British pop group the Spice Girls marked the 30th anniversary of their debut single 'Wannabe' this week. The track was released on July 8, 1996.
Former member Emma Bunton will host a special tribute program on Heart radio on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.
The one-off evening broadcast at 7 p. m.
will celebrate the group's music and history.
Bunton revealed the anniversary plans during her regular Sunday show. She said Heart is preparing a full evening lineup centered around the Spice Girls.
'On Wednesday, which is July 8th, Heart are celebrating the Spice Girls!' Bunton told listeners.
She added that the show will feature 'memories and messages and of course lots and lots of Spice Girl songs.'
'Wannabe' became a massive commercial hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks.
The group's debut album 'Spice' sold over 7.5 million copies in the United States.
The Spice Girls expanded into a commercial empire with retail partnerships, toys, and a feature film that earned over $100 million worldwide.
Geri Halliwell left the group in 1998.
Many high-profile artists have cited the Spice Girls as an inspiration.
Taylor Swift told Bunton in a 2025 interview that she had a Baby Spice doll and would 'fight over who got to be you.'
Swift said, 'You just mean the world to me. You were the first person I freaked out over.'
Bunton reacted with surprise: 'I'm really going red now. I don't know how to take this all in.'
Victoria Beckham recalled Beyoncé crediting the Spice Girls for her career direction.
Beyoncé said, 'It was the Spice Girls that inspired me and made me want to do what I do.'
Adele also recognized the band's impact, saying, 'They made me what I am today.'
Charli XCX shared that she used to 'try to bully my friends into imitating the Spice Girls on the playground.'
Geri Halliwell described the group's message of female empowerment as a mission. In a 2016 interview, she said, 'Girl power was a mission.'
In 2021, she added, 'It was like, "We feel like this, and we believe there is a whole generation of girls who feel like this too."'
She called it 'a voice for the voiceless, screamed from a megaphone and kicked out hard: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.'
Emma Stone adopted her stage name at age seven out of admiration for Bunton.
She said, 'My real name is Emily, but I wanted to be called Emma because of Baby Spice and guess what?
Now I am.' Bunton documented their meeting at Wembley Stadium with the caption 'When Emma met Emma.
#2become1.'
Kim Kardashian also credited the group, writing in 2015, 'The Spice Girls got me through a lot! #ForeverThankful.'
The 30th-anniversary broadcast hosted by Bunton will air nationwide across the UK on Heart's evening platform starting at 7 p.
m.
