Editing Spice Girls (section)

===1999–2000: ''Forever'', solo work, hiatus and split===
{{Main|Forever (Spice Girls album)}}
[[File:Spicegirls-holler.JPG|thumb|230px|The Spice Girls as a four-piece performing "Holler" in [[Cologne]], Germany at the Return of the Spice Girls tour]]
By 1999, Brown, Bunton, and Chisholm, had all released music as solo artists.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=What's it all about? Solo Spice Girls|magazine=[[Melody Maker]]|volume=76|issue=41|date=16 October 1999|page=8}}</ref> They returned to the studio in August 1999 after an eight-month recording break. It was initially more pop-influenced, similar to their first two albums, and included production from Eliot Kennedy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/spice-girls-producer-duped-leaking-5157667|title=Spice Girls producer was duped into leaking songs by fraudster now selling them for £10,000 EACH|last=Beech|first=Richard|date=13 February 2015|work=[[Daily Mirror]]|access-date=26 August 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150216204947/http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/spice-girls-producer-duped-leaking-5157667|archive-date=16 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The sound took on a more mature direction when American producers including [[Rodney Jerkins]], [[Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis]] came on board to collaborate with the group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spice Girls Bring Family Style, R&B Sound To Forever |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/pdaqsd/spice-girls-bring-family-style-rb-sound-to-forever |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810134709/https://www.mtv.com/news/pdaqsd/spice-girls-bring-family-style-rb-sound-to-forever |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 August 2022 |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=MTV |language=en}}</ref>

In December 1999, the Spice Girls embarked on a UK tour, [[Christmas in Spiceworld]], in London and Manchester, during which they showcased new songs from the third album.<ref>{{cite web |work= [[The Guardian]]|url= https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/dec/17/1 |title= In brief |date= 17 December 1999|access-date=9 April 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150409004408/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/dec/17/1|archive-date=9 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The eight-show tour was attended by more than 153,000 people, grossing $5.7 million in ticket sales. The first four shows, at [[Manchester Arena|Manchester Evening News Arena]], grossed $2.6 million; the second portion of the tour saw the group play another four shows at [[Earls Court Exhibition Centre|Earls Court Arena]], grossing $3.1 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 25, 2019 |title=Spice Girls Dominate June Boxscore Recap With Scaled Up Stadium Shows |url=https://www.hitmusic.tv/rock-news/spice-girls-dominate-june-boxscore-recap-with-scaled-up-stadium-shows/ |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=HitMusic |archive-date=20 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120100615/https://www.hitmusic.tv/rock-news/spice-girls-dominate-june-boxscore-recap-with-scaled-up-stadium-shows/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Earlier in the year, the Spice Girls recorded the song "My Strongest Suit" for ''[[Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida]]'', a concept album which became the musical ''[[Aida (musical)|Aida]]''. The Spice Girls performed again at the [[2000 Brit Awards]] in March, where they received the Lifetime Achievement award. Halliwell attended but did not join her former bandmates on stage.<ref name="lifetime">{{cite web|last=Kennedy|first=Maev|date=3 March 2000|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/mar/03/maevkennedy|title=Spice Girls win lifetime achievement award|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=30 March 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150409004411/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/mar/03/maevkennedy|archive-date=9 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 2000, the Spice Girls released their third and final album, ''[[Forever (Spice Girls album)|Forever]]''. With an edgier [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] sound, it received lukewarm reviews.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hunter|first=James|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/spicegirls/albums/album/188922/review/5943248|title=Forever – Review|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=11 March 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807015109/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/spicegirls/albums/album/188922/review/5943248 |archive-date=7 August 2007 }}</ref> In the US, it reached number 39 on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. In the UK, it was released the same week as [[Westlife]]'s ''[[Coast to Coast (Westlife album)|Coast to Coast]]'' and the chart battle was widely reported by the media; Westlife reached number one and the Spice Girls number two.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1020090.stm|title=Westlife triumph in album battle|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=13 November 2000|access-date=15 April 2017}}</ref> The lead single, the double A-side "[[Holler (Spice Girls song)|Holler]]" / "[[Let Love Lead the Way]]", became Spice Girls' ninth UK number one.<ref name="newsbbc2">{{cite news|title= Spice Girls make pop history |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/997495.stm |access-date=7 December 2013 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=29 October 2000}}</ref> It failed to enter the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, reaching number seven on the [[Bubbling Under Hot 100]] chart and number 31 on the [[Hot Dance Club Songs|Hot Dance Music/Club Play]] chart. The Spice Girls' only major performance of the single came at the [[2000 MTV Europe Music Awards]] in November.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/EMA-nominations/story-22938087-detail/story.html |title=2014 MTV EMA nominations: Top 10 most memorable EMA moments |work=[[Nottingham Post]] |date=18 September 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150409030239/http://www.nottinghampost.com/EMA-nominations/story-22938087-detail/story.html |archive-date=9 April 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In total, ''Forever'' sold over four million copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://celebmix.com/spice-girls-re-release-third-album-forever-for-the-first-time-on-vinyl/ |title=Spice Girls Re-Release Third Album ''Forever'' for the First Time on Vinyl! |date=21 September 2020}}</ref> The Spice Girls ceased promotional activities in December 2000, as they began an indefinite hiatus to concentrate on their solo careers.<ref name="simth206">{{harvnb|Smith|2019|p=206}}</ref> They insisted that the group was not splitting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dotmusic.com/artists/spicegirls/news/January2001/news17663.asp|title=Spice Girls Go on Forever |date=30 January 2001 |work=[[Dotmusic]] |access-date=9 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010309051440/http://www.dotmusic.com/artists/spicegirls/news/January2001/news17663.asp |archive-date=9 March 2001}}</ref>