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"Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" is a song performed by British girl group Spice Girls for their greatest hits album Greatest Hits. It was written by the Spice Girls, Richard Stannard and Matt Rowe, whilst produced by the latter two. It was released as the only single from the album on 5 November 2007, by Virgin Records. The song was the first commercial single release to feature the group's original lineup since Geri Halliwell left in 1998. It was also the official Children in Need single of 2007.
"Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" is a midtempo ballad song, which lyrically talks about the group reuniting, and about their friendship throughout two decades together. The song received generally mixed reviews from music critics, with some calling it a "classic" from the group, while others felt it was not good enough. "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" was a moderate success worldwide, peaking at number eleven on the UK singles chart, becoming the group's first single not to peak inside the top ten, or indeed the top two. However, it reached the top-ten in Italy, Scotland, Spain and Sweden.
An accompanying music video for "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" was directed by Anthony Mandler at Pinewood Studios and premiered in early November 2007. The video depicts the girls in a stately room, with plum colored walls and antique furniture, wearing gowns designed by Roberto Cavalli. "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" was performed by the group at the 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Children in Need 2007 marathon, as well as on their reunion tour, The Return of the Spice Girls, which occurred in 2007 and 2008.
The plan of a Spice Girls' reunion was first confirmed by Mel B in June 2005. She stated, "We'll get back together because we all want to. I know everyone is up for it. There is going to be a greatest hits album and we've got loads of new songs that nobody has heard yet." On 28 June 2007, the group held a press conference at The O2 Arena revealing their intention to reunite. During the conference, the group confirmed their intention to embark upon a worldwide concert tour, starting in Vancouver on 2 December 2007. "I want to be a Spice Girl again. We are like sisters and we have our arguments, but by the end of the day we get back together", said Emma Bunton, while Melanie Chisholm commented that the tour "will be a proper good farewell to our fans". The group's comeback single, "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)", was announced as the official Children in Need charity single for 2007, and released on radio on 23 October, whilst released digitally on 5 November and commercially on 19 November 2007.
Geri Halliwell described the single as a "big love song" and "a Spice Girl classic". Chisholm, in her 2008 appearance on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, commented that she thought the song was not good at all, and that at least she was against the release of any new material when the record company was trying to market the Greatest Hits release. She would later say "Headlines grew on me, it really came in to its own when we toured it, and it really felt lovely on stage".
"Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" was first released in the United Kingdom. The song debuted at number twenty on 17 November 2007 on the UK Singles Chart, based on digital downloads. After two weeks, the song climbed and peaked at number eleven on the chart, becoming the group's first single not to peak inside the top ten, or indeed the top two. However, the single managed to go to number three on the UK Physical Singles Chart. The song debuted at its peak of number 90 on the US Billboard Hot 100, staying on the charts only for the week of 24 November 2007. "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" debuted at number 42 on the Canadian Hot 100, only staying for one week in the chart.
The song debuted at number 67 on the Austrian Singles Chart, the group's lowest charting single in that country. The song debuted at number 52 on the Dutch Single Top 100 on the issue date 17 November 2007. It later slipped to number 93 after one week, thus becoming the group's third single to miss the top ten in that country. On the issue dated 15 November 2007, "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" debuted at number three on the Swedish Singles Chart, the Spice Girls' highest single since 1998's "Goodbye". The song stayed on the charts for five weeks. The song peaked at number two in Italy, becoming a success in that country, staying in the charts for seven weeks.
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"Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" has received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Talia Kraines, writing for BBC Music was positive in her review, and called the song a "classic Spice ballad". According to a writer from The Daily Collegian, "for the naysayers, who say the Spice Girls time has passed, two new tunes, "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" and "Voodoo" may grab your attention". Nick Levine from Digital Spy commented in his positive review, "'Headlines' won't be the first tune you skip to on the Spice Girls' Greatest Hits album – or, in all honesty, the tenth – but, as its pretty, gently melodic chorus surges gracefully, the feeling that comes over you is unmistakable. Nostalgia's a funny old thing, isn't it?"
NME gave it a mixed review, and said "new ballad "Headlines" is functional but lacks a certain, ahem, zig-a-zig aaaaaaargh." Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic gave it a mixed review, as he commented that, along with "Voodoo", it was "forgetable" and a "sleepy" song. The reviewer also said that the song "isn't as self-referential or clever as its title suggests". However, Rosie Swash from The Guardian provided a negative review, stating, "the Spice Girls have never been the most sincere bunch of women and between an entirely forgettable melody and lyrics that go round in circles of crap about reaching into your soul and the time being now or never", completing that the biggest sound the song made was "the echo of total hollowness".
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