Two years is a long time in pop music, but for five young ladies it was more like a lifetime. Since bursting into the Official Singles Chart with Wannabe in July 1996, Victoria Adams, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell had enjoyed an impressive run of six Number 1 singles. (Only Stop had stalled at Number 2, beaten to the top of the charts by the monster smash It’s Like That, by Run-DMC & Jason Nevins.)