Hits 03

Spice Girls, "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)"

As much as I wanted to like the new single by the reunited Spice Girls, I just can't bring myself to feel anything but disappointment. Released as the teaser for their upcoming greatest hits album, as well as being the official 2007 BBC Children In Need single, it's a big ballad in the tradition of their past hits "2 Become 1" and "Viva Forever." Sadly, it doesn't come anywhere near the standard set by their earlier ballads. "Headlines" is too slow, lacks a killer chorus and has an overall sloppiness to the structure that makes it far from headline-grabbing material (excuse the pun). It fails to reignite that "Girl Power" magic that made us all love the Spice Girls in the first place, which was essentially the whole point of their reunion. The video doesn't help matters much, only proving that the girls are all experts at standing around in expensive clothing looking bored out of their minds. Well done!

Here is "Baby Spice" Emma Bunton's cover of "Downtown," released this time last year as the 2006 BBC Children in Need single. While it isn't the best track she's released, it remains miles ahead of the suckfest known as "Headlines," and proves that charity singles are in fact allowed to be good (despite recent evidence). A song download is also included, since this one's actually worth a listen.

Emma Bunton, "Downtown" (from the album Life In Mono)

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