Editing Spice Girls (section)

==== ''Spiceworld'' and feature film ====
{{Main|Spiceworld (album)}}
{{listen
| pos          = right
| filename     = Spiceupyourlife.ogg
| title        = "Spice Up Your Life"
| description  = "Spice Up Your Life" became the group's fifth consecutive chart-topper, which made them the first act to have its first five singles reach number one in the UK.
}}

In October 1997, the Spice Girls released the first single from their second album, ''Spiceworld'', "[[Spice Up Your Life]]". It entered the UK Singles Chart at number one, making it the group's fifth consecutive number-one single.<ref name="occ">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/1633/spice-girls/|title=Spice Girls|access-date=13 September 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> That same month, the group performed their first [[Girl Power! Live in Istanbul|live major concert]] to 40,000 fans in [[Istanbul]], Turkey.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Caroline |date=24 May 2019 |title='Tens of thousands of tots empty their lungs': relive the Spice Girls' first tour |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/from-the-archive-blog/2019/may/24/tens-of-thousands-of-tots-empty-their-lungs-relive-the-spice-girls-first-tour |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210301083555/https://www.theguardian.com/music/from-the-archive-blog/2019/may/24/tens-of-thousands-of-tots-empty-their-lungs-relive-the-spice-girls-first-tour |archive-date=1 March 2021 |access-date=13 September 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> Later, they launched [[the Royal British Legion]]'s [[Remembrance poppy|Poppy Appeal]],<ref name="poppy appeal">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/18054.stm|title=Spice Girls launch poppy appeal|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=29 October 1997|access-date=14 September 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210224182256/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/18054.stm|archive-date=24 February 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> then travelled to South Africa to meet [[Nelson Mandela]], who announced, "These are my heroes."<ref name="bbcmandela">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/19796.stm|title=Now Mandela swaps political power for girl power|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=1 November 1997|access-date=14 September 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713132829/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/19796.stm|archive-date=13 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November, the Spice Girls released ''Spiceworld''. It set a new record for the fastest-selling album when it shipped seven million copies over the course of two weeks. Gaining favourable reviews,<ref name="RS Spiceworld">{{cite magazine|last=Wild|first=David|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/spiceworld-193410/|title=Spice World|date=11 December 1997|access-date=13 September 2020|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> the album went on to sell over 10 million copies in Europe,<ref name="IFPI 1998">{{cite web|url=http://www.ifpi.org/site-content/platinum/plat1998.html|title=IFPI Platinum Europe Awards|access-date=13 September 2020|publisher=International Federation of the Phonographic Industry|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060306093651/http://www.ifpi.org/site-content/platinum/plat1998.html|archive-date=6 March 2006}}</ref> Canada,<ref name="CRIA">{{cite web|url=https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=spice|title=Gold/Platinum|work=Music Canada |date=17 January 1997 |access-date=13 September 2020|publisher=[[Music Canada]]}}</ref> and the United States<ref name="RIAA" /> combined, and 14 million copies worldwide.<ref name="spiceworldsales">{{harvnb|Smith|2019|p=167}}</ref>

Criticised in the United States for releasing the album just nine months after their debut there, which gave the group two simultaneous Top 10 albums in the ''Billboard'' album charts,<ref name="two top 10">{{cite magazine |last=Bronson |first=Fred |author-link=Fred Bronson |title=Usher Seesaws in the U.S., U.K. |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |volume=110 |issue=7|page=106|date=14 February 1998|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> and suffering from over-exposure at home,<ref name="poppy appeal" /> the Spice Girls began to experience a media backlash. They were criticised for their number of sponsorship deals—more than 20—and their chart positions declined.<ref name="thebiographychannel1">{{cite web|url=https://www.lifetimetv.co.uk/people/the-spice-girls|title=The Spice Girls|access-date=13 September 2020|publisher=[[Lifetime UK]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125165649/https://www.lifetimetv.co.uk/people/the-spice-girls|archive-date=25 November 2020}}</ref> Nevertheless, the Spice Girls remained the best-selling pop group of both 1997 and 1998.<ref name="sinclair2008148149">{{harvnb|Sinclair|2008|pp=148–149}}</ref>

On 7 November 1997, the Spice Girls performed "Spice Up Your Life" at the [[MTV Europe Music Awards]] and won the [[MTV Europe Music Award for Best Group|Best Group award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/24645.stm|title=Spice Girls scoop MTV Europe best group award|date=7 September 1997|access-date=13 September 2020|publisher=[[BBC News]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710190921/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/24645.stm|archive-date=10 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The morning of the performance, they fired Fuller and began managing themselves.<ref>{{harvnb|Halliwell|1999|pp=304–306}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|After firing Fuller, Beckham said they each took charge of one aspect of the band's business: Beckham oversaw their finances, Chisholm their touring, Brown their record label dealings, Bunton their charity work, and Halliwell their sponsorships.<ref>{{harvnb|Beckham|2001|p=249}}</ref>}} To ensure a smooth transition, Halliwell allegedly stole a mobile phone from Fuller's assistant that contained the group's schedule and Fuller's business contacts.<ref>{{harvnb|Beckham|2001|pp=244–245}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|According to Chisholm, it was a [[Filofax]] [[personal organizer]] that Halliwell allegedly stole.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/12/11/melanie-c-spice-girls-secret-meeting-after-lockdown-drag/|title=Proud trans ally Melanie C received a 'huge education' working with drag queens and non-binary dancers|work=[[PinkNews]]|date=11 December 2020|first=Matilda|last=Davies|access-date=18 March 2021|archive-date=15 March 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210315111412/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/12/11/melanie-c-spice-girls-secret-meeting-after-lockdown-drag/|url-status=live}}</ref>}} The firing was front-page news around the world. Many commentators speculated that Fuller had been the mastermind behind the group, and that the Spice Girls had lost their impetus and direction.<ref>{{harvnb|Halliwell|1999|p=374}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Marre |first=Oliver |date=14 January 2007 |title=The man with stars in his eyes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jan/14/broadcasting.pop |access-date=18 September 2011 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Fuller went on to form the pop group [[S Club 7]], which he described as a continuation of ideas he had had for the Spice Girls but with a softer, more uplifting image.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last=Corner |first=Lewis |date=16 January 2014 |title=S Club 7 were a continuation of the Spice Girls, says Simon Fuller |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a544375/s-club-7-were-a-continuation-of-the-spice-girls-says-simon-fuller/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424013619/http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a544375/s-club-7-were-a-continuation-of-the-spice-girls-says-simon-fuller/ |archive-date=24 April 2017 |access-date=23 April 2017 |work=[[Digital Spy]]}}</ref>}}

Later in November, the Spice Girls became the first pop group to host [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]]'s ''[[An Audience with...]]''<ref name="itv.com">{{cite web
|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/30yearsofanaudiencewith/week29/default.html|title=30 Years of An Audience With, Episode 1|publisher=ITV
|date=6 July 2010|access-date=17 August 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100718090357/http://www.itv.com/presscentre/30yearsofanaudiencewith/week29/default.html|archive-date= 18 July 2010}}</ref> Their show was watched by 11.8 million viewers in the UK, one fifth of the population.<ref name="Sinclair 2004, p. 148">{{harvnb|Sinclair|2004|p=148}}</ref> In December 1997, the second single from ''Spiceworld'', "[[Too Much (Spice Girls song)|Too Much]]", was released, becoming the Spice Girls' second [[List of UK Singles Chart Christmas number ones|Christmas number one]] and their sixth consecutive number-one UK single. That month, the Spice Girls launched a feature-length film, ''[[Spice World (film)|Spice World]]''. The world premiere, at the [[Empire, Leicester Square|Empire Theatre]] in [[Leicester Square]], London, was attended by celebrities including Prince Charles, [[Prince William]] and [[Prince Harry]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9712/15/spice.royals/index.html|title=Spice Girls meet princes at movie premiere|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=16 December 1997|access-date=3 March 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210303004517/http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9712/15/spice.royals/index.html|archive-date=3 March 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref> The film was a commercial success but received poor reviews.<ref name="telegraphfilm" /> The Spice Girls ended 1997 as the year's most played artist on American radio.<ref name="PR news">[http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spiceworld-album-sales-jump-as-spice-girls-new-pop-vehicle-steadily-gains-velocity-77633112.html 'Spiceworld' Album Sales Jump, as Spice Girls' New Pop Vehicle Steadily Gains Velocity] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218113602/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spiceworld-album-sales-jump-as-spice-girls-new-pop-vehicle-steadily-gains-velocity-77633112.html |date=18 February 2017}}. PR Newswire. 20 November 1997. Retrieved 18 February 2017.</ref>