed planning a reunion. In an article on the Top of the Pops website, it was stated that Mel B had been in contact with all of the girls, including Geri, and that all were eager to reunite at some point in the future. A greatest-hits album will definitely be released in 2006. [14]
Rumours of a full reunion intensified as it became known that they wanted to perform together at the Live 8 concert. This was confirmed when organisers excluded them from the schedule. According to the Daily Mirror, organisers were quoted saying, "their style of music did not fit in with the serious political message about world poverty the transatlantic event hopes to portray". Live Aid founder Bob Geldof, when making the official announcement for the concerts on May 31 2005, said that they were reconsidering allowing the Spice Girls to perform.
The group did not perform at Live 8 due to Melanie B changing her mind a few days before the show. Though widely rumoured in media and music circles, it is untrue that they are recording any new material according to Melanie C, both on her website and on Anne Robinson's talk show.
In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Mel C claimed she will never get back together with the Spice Girls and that the planned greatest-hits will be a "rip-off", as the only new songs would be those which were deemed not good enough to make it on to any of their previous albums.
Spice Girls
- Geri Halliwell aka "Ginger Spice" (left 1998)
- Emma Bunton aka "Baby Spice"
- Victoria Beckham (née Adams) aka "Posh Spice"
- Melanie Chisholm aka "Mel C" or "Sporty Spice"
- Melanie Brown aka "Mel B" or "Scary Spice" (and "Mel G" for a short time while married to Jimmy Gulzar)
Halliwell was initially referred to as "Sexy Spice" in the United States, but it reverted to "Ginger Spice" by the release of Spiceworld.
Discography
For a detailed look at the group's discography (include's group and solo sales/chart positions of albums/singles), see Spice Girls discography.
Career records and achievements
- Biggest-selling girl group of all time, selling in excess of forty-five million albums with only three LPs released. They have also sold in excess of thirty million singles, the most ever for a female group.
- First (and only female) act to have their first six singles ("Wannabe", "Say You'll Be There", "2 Become 1", "Who Do You Think You Are"/"Mama", "Spice Up Your Life", and "Too Much") make number one on the U.K. charts. (Their run was broken by "Stop", which peaked at number two in March 1998.)
- Female group with the most number one singles in the UK (nine); with only ten singles released. (The aforementioned six number-ones plus "Viva Forever", "Goodbye", and "Holler"/"Let Love Lead the Way".)
- Tied with The Beatles for the most consecutive Christmas number-ones. ("2 Become 1", 1996; "Too Much", 1997; "Goodbye", 1998.) This achievement is documented in the Guinness Book of World Records. [15]
- Tied with ABBA in sixth place for most number-one singles in the U.K., behind Elvis Presley (twenty-one), The Beatles (seventeen), Cliff Richard (fourteen), Westlife (thirteen), and Madonna (ten).
- Female group with the most consecutive number-one singles in the U.K. (six).
- Spice is the tenth biggest-selling album of all time in the U.K. with over three million copies sold. It topped the charts for fifteen weeks (non-consecutive), the most by a female group in the U.K. [16]
- "Wannabe" is the biggest-selling single by a female group, with over six million copies sold worldwide. It is also one of the fastest-rising songs by a female group to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and one of the fastest-rising singles by an international act.
- Highest international debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five with "Say You'll Be There". (This record still holds to date.) [17]
- Spiceworld sold seven million copies in just two weeks, the highest sales ever for an LP in fourteen days.
- Credited for starting the revolution in music that got single digit year-olds to beg their parents to purchase mainstream music for them. (This trend is being continued by Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, and Ashlee Simpson among others.)
- Though the group has never won any Grammy Awards, they have won over thirty awards from around the world, including Brit Awards and multiple MTV Video Music Awards.
- Spice Girls Dolls and other merchandise became big sellers worldwide.
References
- Billboard British Top-Ten Debuts — retrieved June 19 2005.
- Spice Girls Discography — retrieved July 10 2005.
- Rate Your Music.com — retrieved July 17 2005.
- Guinness World Records Concert Pages — retrieved July 21 2005.
- VH1: Behind the Music — retrieved September 24 2005.
- All Music Guide.com — retrieved October 2 2005.
- Behind the Scenes look before "Spice" — retreived October 14 2005.
- Ginger leaves the Spice Girls — retrieved October 14 2005.
- Geri's Preggers — retrieved October 16 2005.