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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think that the Spice Girls were absolute rubbish?

115 replies

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 20/04/2022 22:13

Just that really. I think some of them could sing, one better than all of them, but their songs and persona, just no. I was about 16 when they appeared on the scene, so I was too old to be their target audience, I suppose. But I've always thought they were very Emperor's New Clothes.

OP posts:
notacooldad · 20/04/2022 22:40

They captured the zeitgeist of that decade.
They may not have been everyone cup of tea but they weren’t rubbish.

BeautifulWar · 20/04/2022 22:44

They were utter shite.

SirenSays · 20/04/2022 22:48

Is music that's aimed at tween girls ever good?

Saveittillthemorningafter1 · 20/04/2022 22:53

I think Emma has a nice singing voice, I enjoyed her solo music

Shmithecat2 · 20/04/2022 22:54

Yabu. Holler was an absolute banger of a choon.

spirit20 · 20/04/2022 23:10

They had zero actual talent, and I don't mean that in a bad way, but just to say that but they weren't about talent or singing, they were so popular because of the novelty factor, the fact they seemed more 'real' and because of how they were marketed. But they didn't really have much staying power once the novelty wore off and I doubt they'd have lasted as a full-time band if they had stayed together.

TheHateIsNotGood · 20/04/2022 23:21

They were ok but personally I prefered the RiotGrrls music/movement over the Girl Power one.

As stated on other threads 'girl power' set women's rights back a few years/decades.

Kite22 · 20/04/2022 23:30

EinsteinaGogo · 20/04/2022 22:24

Of course they weren't rubbish.

They were different.
They were entertaining,
Their songs were mainly catchy.
They sold millions.
They made a sell out movie,
Most of them are still wealthy
Some of them are still very famous

What's your definition of rubbish?

This ^

As had been said, the band was put together as a 'product' and, lets be honest, it was an extremely successful business model which plenty of others have gone on to try and copy with far less success.

Whether their songs are to your taste or not doesn't make them rubbish, it probably means you aren't a teenage girl.

Bluerose77 · 20/04/2022 23:31

They never empowered me.

LetHimHaveIt · 20/04/2022 23:34

Yes, you are.

They were - and remain - absolutely bloody magic.

Reed-thin vocals? 'Third wave' feminism-lite? A film with Michael Barrymore in the cast list and Gary Glitter on the soundtrack?

Didn't matter. It's called 'zeitgeist'.

Love 'em.

DressingGownofDoom · 20/04/2022 23:35

I've had Who Do You Think You Are stuck in my head since Derry Girls last night Grin

SushiGo · 20/04/2022 23:36

I was the target age. I wasn't obsessed, but I thought they were okay and sang along to the radio etc.

They were shit though - the songs were awful and it was horribly sexualised for content aimed at 8yo girls. Classic 90s - girls you can do anything as long as you're sexy to men and focus on your relationships above all else.

I don't blame them. I think the 90s were just more insidiously horrid than we all realised at the time.

SushiGo · 20/04/2022 23:37

All the boy bands from that era were shit too

Anon778833 · 20/04/2022 23:38

My 2 year old daughter asks Alexa to ‘play Spice Girls’. Even though they were 20+ years before her time.

PixieLaLa · 20/04/2022 23:50

OMG piss off.

Alaimo · 20/04/2022 23:51

I loved them, but was totally the target age (10ish when Wannabe came out).

I thought the Channel 4 documentary last year did a really good job at evaluating their legacy and discussing some of the tensions/nuances of 'girl power' vs being in a group that was completely put together by men, but also how they did carve their own way within that. But also how absolutely horrific the media/tabloids were towards them.

FrecklesMalone · 20/04/2022 23:58

I was about 17 and thought they were properly shite. Because they were manufactured fake pop. They did that genre well but were not good given the test of time.

HeArInGhandsgirl11 · 20/04/2022 23:58

Omg I loved them!

HeArInGhandsgirl11 · 20/04/2022 23:59

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

I don't think it was ever about the singing. It was just girl power.
This
SocksAndTheCity · 20/04/2022 23:59

TheHateIsNotGood · 20/04/2022 23:21

They were ok but personally I prefered the RiotGrrls music/movement over the Girl Power one.

As stated on other threads 'girl power' set women's rights back a few years/decades.

So did I, but I still like a sing along toSay You'll Be There when it comes on, and Apice

SocksAndTheCity · 21/04/2022 00:00

Up Your Life is a cracker too 😀

SocksAndTheCity · 21/04/2022 00:01

I have no idea how that wound as two posts 😕

Changechangychange · 21/04/2022 00:16

They were aimed at tween girls. If you were 16 when Spice Up Your Life came out, you were not the target market.

They were immeasurably better than Take That, Bros, NKOTB and E17, which is what I grew up with!

EmeraldShamrock1 · 21/04/2022 00:25

They had their place at the time, a refreshing change from boy bands.

I wasn't a big fan though enjoyed some of the songs, they reached a wide audience my DM loved the song Mama, there was a bit for everyone.

ArtVandalay · 21/04/2022 00:32

They were of their time. Amazing success story.

But yes, the songs were bloody awful. I actually think Mel C was the only one that could sing, but even she was not great.