On Friday (June 26), the Spice Girls’ breakthrough smash “Wannabe” turns 30. Every ’90s kid who became hooked on its infectious bubblegum pop sound, universal themes of friendship and solidarity and the mystery of the zig-a-zig-ah in the summer of ’96 or start of ’97 (depending which side of the Atlantic you’re on) will be dusting off the platform boots or breaking out a backflip in honor.
Three decades on, it’s difficult to comprehend just how much of a juggernaut the quintet’s debut single was. It topped the charts in 22 countries (going No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks in early 1997), won at the MTV VMAs and BRIT Awards and made the group a household name. A study conducted by the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry and University of Amsterdam found that “Wannabe” was the catchiest hit of the past 60 years. Furthermore, it paved the way for a whole new generation of all-female acts, foreshadowed the teen-pop boom of Y2K and inspired a wave of fandom not seen since The Beatles. All in less than three minutes.
It’s little wonder, therefore, that “Wannabe” has been covered by artists from across the musical spectrum. Foo Fighters, DNCE and Fifth Harmony have all performed it on stage. The casts of Glee, Chicken Little and One Tree Hill have helped to immortalize it on screen. And it’s been treated to a dramatic reading by Eva Longoria, a Carpool Karaoke by Adele and even a bizarre tribute by five electric toothbrushes. Here’s a look at 10 of the best covers committed to record.
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Neon Hitch
“If you wannabe my lover/ You gotta f–k with my friends.” Former fire swinger Neon Hitch essentially set “Wannabe” ablaze, transforming the squeaky-clean bubblegum pop classic into a foul-mouthed, slinky R&B jam. Best known for her guest spots on Hot 100 hits by Gym Class Heroes (“Ass Back Home”) and 3OH!3 (“Follow Me Down”), the Benny Blanco protégé also channels several Spice Girls in the accompanying video, whether Scary with her leopard print top, Posh with her flowing black skirt or Baby with her pink bike and a cuddly toy that’s undoubtedly seen better days. Listen here.
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The Baseballs
Ever wondered what “Wannabe” performed by The King would sound like? And we’re not talking Geri’s favorite royal, Charles, here. Well, forget feeding any prompts into an AI tool. Simply hit play on Hit Me Baby…, the 2016 fifth album from Germany’s ultimate Elvis soundalikes, The Baseballs. Alongside girl band classics such as All Saints’ “Never Ever,” Sugababes’ “Overload” and Mary Mary’s “Shackles (Praise You),” Sam, Digger and Basti curl their lips and swing their hips to a rockabilly rendition of the ’90s chart-topper that sounds like it’s been plucked from a ‘50s sock hop. Listen here.
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Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox
If The Baseballs are still a bit too contemporary for your liking, then how about a bit of wartime boogie-woogie from the masters of the retro remake, Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox? Showcasing their pitch-perfect close harmonies, vocalists Therese Curatolo, Olivia Kuper and Sara Niemietz make the in-yer-face pop of “Wannabe” resemble the kind of timeless Andrews Sisters ditty your great-grandparents would have crowded ’round the gramophone to hear. Then again, “The Lady Is A Vamp” proved the Spice Girls weren’t entirely averse to a bit of jazz hands themselves. Listen here.
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Herve Pagez and Diplo feat. Charli xcx
Technically not a cover but an original song, “Spicy,” that interpolates “Wannabe,” we’re counting this anyway.
“[I] looked up to the pop gods & they said, ‘Charli – you’re the chosen one: honor the Spice Girls’ return with a mind-blowing version of one of their iconic smash hits,’ and I said, ‘K, no probs hun I got this.’” The year after paying homage to “Say You’ll Be There” in the video for Troye Sivan collab “1999,” Charli xcx teamed up with French producer Herve Pagez and electro overlord Diplo for another spicy tribute. This time around, the self-proclaimed brat worked her audiovisual magic on “Wannabe,” warping its singalong chorus on a reggaeton-tinged banger while flying across the world on some Technicolor dolphins. She did indeed got this. Listen here.
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Zebrahead
Warped Vans Tour regulars Zebrahead would later cover “Spice Up Your Life” – as well as girl power pioneers Shampoo – on their delightfully titled 2009 covers album Panty Raid. But their first, and most anthemic, brush with the Spice Girls came five years earlier on frontman Justin Mauriello’s studio swan song Waste of MFZB. Their rendition of “Wannabe” sounds exactly like you’d expect from a bunch of Orange County punk-rappers – loud, fast and unashamedly snotty-nosed. File alongside Alien Ant Farm’s “Smooth Criminal” and Limp Bizkit’s “Faith” in the top tier of nu-metal-does-pop. Listen here.
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MC Mayara, DZ MC, MC Mercenária & MC Baby Liss
MC Mayara, DZ MC, MC Mercenária and the aptly titled MC Baby Liss went the extra mile for their funk Carioca take on “Wannabe.” In addition to translating its lyrics into Portuguese – hence the new title of “Mereço Muito Mais” – they also recreated its iconic one-shot (or looks like one-shot) video. Instead of a grand London hotel, though, the four rappers cause some mild chaos in a modest Brazilian restaurant/music venue before making their exit not on a double-decker bus but in a slightly cramped minivan. The glamour! Listen here.
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Why Mona
Why Mona? Why not? Prolific producer Unlike Pluto and Joanna Jones, a singer/actor who played both Peggy and Maria in the Broadway production of Hamilton, first caught attention covering ‘70s classics by Queen, Earth, Wind & Fire and Bee Gees in a melodic house style. But in 2019, they fast-forwarded to the ‘90s to imbue “Wannabe” with some slow-motion beats and poolside-friendly basslines tailor-made for the Love Island soundtrack. With an astonishing 157 million streams on Spotify, it’s second only to the real thing as the most popular version. Listen here.
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Volac
Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” came accompanied by various remixes from the likes of Junior Vasquez, Motiv 8 and Dave Way. But its most anthemic dance floor reworking came nearly 30 years later courtesy of a Russian duo who specialize in the sound of tech house. Renowned for their fashion combo of sun visors and colorful t-shirts, Volac, aka DJs/producers Sasha Gorohov and Stas Moskalev, chop and screw the iconic opening line (“So tell me what you want, what you really, really want…”) into a pulsing banger. Listen here.
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Peter Stampfel
Hailed as the Bob Dylan of the freak-folk world, Peter Stampfel covered one track from every single year of the 20th century for his ambitious eighth solo LP. And adhering to the UK’s release schedule, he chose “Wannabe” to represent 1996. In his early eighties at the time, the founder of cult outfit The Holy Modal Rounders tackles the song completely outside his wheelhouse with an impressive gusto, even pulling off the middle-eight rap. Sure, it sounds like your grandad picking up the banjo after a couple of whiskies, but it’s full of ramshackle charm. Listen here.
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Anthony Vincent and Mac Glocky
The rise of AI has cheapened the novelty of hearing a song transformed into a completely different genre. But YouTubers Anthony Vincent and Mac Glocky prove that “In the Style Of” still has some artistic merit, using their very human guitar skills and uncanny ability to impersonate the swooping operatics and guttural growls of Serj Tankian to piledrive “Wannabe” straight into the mosh pit. Their 2024 collaboration was so convincing that even a real member of System of a Down, bassist Shavo Odadjian, felt compelled to give it the horn hand salute. Listen here.