Which one do you think did the most damage for there respected groups? Both made world wide news and both Robbie and Geri were seen by many as fans favourites.

I think Geri leaving the Spice Girls had the most negative effect on them because as good as the forever album was/is It just didn't feel the same anymore and the slow sales showed this. When Robbie left TT were already planning Solo projects with Gary being blamed for the group's split because he wanted to go solo.

I think Robbie leaving was just the perfect excuse for Gary to call it quits first time round.

what do you guys think? which shock the pop world more?

I pretty much agree with the OP.

Robbie leaving Take That had far greater impact than Geri leaving Spice Girls.

In the case of Take That, Robbie left at the height of their fame. Even though Take That called it a day a few months later, it paved the way for one of the biggest comebacks ever seen in British pop music.

As for Spice Girls, they peaked with their first album and so when Geri left, Spice Girls were already past their peak. When the third album was released, it sounded like a Mel B side project and that was pretty much the nail in the coffin.

There really isn't a comparison. Robbie's exit had far greater significance in the long run. Had Geri not left the Spice Girls, I suspect their success would've gone the same way regardless.

When Geri quite the group it was unexpected and the girls were already recording a 3rd album with her on. The songs for these have leaked online recently. I believe that the Spice Girls had plans that were forced to be scrapped and Forever wasn't really wanted by the girls but had to fulfill the album contract. Whilst over in the TT camp things were already starting to wind down. Gary was working on his first solo album and they were having problems with Robbie for months which led to the band meeting where Robbie walked. Both departures led to both bands split but I think TT was already planning to anyway where's SG's wasn't quite ready to at that point.

Robbie's return to TT and Geri's return to SG was always going to happen the only difference is that TT made a real comeback with huge albums and tours where SG were only cashing In on old fame and really didn't comeback in that sense.

When Robbie left Take That, their current album was 'Nobody Else' which sold 6 million copies.

When Geri left The Spice Girls, their current album was 'Spiceworld' which sold 20 million copies.

Perspective.

I don't understand what your getting at? This isn't about how many copies the albums sold its about who suffered the most damage after the two singers quit.

The poster that I quoted stated that the Spice Girls success was in a decline at the time of Geri's departure whereas Take That's success was not.

I was just adding some context and perspective to consider with that point of view.

Geri's was definitely the bigger story as Spice Girls were the biggest group in the world at the time Geri walked away.

Take That were one of the biggest groups when Robbie left but never biggest as they never broke the mighty US.

Whose exit caused more damage? Not sure as both had hit singles and continued tour success without either. Spice Girls sales obviously declined but I still think the drastic move to RnB had a lot to do with that. Would've been interesting to see how a four piece Take That album in 1996 would've turned out sales wise.

It is really hard to judge if the Spice Girls were on the decline . Yes Spice World didn't sell as much as Spice but still sold multi millions . Any true signs of measure of decline would of been better measured if Geri had stayed and released the 3rd album with them. It is almost impossible for groups or acts to continue to sell the same amount of Albums with 2nd and 3rd albums anyway. Spice Girls had plans for a new album and we got forever where's Take That didn't have any plans for future albums with or without Robbie after the Greatest hits.

I think Take That were thinking of going their own ways AFTER the World tour in late 1995. They always said they wanted to finish on top and you don't get much bigger than Back For Good and it's global success throughout 1995.

Gary mentioned in a documentary that they went to a smash hits (95 I believe?) and everyone looked and sounded like them TT clones everywhere. Not only that but they were coming in from America also ( Backstreet Boys) he said. He said that they can't be there next year and that probably confirmed/contributed to them splitting and following it through.

Robbie wanted to finish with TT after the World tour in late 1995 but he was told to go there and then (July 95). This is why I think Robbie is more shocking as he was kicked out and at the time I believe his popularity with fans had overtaken Mark and Gary who were the most popular originally. Geri left like many chose to do, shocking but quite commonplace.

Never Forget and How Deep is Your Love went to #1 allowing them to finish on top. Spice Girls also finished on top though never announced a break up.

So most damaging Spice Girls but most shocking Robbie.