The Spice Girls exploded onto the British music scene in 1996 and followed suit in the U.S. the following year. Each of the five members of the all-female group had their own identity. The girls included Geri Halliwell a.k.a. "Sexy Spice," Melanie Brown a.k.a. "Scary Spice," Victoria Adams a.k.a. "Posh Spice," Melanie Chisholm a.k.a. "Sporty Spice" and Emma Bunton a.k.a. "Baby Spice." The Spice Girls exuded energy in everything from their music and their videos to their personas.

Their first single, 1996's "Wannabe," became the first single by an all-female band to debut on the charts at number one in the U.K. It held strong at the top slot for seven weeks, and by the end of the year, the single's number one status has spread to 21 other countries. Their debut album, Spice, shot straight to the top of the charts, as did its single "2 Become 1," upon its release. In 1997, the group reached superstardom in America thanks greatly in part to "2 Become 1" and the single "Say You'll Be There."

In 1998, the group released their second album, Spiceworld, concurrently with their major motion picture of the same name. Spiceworld was heralded by many for being superior to its predecessor, something that shocked some critics who saw the Spice Girls simply as a fad. Later that year, Halliwell departed from the group in pursuit of a solo career that never really got off the ground. Adams, now Victoria Beckham, married British soccer icon and sex symbol David Beckham. Chisholm topped the British charts with a solo album in 1999, while still a member of the group. The Spice Girls pushed on without Halliwell and released Forever in 2000, but officially disbanded just three months later. In 2007, the Spice Girls announced a reunion for an eleven-concert tour, a new greatest hits album and a documentary.