The Spice Girls are an English girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Victoria Beckham ("Posh Spice"). With their "girl power" mantra, they redefined the girl-group concept by targeting a young female fanbase. They led the teen pop resurgence of the 1990s, were a major part of the Cool Britannia era, and became pop culture icons of the decade.

The Spice Girls formed through auditions held with the intent to create a girl group to compete with the British boy bands popular at the time. They quickly left the managers and took creative control over their sound and image. The Spice Girls signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single "Wannabe" in 1996, which reached number one on the charts of 37 countries. Their debut album, Spice (1996), sold more than 23 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album by a female group in history. It produced three more number-one singles: "Say You'll Be There", "2 Become 1" and "Who Do You Think You Are"/"Mama". Their second album Spiceworld (1997) was another global success, selling more than 14 million copies worldwide. They achieved three number-one singles from the album with: "Spice Up Your Life", "Too Much" and "Viva Forever". Both albums encapsulated the group's dance-pop style and message of female empowerment, with vocal and songwriting contributions shared equally by the members.

In 1997 the Spice Girls made their live debut concert tour and released a feature film, Spice World, both to commercial success. In 1998, the group embarked on the Spiceworld Tour, which was attended by an estimated 2.1 million people worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing concert tour by a female group, grossing an estimated $220–250 million in ticket sales. Halliwell left the Spice Girls mid-tour in May 1998. Following a number-one single with "Goodbye" (1998) and a successful 1999 concert tour, the Spice Girls released their R&B-influenced third album Forever (2000). It featured their ninth number one single with "Holler"/"Let Love Lead the Way", setting a record for most UK number ones by a girl group of all time. At the end of 2000, the Spice Girls entered a hiatus to concentrate on their solo careers. Since then, they reunited for two concert tours; the Return of the Spice Girls (2007–2008) as a five-piece and Spice World – 2019 tour without Beckham, both of which won the Billboard Live Music Award for highest-grossing engagements, making the Spice Girls the top touring all-female group from 1998 to 2020. They also reunited briefly in 2012 for a critically acclaimed live performance at the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.

The Spice Girls have sold 100 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling girl group of all time, one of the bestselling artists, and the most successful British pop act since the Beatles. They received five Brit Awards, three American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three MTV Europe Music Awards and one MTV Video Music Award. In 2000, they became the youngest recipients of the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. According to Rolling Stone journalist and biographer David Sinclair, they were the most widely recognised group since the Beatles. Other measures of the Spice Girls' success include iconic symbolism such as Halliwell's Union Jack dress, and their nicknames, which were given to them by the British press. Under the guidance of their mentor and manager Simon Fuller, their endorsement deals and merchandise made them one of the most successful marketing engines ever, with a global gross income estimated at $500–800 million by May 1998. According to the Music Week writer Paul Gorman, their media exposure helped usher in an era of celebrity obsession in pop culture.