Mr.X

Don't. I sold mine too as I needed to make money to put towards a house deposit. But it is the item I really crave from her alongside a Life in Mono vinyl (which I know will never happen!).

I'm with you on that one! It's so so lush and she sounds divine!!!

Just like any Mel C album to be honest :teresa: But in all seriousness, I don't agree. I think it is a gorgeous and well produced track. Had it been released as a single, it would have needed a shorter radio edit but as an album track it is perfect! :wub:

I forgot that there are rumours that Emma will be releasing a new Free Me vinyl for Record Store Day

Yeah I understand that in 2001 sales really dwindled overall but damn it had a long chart run so I would expect the on-going sales, however small, to be a bit healthier than this.... I can see Universal trying to include it in some playlists later this year for its 25th anniversary. I often goes a bit viral but clearly never enough to garner much attention/sales. At least we should know more concrete sales Such a shame, because it's such a stellar single!

We might get some new updates for the Forever era at least, if they do a Forever25 campaign this year?

I wish we could get some new updates or at least some estimates from Jay? :P I wonder if: - What Took You So Long has crossed the 300,000 sales - Holler has crossed the 350,000 sales - Stop has crossed the 800,000 sales - Greatest Hits has crossed the 800,000 sales (it f***ing should!!) - Goodbye and Who Do You Think You Are/Mama have crossed the 1million mark each - 2 Become 1 has crossed the 1,500,000 mark - Headlines has crossed the 60,000 sales mark - Viva Forever has crossed the 800,000 mark Most of these should have been done or at least be near those marks by now, right????? Since we had sales updates, the Spiceworld singles got some new attention during the SW25 campaign, some of those even going viral so Viva Forever, Stop and Spice Up Your Life should be higher at least?... I think What Took You So Long should be over 300,000 by now at least, and Greatest Hits is hopefully well above 800,000... Holler often goes semi-viral online so hopefully that has increased a bit as well?

Looking back at Holler/Let Love Lead The Way, it seems like its chart run wasn't toooooo bad considering it kept afloat on the chart for quite a while! But what I find quite strange is how it sold so little overall... It spent 53weeks in the chart over two years. That's huge! How come this sold so little considering its chart life? It felt much bigger than its sales point towards... Peak: #1 (for 1 week) Certification: Silver [source: BPI BRIT Certified] (27th October 2000) Total Sales ('Holler'/'Let Love Lead the Way' as a Double A Side): 322,000 [source: MTV] (c. August 2022) First Week Sales: 106,159 [source: Official Charts Company] (29th October 2020) Top 200: [1st Entry: 29/10/2000] 01-03-10-22-31-38-39-43-46-42-46-62-54-54-64-66-69-79-80-86-101-112-120-127-109-110-126... (HM) ...116-97-123-Out (OCC) [2nd Entry: 03/06/2001] 146-144-147-151-153-150-144-161-145-127-114-115-127-151-143-143-165-189-Out (OCC) [3rd Entry: 14/10/2001] 181-Out (OCC) [4th Entry: 04/11/2001] 188-Out (OCC) [5th Entry: 06/01/2002] 190-146-155-Out (OCC)

I would LOVE/KILL to know the updated sales from My Happy Place ^_^ As far as we know, it got a new print last year both on vinyl (the magenta edition) and on CD as it is still available in shops so it must have sold ok overall for BMG to bother doing that? If the UK sales were on 13k by November 2020, it must be nearing the 20k by now?....

I find that Let Love Lead The Way could have been up there with 2 Become 1 and Goodbye if the lyrics weren't so sacarine... The melodies and production are stunning, but the lyrics could have been taken from a fridge magnate :blink: Could have been done with a little polishing before release...

#12 I Wish I Could Have Loved You More From album: My Happy Place Release year: 2019 Average votes: 8,46 Emma's most loved cover of all is her version of Candie Payne's obscure and moody I Wish I Could Have Loved You More :o :wub: Originally a #84 chart 'hit' by Payne, the song was a part of her sole album of the same title. Upon Bunton's release of the My Happy Place album, it was revered by critics and fans alike as a standout song from the release. Emma's take is produced by Metrophonic, and it is given a more pop-rock feel which elevates the original (as mentioned by critics at the time). It taps into similar territory that Bunton is perhaps known for within her fanbase: Moody, darker and experimental Bunton. Just like her take on Life in Mono (song) and her own So Long and No Sign of Life (all fan-favourites), I Wish threads on a sonicly expansive landscape with repetitive lyrics that show Emma looking back at a broken relationship where she decides to leave and wishes the relationship had been better. Even though it was highlighted as one of the best songs on the album, it is however the least streamed song on it... What do you think, is I Wish I Could Have Loved You More really Emma's best cover so far? :teresa:

The oversaturation of the market with solo Spice releases was a big big issue, specially at a time when the press and industry seemingly were very much against them. Whilst they were still popular as a group, the levels of hatred against them really kicked off during this time. I think people really got tired of so much Spice in 2000, when all of them released solo material and didn't do much for the group. So the group fans got tired and they didn't quite manage to mantain the fandom to support their respective solo endeavours. It is very clear that by late Summer 2000, the UK specially was quite tired of them, and they just kept pushing their solo careers even more and neglected the main reason why people were fans of them in the first place: the group. People got bored, and that reflected on how everyone seemingly turned away after that. Post-Summer 2000, only the occasional single got some attention - What Took You So Long, Its Raining Men - but there was really no way back from that. On top of that, I think the press relenteless anti-Spice campaigns really damaged them individually. That Channel 4 documentary - How Girl Power Changed Britain - really showcases this. The main press tabloid guy confirms that after Simon Fuller was fired, the press went on a campaign to destroy them. And once they neglected the group, they were alone and more easy to damage. The press onslaught on them was immense in 1999-2003, relenteless bad press, bad critics of their music, constantly portraying them as monsters. It was awful and had a huge impact on the group and the solo projects. Now beyond the issues above, I would also argue that Take My Breath Away, whilst a gorgeous song, was somehow seen as a little sister to What Took You So Long. It was the only possible second single on the album but it was never meant to set the charts alight. Not that #5 was a huge flop - it really wasnt! But it was quite stark that it sold so poorly... but then again even a smash hit like WTYSL didn't particularly sell by the bucketloads either... :teresa:

#13 Take My Breath Away From album: A Girl Like Me Release year: 2001 UK charts: #5 UK sales: 90,281 (as of 2020) UK chart run: 05-14-25-38-48-51-48-45-56-Out-182-Out-101-142-Out-157-Out-193-177-Out Average votes: 8,42 :o Well huns I did NOT expect this to be outside of the Top10 :unsure: Take My Breath Away had the honour of being one of Emma's most enduring hits. Her second single from her first album promo campaign - though technically the third since What I Am was also included in it! - the single is a breezy, love-filled bop that has been a firm fan-favourite since it's release. Produced by Steve Mac (Little Mix, Pink) and written by him, Emma and Wayne Hector (from Peter Andre to Westlife), the song threads on the same guiter-pop sound that Emma was aiming to establish initially with her first album. It was initially chosen to be the follow up to What Took You So Long by fans online, and some of those fans names appear on the inner sleeves of the CD single. The single mix of the song slightly differs from the album version, making it shorter and more punchy, and the single included a remix by her then collaborators Tin Tin Out, making it technically the third (and final) collaboration between them. It was also the very first single from Emma to be released both as a CD (with Close Encounter as a bside) and on DVD single, where you can see Emma introducing the tracks including the bside Invincible. The video for the single was directed by Greg Masuak (Emma's long-time and regular collaborator!) and it sees Flawless Spice lounging, walking around and even riding a horse on a beach in Sardinia, Italy. The single saw a huge promotional campaign by Emma, following the success of What Took You So Long. It charted at #5 in the UK and reached the top 20 in a couple of European countries, and reached #32 32 on the ARIA Singles Chart. However, it was as a bit too long of a gap between WTYSL and this release, with a whooping 5 months between releases. I know WTYSL was a huge hit and needed space, but back then singles often were released around 3-months gap, whereas this one felt too long and it barely helped the album either... When Emma did her very first live solo concert in 2019, before performing the song she mentioned how she 'was aware of how this is everyone's most requested online' and the song did get a second wind again during that era. Emma also included it again in her Christmas 2022 tour but within a solo-music medley only. Here's some videos of the single throughout the years, from the official video (one of the only ones available officially) to live performances: _aAf8oe6NwE 6zIqErvyiCQ yYp9mzl14Wo lVH4VVorgOg

I understand where you are coming from, but Baby Please Don't Stop was too safe/expected from Emma so it was met with a shrug. As much as Too Many Teardrops would have been a challenge, at least it was more interesting as a single so it could have at least made more of a mark, in my opinion... I would have LOVED IT if she had performed TMT and I Wish live on TV or in a few gigs. Now THAT would have been worthwhile as an era lol

#14 All That You'll Be From album: Life in Mono Release year: 2006 Average votes: 8,30 Life in Mono is really the Emma Bunton album that is full of 'What If's, aka songs that could have easily been singles but sadly due to the way the album flopped and was promoted, we never got to see any of these gorgeous tracks given any special treatment. All That You'll Be closes the 'standard' version of the album, and provides Emma with what is one of her best and most beloved ballads. Written by Emma, Chris Porter (Sir Elton John, Take That, George Michael ) and Depeche Mode's band member Peter Goldeno (who has writen for George Michael, Depeche Mode, Seal and U2), the song was written inspired by Emma's own nephew. Hence the lyrics 'all that you'll be' talking about her nephew's future and how much she will support him. It's a beautifully written track, mentioned at the time as a potential single by critics and fans alike. If All I Need To Know is the perfect album opener, opening space for Emma to explore her rich tapestry of sounds and melodies across the album, All That You'll Be is the perfect closure, bringing it all to a close in the most perfect way. At the time of All I Need To Know single release, fans speculated about why she decided to release that one instead of the more radio-friendly All That You'll Be. What do you think? Would this be a better single for Valentine's Day? For me, this is Emma at her ballad best. Just stunning :wub: My hope is that one day she will sing it live. We need it!

I find Baby Please Don't Stop quite mediocre. It would have been a good bside from the Free Me era, but that's it... I really wish she had experimented more and done more originals in this era, because Baby Please Don't Stop sounded like she was just starting to step back into that sound and needed some more space/time to grow before finding the right body of work to release. Im glad we got the other two songs left on this competition from that album though. Proper, amazing Bunton bops!!

Here fun, have a listen/watch: -0NIc7l43Ws

A video of almost TWO HOURS of behind the scenes from the Let Love Lead The Way video shoot has surfaced online :wub: Not sure I have ever seen this. there was a similar one from Holler's shoot but this is the first time I see this :w00t: 4VcAiXS-vjE

Yes, exactly this. She was with BMG at the time, and they could have easily included her covers in Spotify/Apple playlists, like they did with some of the covers on My Happy Place, and it would have done much better, in my opinion, to broaden her streaming range and tap properly into the Christmas market But also, she didn't promote it at all. A Couple of interviews on didn't really do it justice, she should have done some live TV performances... It was all very baffling to be honest.

This is what very baffling to me. It wouldnt cost them anything to do this, only gain :rolleyes:

Yeah I agree. As solid an interpretation it is, I do miss and yearn for the other girls' voices throughout it :unsure: Sorry Bunton! Any further votes?

I would LOVE a solo tour from her but I think Bunton needs to get out there as a live performer first... Do the festival rounds, build an audience. She has none at the moment but she does have the potential at least... They are in strange positions where it's not like any of them - Mel C or Emma - could sell out a tour of their own. Hell, Mel C only sold out ONE of her last theatre tour dates - London - after 25 years of touring. It sucks, but thats where they are at when it comes to live shows. Emma is an even worst position because she is not known as a live act, having not toured on her own since launching her solo career. I could see her doing a Top10 album first week + a second week in Top100 then drop completely, and do the festival rounds. But Emma has to commit to it! hell, do some adverts on the side to bring in a bit more cash - like she did during Free Me era - but don't give up on the touring!!!!

In a way, she has been doing strange/unhelpful strategies for her past couple of albums... Her promo for Life in Mono had little to do with the album at all, it showcased it as a covers album since she mainly promoted Downtown and then Something Tells Me :huh: For My Happy Place, it was indeed a very strange era. She should have released right after the Spice tour instead of before, so as to give her more time to record more original songs, and properly promote. It is no surprise to me that the songs that were best received of this era were the most experimental. Same with Life in Mono. Maybe Emma should listen more to her critics and fans, since she seems to pick the wrong singles based on her perception of what people expect from 'BabyBunton' i.e. the bubble-gum adjancent pop she does with BPDS... Baby Please Don't Stop left me quite cold. Yes it was too safe to be interesting at all. I don't think any song on the album would have set the charts alight, but Too Many Teardrops at least showed growth in her sound and voice, which is something she was known for during the Free Me era. By the time TMT dropped as a preview song (not a single), people were non-plused about it because BPDS was so 'meh'... She should have done a few more originals, release a mixed album with some covers... My preference would have been: - A strong 12-track album with 2 covers of obscured songs and 10 originals... of all the covers, I would have only kept Don't Call Me Baby and I Wish I Could Have Loved You More. - Release the album in September 2019, with a few summer shows in festivals to help the promotion as well as the usual TV-Radio sounds. I think she would have gone Top10 in September with a bit more promo. - Then re-release the album for Christmas with a delux - My Happy Christmas - with a few Christmas covers plus Coming Home for Christmas (with a new bridge!) as the lead and with a proper video! - Skip her crap attendance and performance at that random Disney show in America. Distracting, and did nothing for her career. - Still do her Albert Hall show which would have been a bit more focused/successful had she actually had any Christmas presence out at the time And yes, her live and promo strategy always seemed off. It was WILD she did a Christmas one-off show at Albert Hall in 2019, after not doing a single live show of her own ever... It was quite ambitious and didn't really pay off (she sold about 75% of the venue and then gave away cheap/free tickets for the rest but even the top seats were not sold out at all). Same with her Christmas tour. She has never built a live audience, and she threw herself onto it randomly, perhaps too randomly, two whole years after Coming Home for Christmas flopped. Here is hoping she does something more/better if she does a new era. I would love her to do more festivals, but I am unsure if Emma is up for doing that considering the amount of work it takes... we know she is a bit lazy on that front

Gosh I cant wait for a new revamped Greatest Hits, damn... It feels so wasteful You have acts like Beatles, Queen, ABBA, etc constantly churning out new versions or editions of the same old Greatest hits, but nothing from our girls... It wouldn't really take anything from them, just a couple of unheard versions or whatever...

#15 Baby Please Don't Stop From album: My Happy Place Release year: 2019 UK charts: N/A UK sales: 6,691 (as of 2020) Average votes: 8,19 68NM1axZ9XE The year is 2019, and the Spice Girls are about to embark on a much-anticipated stadium tour that will eventually become the biggest tour ever by a Girl band. The group hasn't reunited for live shows since 2012's short performance at the Olympics and the world is waiting with the utmost excitement. The press is feverish, the Greatest Hits is back on the charts and there are offers being sent to the group to extend the tour worldwide. So what does BabyBunton decide to do instead of focusing on the group? Well, she decides to release another solo album, this time a record full of covers and two new original tracks :rolleyes: :teresa: These girls.... Released TWO months before the album was out :blink: Baby Please Don't Stop was Emma's return statement to the music industry after 12 years away :blink: Produced by and written with Metrophonic, the song threads on similar grounds that Free Me and Life in Mono danced in: this 60's swinging pop music that is quicky, flirty and very British. It was met however, with a bit of indifference from the press and critics, as the sound didn't seem to have developped much. It is a very safe release that didn't really offer that much. The video itself was also criticised for being very bland. Whilst Emma performed it on the BBC One Show and a few radio stations, it failed to catch much attention on streaming (barely any playlisting) and barely any radio support. So it failed to chart at all or make much dent on any platforms. Still, it brought Baby Spice back and helped to introduce her 'BabyBunton and her Family' type of branding to the UK public. Funnily enough, it is the lowest of the My Happy Place songs left in this competition with the other two having much more clear and strong voting, as well as both being strong critic and fan favourites. Did Emma mess up by releasing this as the lead? And was she wrong to release it on the lead up to the Spice tour? EWb_ZMiPFNA