The Spice Girls phenomenon hit the pop music scene like a hurricane in 1996, as they exhorted us all to 'zig-a-zig-ah' and proclaimed their mission to spread Girl Power worldwide. Since then each member has remained prominent in the British celebrity press, while a recent reunion cashed in on the nostalgic reflexes of their now grown-up fans.
Victoria Beckham (Posh), Melanie Brown (Scary), Emma Bunton (Baby), Melanie Chisholm (Sporty) and Geri Halliwell (Ginger) were put together by Heart Management in 1994 as a counter to the predominance of boy-bands in the pop market at that time. The girls split from Heart not long after they were formed and asked Eliot Kennedy to produce them and 19 Management to manage them. A deal was finally brokered with Virgin Records and a tour of America followed.
When "Wannabe" was released in 1996 it went to No.1 in several countries and became one of the biggest-selling singles ever by an all-female group. The album Spice was released in November of that year to huge success, achieving 8x platinum status in the UK and 7x platinum in the US.
Their second album Spiceworld fared well but began to suffer backlash as a result of the band's over-exposure. Spiceworld: The Movie was also released in 1997, and was popular with fans while critics were less favourable.
The band fired their manager Simon Fuller in 1997 and undertook a sold-out tour of Europe and North America. Towards the end of the tour, Ginger Spice announced her departure. Claims of inter-band rivalry were made, but never confirmed.
Despite the sudden departure, the band nonetheless released their third album, Forever in 2000. Their sound had matured and the new style resulted in a muted response. By early 2001 the group announced that they would be taking a break and concentrating on solo careers. It was to be a long break.
After much wrangling and speculation a reunion was finally arranged for 2007. The release of Greatest Hits coincided with a short and hugely lucrative tour. Tickets for the first London date sold out in just 38 seconds.
In 2010 the Spice Girls announced plans for a musical, tentatively named after 1998 No.1 hit "Viva Forever."
