The Spice Girls dominated the 90s music scene, propelling band members Geri Halliwell, Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown, Victoria Adams (now Beckham), and Emma Bunton to international fame and fortune.
Recently, the girls reunited in London to celebrate Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday, with the group performing their hit song Stop together at the bash. However, this is just the start of their epic comeback...
With the 30th anniversary of the group's formation upon us, an upcoming Netflix documentary will explore the story behind the iconic girl band, with each Spice reportedly standing to earn a juicy $1.2 million (£940k) for participating. Meanwhile, all five girls are tipped to perform together at Glastonbury 2025, after Mel C made a surprise appearance onstage with Orbital at this year's bash.
In light of all this exciting news from Spice World, read on to learn more about the band's sensational rise to fame, their shocking split, and how they make their money today.
All dollar amounts in US dollars
The story begins in 1993 when an advert was placed in a magazine with the hope of forming a girl group that could rival reigning British boy bands Take That and East 17. Among the hundreds of women who responded, five hopefuls stood out: Geri Halliwell, Melanie "Mel C" Chisholm, Melanie "Mel B" Brown, Victoria Adams, and Emma Bunton. The Spice Girls were born.
By 1995, the Spice Girls had landed a life-changing deal with Virgin Records. The following year, their debut single Wannabe conquered the charts in over 30 countries, while their album Spice sold an incredible 19 million copies in its first 12 months.
That same year, Top of the Pops magazine gave the girls their now iconic nicknames: Ginger (Geri), Sporty (Mel C), Scary (Mel B), Posh (Victoria), and Baby (Emma). The Spice Girls and their fans embraced these labels, igniting Spice Mania and ushering in a new musical era swiftly christened "Girl Power".
The following year, the Spice Girls released their second album, Spiceworld, which peaked at number one on the UK charts. Accompanying the chart-topping album was the comedy flick Spice World: The Movie, which was panned by critics but adored by fans.
With two number one records and a movie under their belts, the Spice Girls seemed unstoppable. However, in May 1998 their trajectory took an unexpected turn when Geri Halliwell suddenly quit the band in the middle of the group's Spiceworld Tour.
Now a quartet, the band released their final album, Forever, in 2000. Despite the record reaching number two in the UK charts, the Spice Girls announced their shock split the following year, leaving fans devastated.
Over the years, the Spice Girls have delighted fans with a number of reunions. Their 2007-2008 comeback was marked by a tour and a Greatest Hits album that soared to number two on the UK album charts.
Fast forward to 2019, and all the band members – bar Posh – embarked on a tour across the UK and Ireland. In total, it sold an impressive 700,000 tickets and generated an impressive $78.2 million in revenue, the equivalent of $96.1 million (£76m) in today's money.
Despite not participating, Victoria still netted an inflation-adjusted $3.1 million (£2.5m) from the 2019 tour thanks to her share of the band's earnings from endorsements, merchandise, and licensing deals.
Each Spice Girl embarked on a solo career in between these epic reunions. But which Spice became the richest after the band broke up? Read on to find out...
Melanie "Mel B" Brown earned her "Scary Spice" nickname thanks to her feisty presence within the group.
Before skyrocketing to fame with the Spice Girls, Mel studied performing arts at Intake High School in Leeds, followed by a stint as a professional dancer.
Over the years, she's amassed an estimated fortune of $6 million (£4.8m), which, while substantial, lags behind that of her bandmates. But more on that later – first, let's delve into how she earned her millions post-Spice Girls...
While still with the Spice Girls, Mel B collaborated with R&B star Missy Elliott on the song I Want You Back, with the track reaching number one on the UK charts in 1998.
In 2000, she debuted her solo album Hot. This was followed up with 2005's L.A. State of Mind, which featured her hit song Today.
Although Mel B enjoyed moderate success when she struck out on her own, she failed to rival her glory days with the Spice Girls. She ended her solo career after just two albums.
Today, Mel B is probably best known as a bubbly TV personality.
She's served as a judge on the UK and Australian versions of The X Factor and co-hosted the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars in 2012.
Stateside, she served as a judge on the reality TV series America's Got Talent between 2013 and 2018, reportedly receiving a juicy $2.7 million for her participation in the 2018 edition of the show, the equivalent of $3.4 million (£2.7m) in 2024 money.
The candid Spice Girl has spoken openly about the struggles she's faced, including the domestic abuse she's suffered.
Today, Mel B is a fierce advocate for mental health awareness, actively campaigns against domestic violence, and has collaborated with the UK charity Women's Aid.
In 2018, she penned a heart-wrenching autobiography titled Brutally Honest, in which she delved into her "living nightmare" marriage to film producer Stephen Belafonte.
In 2017, the world was shocked when Mel B's financial struggles were revealed in court.
After a judge ordered Mel B to pay her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte $40,000 per month ($51k/£43k today) in spousal support, it emerged she'd blown through most of the $30 million (£24m) fortune she'd earned at the peak of her career. She reportedly had just $1,300 ($1.7k/£1.3k today) left in her bank account.
Despite earning a monthly income of $240,000 ($308k/£244k today) from America's Got Talent and holding a 20% share of Spice Girls Limited, Mel B's net income in 2017 was a negative $3.2 million. This was mainly due to legal expenses and sizeable debts, including $100,000 ($128k/£101k today) of credit card debt and $800,000 ($1m/£791k today) owed in taxes.
She's pictured here with Belafonte.
Forced to sell her Hollywood mansion to meet her financial obligations in 2017, the star moved back to her hometown of Leeds in 2019, where she rented a luxury home. However, due to financial troubles caused by legal fees and payments to her ex-husband, Mel B was forced to move back in with her mother (pictured together here).
She told the BBC: "I wasn't just emotionally and physically abused, there was all the financial abuse too. I didn't realise that I didn't have as much money as I thought I had. So I literally had to eat humble pie, live with my mum."
Mel B announced earlier this year that she had purchased her own home. "I've been looking at houses on and off for the last couple of years, knowing I didn't have the money to afford them," she told the BBC. "But I just put my head down, worked, and lived frugally, and hence I've been able to buy my own house."
Melanie "Mel C" Chisholm was given her Sporty Spice nickname due to her love of athletic attire and impressive dance moves, including backflips and high kicks.
Before joining the Spice Girls, Mel C had honed her performance skills by studying musical theatre, singing, dance, and drama in London.
With an estimated net worth of $30 million (£24m), let's delve into how she amassed her fortune post-Spice Girls...
Mel C launched her solo career in 1999 with the release of her debut album, Northern Star. It peaked at number four on the UK album chart and is the best-selling solo album by any Spice Girl. In 2003, she dropped her next album, Reason, which achieved gold certification.
The songstress left Virgin Records to start her own music label, Red Girl Records, in 2004. She's released several other albums, including Beautiful Intentions, This Time, The Sea, Stages, and Version of Me.
Mel C continues to perform on stages around the world as a solo artist, including that previously mentioned appearance at this year's Glastonbury Festival.
Mel C has also carved out a successful small screen career, appearing as a host, judge, and mentor on numerous reality TV competitions.
This includes acting as a mentor on The X Factor Australia in 2011 and a stint as a judge on the talent show Superstar in 2012.
Recently, she served as a coach on The Voice Kids UK in 2021 and competed in the 30th season of Dancing with the Stars later that same year.
The multi-talented star has also ventured into acting, making her stage debut in 2009 in the musical Blood Brothers.
Most notably, she starred as Mary Magdalene in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar between 2012 and 2013. An almost unrecognisable Mel C is pictured here in costume for the role.
Over the years, Mel C has put her fame to good use. A passionate philanthropist, she's participated in fundraising events for renowned UK charities including Sport Relief and Comic Relief.
In 2014, the kind-hearted Spice travelled to Ghana to support a Procter & Gamble charity campaign striving to provide clean drinking water for children.
According to reports, Mel C currently lives in London. Fans were given a rare glimpse into Mel's plush city pad in 2022 when she appeared on the reality TV show Celebrity Gogglebox alongside her half-brother, the former race car driver Paul O'Neill (pictured).
Mel's appearance on the show revealed that her living room features stylish built-in bookshelves and a sophisticated white, grey, and blush colour palette. She likes her home comforts, revealing during a 2020 interview with The Strategist that she couldn't live without her luxe Egyptian cotton bed sheets and pricey Peloton exercise bike.
Emma Bunton earned the nickname Baby Spice for two reasons. She was the youngest member of the band, and it also suited her sweet girl-next-door personality.
Before becoming one of the Spice Girls, Emma worked as an actress and made brief appearances in beloved British TV shows such as soap opera EastEnders and crime series The Bill.
Like her bandmate Mel C, Emma boasts an impressive net worth of $30 million (£24m), so let's explore how she amassed her wealth when the Spice Girls split...
Emma launched her solo career in 2001 with the release of her debut album, A Girl Like Me, which quickly achieved gold certification.
The songstress has released four studio albums, with her most recent offering the 2019 pop record My Happy Place.
Despite several of her singles charting well in the UK, her solo career never reached the same heights of success as the Spice Girls.
Baby Spice has further boosted her fortune with appearances on numerous TV shows.
In 2006, she showcased her dance skills on the British Strictly Come Dancing competition.
She's also served as a judge on reality TV shows including Dancing on Ice and Your Face Sounds Familiar, and she appeared as a contestant in the 2022 series of The Circle.
Emma has returned to her dramatic roots in recent years, notably playing a version of herself in TV comedy Absolutely Fabulous and its 2016 movie adaptation.
Other significant roles include voicing a character in Disney's The Lion Guard series in 2016 and portraying Catherine Parr on Drunk History: UK.
Between 2013 and 2018, she hosted radio station Heart London's Monday-to-Friday Heart Breakfast slot alongside Jamie Theakston. She still hosts a Sunday evening show with the network.
One of Emma's recent money-spinning endeavours was penning the parenting guide Mama You Got This in 2021. The book, which is full of expert advice as well as personal anecdotes from Emma herself, quickly became a bestseller.
On that note, the proud mother shares sons Beau and Tate with her husband, the British R&B singer Jade Jones (pictured together).
Emma keeps her private life strictly on the down-low, so little is known about how she splashes her cash.
However, we do know that she and her family live in North London, with Emma occasionally offering fans a glimpse into her home via her Instagram account.
She's shown here with Jade in their kitchen; the photo was shared on Instagram last year to promote Kit & Kin, the plant-based household product brand that she co-founded in 2017.
Geri Halliwell became known as Ginger Spice thanks to her vibrant red hair and firecracker personality.
Before rising to fame with the band, Geri worked as a nightclub dancer in Spain and also posed as a glamour model.
Geri's estimated net worth today is $40 million (£32m). Let's explore how she's built up her fortune after her Spice Girl days...
After sensationally quitting the Spice Girls in 1998, Geri released her debut solo album, Schizophonic, in 1999. The record became a major success, selling more than two million copies globally.
Geri followed this up with 2001's Scream If You Wanna Go Faster. That same year, she also released a cover of the 80s pop hit It's Raining Men, originally performed by the Weather Girls. Her rendition of the song proved so popular it was used in the 2001 rom-com Bridget Jones's Diary and topped charts worldwide.
Despite her success as a solo artist, Geri released her third and final album, Passion, in 2005.
The multi-talented Spice Girl has dabbled in acting over the years, making her official debut in a 2003 episode of Sex and the City.
Since then, Geri has flexed her dramatic chops in comedy flicks and action movies. Most recently, she landed a role in the 2023 action flick Gran Turismo, where she shared the screen with Hollywood hotshots David Harbour and Orlando Bloom.
Like her bandmates, Geri has also penned a number of books. Her first venture into the world of publishing was her 1999 autobiography If Only. Rather than profiting from her life story, Geri reportedly donated all the royalties to a breast cancer charity. This was followed by a second book about her life, Just for the Record, released in 2003.
In 2008, she launched the Ugenia Lavender series of children's books, which follow the adventures of a nine-year-old girl. Less than six months after hitting bookstores, the series had sold more than 250,000 copies, making Geri one of the best-selling children's authors of that year.
The savvy Spice Girl has also boosted her bank balance with a series of successful side hustles over the years.
Among them are fashion ventures, including a swimwear collection with British high street fashion brand Next, and a foray into fitness with the release of several yoga workout DVDs.
In 2015, Geri married Christian Horner, the team principal of the Red Bull Racing Formula One team. The couple share a son named Montague, while Geri also has a daughter named Bluebell from a previous relationship with the film director Sacha Gervasi.
A former race car driver turned team manager, Horner is worth an estimated $50 million (£41m), though some sources suggest the couple might actually have a combined fortune of around $556 million (£440m).
Either way, the cashed-up couple own two lavish countryside estates, one in Oxfordshire and one in Hertfordshire. Their sprawling Oxfordshire residence is particularly impressive, with Geri regularly sharing glimpses of it on her Instagram account. The lavish property boasts its own farm, complete with donkeys, horses, ducks, and goats, as well as a private pond for boating and a swimming pool.
Victoria Beckham was christened Posh Spice due to her sophisticated persona and love of designer outfits.
Born Victoria Adams, she studied dance and modelling before rising to international fame with the Spice Girls.
According to the 2024 edition of the Sunday Times Rich List, Victoria and her soccer icon husband David Beckham boast a combined fortune of $563 million (£455m).
Like her fellow Spice Girls, Victoria Beckham pursued a solo music career shortly after the band broke up.
Her 2000 dance track Out of Your Mind, a collaboration with True Steppers and Dane Bowers, peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart.
The following year, Victoria released her eponymous debut album. Something of a flop, it marked the end of her fleeting solo career.
While her solo music career didn't take off quite as expected, Victoria was hugely successful in the modelling world.
Over the years, the fashion icon has graced the covers of many prestigious magazines, including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle.
Following in the footsteps of her husband David, she also starred in a sizzling underwear campaign for the luxury fashion house Armani in 2009.
The star has further grown her fortune with several side hustles over the years.
In 2001, Victoria released her autobiography, Learning to Fly, chronicling her rise to stardom. The famed fashionista followed that up in 2006 with a style bible titled That Extra Half an Inch: Hair, Heels, and Everything in Between.
Victoria's empire also includes perfume, and both her and David released their own signature fragrances back in 2008.
Victoria is probably best known today for her eponymous fashion line. Her designs are a staple on Fashion Week runways around the globe, with her pieces worn by stars including Beyoncé and Kate Middleton. However, the venture isn’t the money-maker you might think...
Recent accounts revealed the fashion line lost almost $7 million (£5.9m) in 2021 and $11 million (£8.6m) in 2020. In fact, the business has recorded losses of around $82 million (£66m) since its 2008 launch.
It's also been reported that the fashion line racked up debts of $67 million (£53m) to lenders following the pandemic's strain on the retail industry. However, things now appear to be on the up and the fashion label recorded a modest $253,000 (£200k) profit in 2022 following a significant upturn in revenues.
Posh Spice enjoys a life of luxury, and the Beckhams, a bona fide power couple, own a number of enviable homes around the world.
Their property portfolio includes a chic mansion in London’s swish Holland Park neighbourhood, which they snapped up for $39 million in 2013 ($53m/£42m today), and a regal country estate in the Cotswolds.
Additionally, the couple owns a $24 million (£19m) penthouse in Miami. This stunning US residence boasts a rooftop helipad, a home gym, and multiple terraces that offer breathtaking views of the city skyline and coastline. Talk about Posh...
Now delve deeper into the world of Victoria, David, and their children with a look inside the lavish lives of the Beckham family