2026 marks the 30th anniversary of one of music’s most important releases, a release that empowered females everywhere with its staunch ‘Girl Power’ attitude, propelled by several number-one singles.
‘Spice,’ the debut album by the Spice Girls, was officially released on November 4, 1996, becoming the album that is considered to have brought ‘teen pop’ back into fashion and generating the same sort of global hype that Beatlemania received decades earlier. It would become the UK's best-selling album of 1997, selling over 19 million copies worldwide in the space of a year.
It peaked at the top of the UK album charts on November 16, 1996, maintaining a total 15-week non-consecutive run at the top of the mountain, despite a momentary blip during its second week.
But its formidable nature, from the hype and the press surrounding the band, didn't see it languish in second position for too long.
So what other albums were released around the same time, 29 years ago this week, that the Spice Girls kept off the top spot—before we start discussing plans for what they’ll do to celebrate three decades of Spice in the new year?
We take a look at the UK albums chart around mid-November 1996, to find out what other big hitters were trying to topple the Spice Girls from the top of the heap.
1. Robson and Jerome - Take Two
This was the only album strong enough to steal the top spot from Spice during its massive eight-week run. But they couldn't hold it! The fact that the Spice Girls immediately snatched Number 1 back proves their success wasn't a fleeting moment in the charts | Getty Images
2. The Beautiful South - Blue is the Colour
A brilliant British album that was crushed right out of the gate. Its strong sales were instantly pushed down, marking it as one of the first and biggest casualties of the 'Girl Power' explosion. | Getty Images
.png?crop=4:3&trim=&width=630)
3. Simply Red - Greatest Hits
Hits albums are always huge at Christmas, but this definitive collection from the Manchester soul-pop kings was locked down into the Top 5 by the superior, relentless sales of the new pop queens. | Getty Images
4. Céline Dion - Falling into You
This global megahit was one of the biggest albums on the planet, yet even Céline Dion's monumental sales were only good enough for the Number 2 spot after the holiday rush was over. | Getty Images
5. George Michael - Older
This classic album from a music legend had been a Number 1 hit earlier in the year. But during the crucial Christmas sales race, it was pushed way down into the lower Top 10 by the dominance of the younger, louder generation. | Getty Images
6. Fugees - The Score
This was the essential R&B and hip-hop album of the 90s, but its sales were completely contained in the mid-Top 10. Spice created a barrier that even the sheer quality of Lauryn Hill and Wyclef couldn't cross. | Getty Images