Wannabe: #1 in 37 countries
Wannabe reached number one in 37 countries upon its release in July 1996, making it one of the most successful debut singles in pop history.
Snapshot · The Louis Theroux Podcast
S8 EP5: Melanie C on Spiceworld, comparing muscles with Arnold Schwarzenegger and why she’ll always be a Spice Girl
Explore episode
Jul 6, 2026
Where this was said
First Impressions and Wannabe's 30th Anniversary
At 3:19 · chapter starts 2:19
The conversation opens warmly, with Melanie C telling Louis her 17-year-old daughter — rarely impressed by anything — was genuinely excited about her appearing on his podcast. They discover they are four years apart in age and immediately agree on shared cultural touchstones. Louis then pivots to the big occasion: the imminent 30th anniversary of Wannabe, reading a critic's verdict that called it an 'insanely catchy' two-minute-fifty-two-second encapsulation of everything that made the Spice Girls spellbinding. Melanie confirms the single reached number one in 37 countries — a figure both find almost impossibly large.
The Wannabe Origin Story: From Battered Fiat Uno to #1 in 37 Countries
The Spice Girls were signed up having never written a song they liked. They sang middle-aged men's material until they met collaborators Matt and Biff, who captured the chaotic energy that became Wannabe — a two-minute-fifty-two-second explosion that hit number one in 37 countries. The launch was so total that critics and artists alike felt compelled to push back.
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