Our Top 10 Spice Girls Songs list takes a look at one of the most successful girl groups of all time. They have sold over 90 million records worldwide. They’re one of the biggest British pop acts since The Beatles. Their goal was to celebrate girl power. They targeted young female listeners instead of male listeners. People tended not to take this group seriously because they were a manufactured group. They proved they were able to be successful despite that. They are best known for their hit singles “Wannabe,” “Say You’ll Be There,” “2 Become 1” and “Spice Up Your Life” as well as others. Let’s get to know this girl group a little better.
The group was formed in 1994. The girls auditioned to be in the group. The group consisted of members Victoria Adams (Posh), Mel Brown (Scary), Mel Chisholm (Sporty), Geri Halliwell (Ginger) and Emma Bunton (Baby). They signed with Virgin Records and released their debut album Spice in 1996. The album was an instant hit for the girls. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 charts. It was number one in over 17 countries. It features the hit singles “Wannabe,” “Say You’ll Be There,” “2 Become 1,” “Mama” and “Who Do You Think You Are.” “Wannabe” was considered one of the best selling singles of all time. It was quite an achievement for a new group. The album sold over 23 million copies.
The Spice Girls went on tour to promote their first album. The tour was very successful. They also wrote a book while they were touring. Fresh off the success of their debut album, the Spice Girls filmed a movie. The movie was called Spice World. The movie was released in 1997. It was supposed to feature music from their second album, but they didn’t record it yet. The girls were recording music while they were shooting the movie. The film managed to be successful despite being panned by the critics. They ended up winning (or losing) a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actresses.
The Spice Girls released their next album Spiceworld in 1997. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 charts. The project sold 190,000 copies in its first week. The album features the hit singles “Spice Up Your Life,” “Too Much,” “Stop” and “Viva Forever.” It went on to sell over 14 million copies. This album led to the successful Spiceworld Tour. Unfortunately like most groups, the Spice Girls dealt with behind the scenes drama. Halliwell left the group in 1998. She initially left because of creative differences. It was later revealed that she was dealing with personal issues with Brown. Fans were shocked by her departure from the group.
The Spice Girls didn’t replace Halliwell. They remained a quartet. They released their next project without Halliwell. Forever was released in 2000. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album performed better in other countries. Their record label didn’t really promote this album. The album features the singles “Goodbye,” “Holler,” “Let Love Lead the Way,” “Tell Me Why,” “Weekend Love” and “If You Wanna Have Some Fun.” The album went on to sell over four million copies. The group went on hiatus after the release of Forever. They wanted to focus on their solo projects. They wanted their fans to know that they weren’t splitting up. They just needed time to focus on their own projects. They reunited several times throughout the years.
The Spice Girls were very successful during their run as a group. They represented different walks of life. They didn’t want just one lead singer. All of the girls had a chance to sing the songs. Most girl groups only feature one lead singer, but that wasn’t the case for the Spice Girls. They made history as being one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. They don’t have that many albums, but they managed to have a lot of hit songs. This Top 10 Spice Girls Songs list will feature their best songs.
# 10 – Holler
The first song on our Top 10 Spice Girls Songs list is “Holler” from the Forever album. The song has an r&b, dance, and pop sound. The mature song is about sexually pleasing a man. This is a different sound for the girls. They sang songs about girl power. This song is more submissive for them. This track is more r&b friendly than their previous work. The music has a funky groove to it. The beat is harder than their previous work and has an urban appeal to it. The pop sound isn’t totally gone. You can tell the song still has a pop appeal to it.
The music sounds like something Destiny’s Child would have done early in their career. The Spice Girls all get their turn expressing how they would please the men in their lives. They seem at ease singing this type of song especially since it’s a departure from their old sound. The music was a good fit for their voices. Their timing was pretty good. This song is underrated compared to their other tracks, but it’s a good song too.
# 9 – Stop
The next song on our Top 10 Spice Girls Songs list is “Stop” from the Spiceworld album. The track has a dance and pop sound to it. This anthemic song is about the Spice Girls being frustrated with guys moving too fast for them. They want them to slow down and take their time with them. This track is geared towards the female listeners. The music is bouncy and upbeat, which surprisingly contradicts the message of the song. The Spice Girls wanted the music to have a Motown sound to it. It sounds like music a girl group from that era would use.
Even though the music has an old school sound, it manages not to sound too dated. The music will make you get up on the dance floor. The guitar and bass drive the music. The drumbeat also stands out in a good way. Their voices are pretty good. They compliment each other. Their voices blend well in the chorus. Mel C, Halliwell and Bunton sing in higher keys in this song. Mel B. and Adams sing in their lower keys and the combinations work very well. Mel C belts a little before the bridge and towards the fade out.
# 8 – Let Love Lead the Way
The inspirational song is from the Forever album. It has a pop and r&b sound. This is an emotional song about the girls giving advice to another female. It’s similar to Destiny’s Child’s “Girl.” There were rumors that this song was written about Halliwell. She left the group when they recorded the song. This song is good to listen to if you are feeling down and depressed. They wanted to make people feel like they weren’t alone. This positive song fits in line with the girls’ style of uniting women. They slowed things down for this track. It’s better that they chose to go the ballad route because the sentiment might have been lost if the music were upbeat.
The soft music gives the listeners a chance to focus on their voices. They proved they were able to handle singing a ballad. Emma and Mel C really shine on this song. They pour their hearts out when they sing their verses. Bunton’s voice is smooth and soothing. Mel C gets a chance to showcase her power vocals. She belts and turns the last part of the song into a power ballad. The group’s harmonies are on point throughout the chorus. This underrated song is flawless and should have been a bigger hit for the group.
# 7 – Goodbye
This farewell song is from the Forever album. The track has a pop sound to it. This sentimental song is about the group saying goodbye to a friend. It is likely to be about Halliwell. It can also be to their fans since they were about to go on hiatus when they recorded this song. The song could also be about losing someone you love. It has multiple meanings that are relatable to listeners. This song is an elegant ballad with a feel good chorus. They made the wise decision again to have this song be a ballad. It makes the song sound powerful and heartfelt.
The song is emotionally sweeping and will have you reminiscing about saying goodbye to someone you love. Each member has her turn singing and they come together in the chorus. They aren’t exactly known for their harmonies, but they do a fantastic job with them. They blend together and sound like one person singing. The album didn’t perform as well as their previous work so this song might get overlooked. It’s definitely worth a listen.
# 6 – Say You’ll Be There
This song is from the Spice album. It has a pop, dance and r&b beat. This upbeat song is about the group being there for each other. This inspirational song could be about different types of relationships. You can get hooked on the song as soon as you hear the bouncy beat. It has a penetrating groove that will have you moving around. It’s impossible to sit still listening to the thumping beat. It has a dominating synthesizer and excellent use of the rhythm guitar and funk bass. The harmonica solo is similar in style to Stevie Wonder.
The melody of the song sounds like After 7’s “What U R 2 Me.” Singer and songwriter Jon B. wrote both songs so it explains the similarities in the tracks. Bunton and Brown are commanding in the first verse of the track. Halliwell sounds empowering during her portion of the song. Adams sings in a seductive and breathy tone. Chisholm does the ad-libs towards the fade out.
# 5 – Spice Up Your Life
The next song on our Top 10 Spice Girls Songs list is “Spice Up Your Life” from the Spiceworld album. The song has a dance, pop and Latin beat. This expressive song is about the world. They want everyone to come together. This beat is different for the group. It has a futuristic sound to it. They utilize Latin rhythms such as salsa and samba beats. It has an unstoppable piano hook and driving drumbeat. The music is so infectious there’s no way to sit still through it. It’s basically an upbeat song about having fun. It doesn’t have a specific meaning to it. You can just forget about the world and enjoy the song for a few minutes. They sing most of the song together. They usually have separate verses when they sing. They do have small parts alone, but they basically sing the song in unison.
The harmonies are haunting and incredible. This earworm will stick in your head long after it’s finished. This song was a great way to promote the second album. They were coming off the success of their debut album so this song was a great way to let the world know they weren’t going to get hit with the sophomore slump. The only issue with this song is that the lyrics may be hard to understand. They race through some of the lyrics so you may have to read the lyrics to understand what they are saying.
# 4 – 2 Become 1
This romantic song is from the Spiceworld album. It has a pop sound to it. This sensual song is about lovers coming together. This is a mature song for the group. They creatively found a way to include an important message about safe sex in the lyrics. They instruct their lovers to use protection. It was a great message to send to their fans. The music is sweet and sensual. The instrumentation is phenomenal. It features the guitar, electronic keyboard and string instruments. They all come together to create a romantic sound. They chose the right music for this track. The Spice Girls sound smooth and sensual while they sing the lyrics. They all sang the song softly and that was a good choice. They don’t hold any notes in the song, but it was a soft one so they weren’t needed. They harmonize well in the chorus. They all sing the chorus in their lower registers, which was a pleasant surprise.
# 3 – Wannabe
This girl power song is from the Spice album. The song has a dance and pop beat. This empowering anthem is about expressing girl power. They talk about the importance of friendship over romantic relationships. This is the track that introduced the world to the Spice Girls. It was their first big hit. It sounds like it could be a novelty song, but it’s a strong song about friendship. The music has a lot of energy to it. It’s bouncy and light. It’s perfect to listen to at a party or in the club. You can even just dance around at home to it with your friends.
It sounds like the music was a tribute to old school music. They sound sassy and assertive as they tell the guys they won’t be with them if they don’t appreciate their friends. They all sing lead on the track. Brown and Halliwell took turns rapping on the track. It could have been a disaster, but it wasn’t one. They didn’t do technical rhyming and they aren’t rappers, but they did a good job. You might have thought this song was going to be number one on our list. It is one of their biggest hits, but it was a toss up for the number one spot.
# 2 – Viva Forever
This introspective song is from the Spiceworld album. It has a pop and r&b beat. The reflective song is about a summer romance that ended. The song has elements of a Latin beat blended in it. It gives the song a sensual sound. It has an amazing string section. The keyboard and acoustic guitar are soft and romantic. It has a melancholy sound to match the theme of the song.
There’s a beautiful instrumental break after the bridge that’s not to be missed. It has an elegant and regal sound to it. The girls sing the song softly and it works with the music. They sing the verses in higher octaves and sing the chorus in lower octaves. The balance blends so well together. It’s amazing how deep their voices get when they sing together in the chorus. Mel C holds pure notes at the end of the song. This song is beautiful and is worth a listen. This isn’t one of their signature songs, but it deserves to be near the top of the list. It could have easily been number one if it weren’t for the song we picked for the spot.
# 1 – Too Much
The number one song on our Top 10 Spice Girls Songs list is “Too Much” from the Spicewold album. The song has an r&b and pop beat. This loving song is about the ups and downs of a relationship. This ballad has an infectious beat. The orchestral swell is enjoyable. It features instrumentation from the guitar, string instruments and horn sections. The music has a doo-wop sound. It also sounds like a jazz beat. The old school sound makes the song sound like a classic hit.
The Spice Girls proved they could handle singing a big ballad like this one. They were more than just up-tempo singers. Bunton takes the lead on the chorus and she sounds amazing. Her soprano vocals really soared in the chorus. Mel B, Victoria Adams, and Geri Halliwell sing the deeper parts in the song. Their vocals are superb and are a great contrast to Bunton and Chisholm’s soprano vocals. Mel C turns the song into a mini power ballad. Their harmonies in the chorus are fire. We dare you not to want to sing along with the group. This song will stay in your head for hours after it is done. This song is flawless and deserves the number one spot on our list.
THE SPICE GIRLS
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