Spice Girls: Greatest Hits

The Spice Girls Greatest Hits was released this week in the UK and the US. Thankfully, they do it right here: you get all of the group's singles, including the less popular track of their two double-A side singles, plus two new tracks, the current single, "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" and "Voodoo." Both the new tracks have a production in-line with most of their singles--i.e. they sound more like "2 Become 1" and "Move Over" than "Holler." The tracks are sequenced in order of release, save for "Goodbye," which comes appropriately at the end. Here's a closer look at the hits:

1. Wannabe (UK #1, US #1)

Their first single remains their signature piece. It took the UK by storm in 1996, spending 7 weeks at #1, and followed suit in the US a year later, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 4 weeks. According to Wikipedia, it topped charts in 22 countries. It was their biggest hit in both countries, and won the Brit Award for best single of 1996. The song is upbeat but not clubby europop, sassy, includes a little section to introduce each girl, and is over in under 3 minutes. What more could you ask for?

2. Say You'll Be There (UK #1, US #3)

This more urban sounding second single was another massive hit. After the frothy debut single, releasing something a little mainstream was a good move, especially in the US, where it was an even bigger hit at top 40 radio than "Wannabe."

3. 2 Become 1 (UK #1, US #4)

Despite the hi-energy image, a big chunk of the Spice Girls hits were ballads, and very accomplished at that. My end of summer 1997 was dominated by this and the Backstreet Boys' US breakout, "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)." Having already shown they can do eurpop and pop/R&B, this string-laden track was bid for the adult pop market, and it became a top 10 hit on the Billboard AC chart, in addition to giving them another pop success. This single was the 1996 Christmas #1 in the UK, the first of three such consecutive honors.

4. Mama / Who Do You Think You Are (UK #1)

This single was never released in the US, as "Spice Up Your Life" was released right after "2 Become 1" in order to promote Spiceworld, a result of Spice having been delayed a year in the US, but Spiceworld was not, so both albums were released in 1997 within 9 months of each other. In the UK, it was another massive hit, further showing the group's ability to conquer a variety of pop styles. "Mama" was another ballad, more earnest than "2 Become 1" and backed by guitar rather than strings. "Who Do You Think You Are" was a stomping pop track with a clubby disco beat, and the bigger of the two at UK radio. The single was 1997's UK Comic Relief charity release.

5. Spice Up Your Life (UK #1, US #18)

The first Spiceworld single was another big hit in the UK, but stumbled in the US. Not content to just copy the winning formula of "Wannabe" or another Spice hit, "Spice Up Your Life" had a distinctive Latin flavor, "Samba-pop" according to Wikipedia. The frenetic production was fitting for the zany image the group courted.

6. Too Much (UK #1, US #8)

"Too Much" is another string-backed ballad, a la "2 Become 1," but musically superior and with more of a girl-group swing to it. It was the band's second consecutive Christmas #1 in the UK, and was still all over the radio when I went to study abroad in London in January '98 (this single was actually the first music purchase I made in the UK).

7. Stop (UK #2, US #16)

"Stop" ended the group's run of consecutive #1 hits, capping that at six, a record at the time for a debut artist, although surpassed by Westlife in 2000 who had seven. The single is also in the '60s girl group groove, a la Supremes, although peppy and upbeat. My friend Erin and I have a little dance we did to this one (okay, we still do it when prompted).

8. Viva Forever (UK #1)

If you've read this far then you're probably not a Spice Girls detractor, but even if you are, you should try to give this song an honest listen, for it is a remarkably beautiful pop ballad. Like "Spice Up Your Life" the song has an obvious Latin influence, but its very different from that song. Spanish guitars play throughout, a lush string solo comes in during the middle 8 and stays around for the final choruses, and the vocals are solid. It was originally intended as a double-A side with "Never Give Up on the Good Times," but Geri's departure shortly before its release caused the record company to release "Viva Forever" by itself.

9. Goodbye (UK #1, US #11)

This one-off single, later included as bonus track on Forever, was the first Spice Girls hit recorded without Geri, and was promoted as a send-off tribute to her. It became their third consecutive UK Christmas #1 in 1998 and their final US hit. It's another strings backed ballad, this time was a slight R&B hilt. Good, but paled in comparison to "Viva Forever" or "Too Much."

10. Holler / Let Love Lead the Way (UK #1)

This double-A side release was the first and only single released from the Spice Girls' third and final album Forever. Sans Geri and sporting an edgier R&B sound produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, the album was a bomb, even though this was a #1. The upbeat "Holler" was the clearly bigger song here. It's not a bad song, but it just doesn't sound like Spice Girls, having more in common with Jerkins' other hits of the day, such as Brandy & Monica's "The Boy is Mine," Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" or Jennifer Lopez' "If You Had My Love." "Let Love Lead the Way" is tepid, the weakest ballad they ever put out a single. With Melanie C scoring #1 hits and the others working on their various solo projects, the group no longer felt like a group, and no other singles were released.