The Spice Girls released their debut single, “Wannabe,” in 1996.
The song was released in the United Kingdom on 8 July 1996 and became the group’s breakthrough worldwide hit. It was written by the five members with Richard Stannard and Matt Rowe, and its energetic message about friendship helped establish the group’s identity.
“Wannabe” reached number one in the UK and topped charts in dozens of other countries. It was the first single from the Spice Girls’ debut album, Spice, which followed later in 1996. The group’s lineup was Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell.
A common mix-up is confusing the single’s release year with the group’s formation period. The members were assembled in 1994, but “Wannabe” was not released until 1996. Its success helped make the Spice Girls one of the defining pop acts of the 1990s.