Is there a more taunted fanbase than that of the Spice Girls? Seemingly every other week a story – usually perpetuated by Mel B, the band’s number one cheerleader – appears in the tabloids hinting at some sort of reunion. Swift denials then emerge, typically linked to Geri or Victoria, and all is calm until a week or so later.
So when teasers showing landmarks from 1996’s Wannabe video suddenly appeared on the band’s official social media accounts in September, it felt as if the fans had something tangible to celebrate. The comments quickly filled with hopes of another reunion tour following 2007’s full-band jaunt and 2019’s Posh-less stadium trek. In a music landscape littered with nostalgia tours, surely Ginger, Scary, Baby, Sporty and (maybe) Posh could strap on some Buffalo boots for a final zig-a-zig-ah?
It was, of course, a short-lived fantasy. There is no tour or documentary, but instead, to celebrate 30 years of Spice Girls, a “handbag-inspired box” containing 14 CDs featuring 160 tracks, including all of the band’s singles, plus B-sides, remixes and a few demos. On CD it will cost you £94.99 (or £98.99 if you want a poster with it), and if you prefer the 7in vinyl version it’s £179.99 (£182.99 with poster).
Each box comes with five collectible art cards, a booklet featuring messages from all five members – even the elusive Posh! – and the number 30 rendered as an acrylic charm. Reaction to the announcement, after the implied promise of the teasers, was muted. In the Spice Girls’ case, the majority of the old rope’s split ends have already been recently repackaged.
In 2021, they released Spice25, a reissue of their debut album featuring previously unreleased demos and remixes, most of which appear here. A year later came Spiceworld 25, a celebration of their second album, which featured – you guessed it – previously unreleased remixes, plus the arrival of Pepsi advert track, Step to Me, on streaming. Even their final album, the unloved Forever, was released on vinyl in November 2025 to celebrate its quarter century.
All of this old music arrived in between various other Spice Girls-related anniversary stuff, from official stamps to coins to terrifying Funko Pop! dolls. Famed for slapping their name on to products at the height of their fame, it feels as if nothing has changed, apart from the fact that fans aren’t getting anything new in return. The music itself then gets lost among the merch collections and Uno Spice Girls card games.
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