The band's 1991 debut album,Gish, was well-received by critics and became an underground success. In the advent of alternative rock's mainstream breakthrough, their second album,Siamese Dream (1993), established the band's popularity. Despite a tumultuous recording process, the album received widespread acclaim and has been lauded as one of the best albums in the genre. Their third album,Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995), furthered the band's popularity; it debuted atop theBillboard 200, received aDiamond certification from theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and continued the band's critical success. After the release ofAdore in 1998 and a two-part project in 2000—Machina andMachina II—the group disbanded due to internal conflicts, drug use, and diminishing sales by the end of the 1990s. With 30 million albums sold worldwide, the Smashing Pumpkins were among the most critically and commercially successful bands of the 1990s, and an important act in the popularization of alternative rock.
In 2006, Corgan and Chamberlin reconvened to record the band's seventh album,Zeitgeist. After touring throughout 2007 and 2008 with a lineup including new guitaristJeff Schroeder, Chamberlin left the band in early 2009. Later that year, Corgan began a new recording series with a rotating lineup of musicians entitledTeargarden by Kaleidyscope, which encompassed stand-alone singles, EP releases, and two full albums that also fell under the project's scope—Oceania in 2012 andMonuments to an Elegy in 2014. Chamberlin became a touring member in 2015, before officially rejoining with Iha in 2018. The reunited lineup then released the albumsShiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. in 2018 andCyr in 2020, in addition toAtum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts across three increments between 2022 and 2023. Schroeder departed from the band in October 2023. Following Schroeder's departure, the band's remaining members releasedAghori Mhori Mei in 2024.
After the breakup of hisgothic rock and metal band the Marked, singer and guitarist Billy Corgan leftSt. Petersburg, Florida and returned to his native city of Chicago, where he took a job in a record store and had the idea to start a band called the Smashing Pumpkins.[2][3] While working at the store he met guitaristJames Iha. Adorning themselves withpaisley and other psychedelic trappings, the two began writing songs (with the aid of adrum machine) which were heavily influenced bythe Cure andNew Order.[4] The duo performed live for the first time on July 9, 1988, at the Polish bar Chicago 21.[5] This performance included only Corgan on bass and Iha on guitar[6] with a drum machine.[7] Shortly thereafter, Corgan metD'arcy Wretzky after a show by theDan Reed Network where they argued the merits of a band. After finding out that Wretzky played bass guitar, Corgan got her to join the band and the trio played a show at the Avalon Nightclub.[8][9] After the show,Cabaret Metro owner Joe Shanahan agreed to book the band on the condition that they replace the drummachine with a live drummer.[10]
Jazz drummerJimmy Chamberlin was recommended by a friend of Corgan's.[9] Chamberlin knew little of alternative music and immediately changed the sound of the nascent band. As Corgan recalled of the period, "We were completely into the sad-rock,Cure kind of thing. It took about two or three practices before I realized that the power in his playing was something that enabled us to rock harder than we could ever have imagined."[4] On October 5, 1988, the complete band took the stage for the first time at the Cabaret Metro.[9]
In 1989, the Smashing Pumpkins made their first appearance on record with the compilation albumLight Into Dark, which featured several Chicago alternative bands. The group released its first single, "I Am One", in 1990 on the local Chicago label Limited Potential. The single sold out and they released a follow-up, "Tristessa", onSub Pop; then they signed toCaroline Records.[11] The band recorded their 1991 debut studio albumGish with producerButch Vig at hisSmart Studios inMadison, Wisconsin, for$20,000.[12] In order to gain the consistency he desired, Corgan often played all instruments excluding drums, which created tension in the band. The music fusedheavy metal guitars,psychedelia, anddream pop, garnering them comparisons toJane's Addiction.[13]Gish became a minor success, with the single "Rhinoceros" receiving some airplay onmodern rock radio. After releasing theLull EP in October 1991 on Caroline Records, the band formally signed withVirgin Records, which was affiliated with Caroline.[11] The band supported the album with a tour that included opening for bands such as theRed Hot Chili Peppers,Jane's Addiction, andGuns N' Roses. During the tour, Iha and Wretzky went through a messy breakup, Chamberlin became addicted to narcotics and alcohol, and Corgan entered a deep depression,[14] writing some songs for the upcoming album in the parking garage where he lived at the time.[15]
With the breakthrough of alternative rock into the American mainstream due to the popularity ofgrunge bands such asNirvana andPearl Jam, the Smashing Pumpkins were poised for major commercial success. At this time, the Smashing Pumpkins were routinely lumped in with the grunge movement, with Corgan protesting, "We've graduated now from 'the next Jane's Addiction' to 'the next Nirvana', now we're 'the next Pearl Jam'."[16]
Amid this environment of intense internal pressure for the band to break through to widespread popularity, the band relocated toMarietta, Georgia, in late 1992 to begin work on their second album, with Butch Vig returning as producer.[4] The decision to record so far away from their hometown was motivated partly by the band's desire to avoid friends and distractions during the recording, but largely as a desperate attempt to cut Chamberlin off from his known drug connections.[4] The recording environment forSiamese Dream was quickly marred by discord within the band. As was the case withGish, Corgan and Vig decided that Corgan should play nearly all of the guitar and bass parts on the album, contributing to an air of resentment.[17][18] The contemporary music press began to portray Corgan as a tyrant.[19] Corgan's depression, meanwhile, had deepened to the point where he contemplated suicide, and he compensated by practically living in the studio.[20] Meanwhile, Chamberlin quickly managed to find new connections and was often absent without any contact for days at a time.[4] In all, it took over four months to complete the record, with the budget exceeding$250,000.[17]
Despite all the problems in its recording,Siamese Dream became the band's mainstream breakthrough, peaking at number ten on theBillboard 200 chart and selling over four million copies in the U.S. alone.[21][22] Alongside the band's mounting mainstream recognition, the band's reputation ascareerists among their former peers in theindependent music community was worsened.[7]Indie rock bandPavement's 1994 song "Range Life" directly mocks the band in its lyrics, althoughStephen Malkmus, lead singer of Pavement, has stated, "I never dissed their music. I just dissed their status."[23] FormerHüsker Dü frontmanBob Mould called them "the grungeMonkees",[4] and fellow Chicago musician/producerSteve Albini wrote a scathing letter in response to an article praising the band, derisively comparing them toREO Speedwagon ("by, of and for the mainstream") and concluding their ultimate insignificance.[24][25]Fred Armisen said the band simply "flew past us" in the 90s Chicago music scene after his own bandTrenchmouth had produced five albums.[26] The opening track and lead single ofSiamese Dream, "Cherub Rock", directly addresses Corgan's feud with the "indie-world".[27] In spite of the backlash,Siamese Dream is often regarded as one of the greatest albums of the alternative rock genre,[28][29] and one of the best albums of the 1990s.[30][31]
In 1994 Virgin released theB-sides/rarities compilationPisces Iscariot which charted higher thanSiamese Dream by reaching number four on theBillboard 200.[32] Also released was a VHS cassette titledVieuphoria featuring a mix of live performances and behind-the-scenes footage. For Christmas 1994 Corgan gave ten copies of an informally self-released five-CD box set,Mashed Potatoes, to close friends of the band. It contained early demos, interview snippets and live recordings dating from 1988 to 1993. Music journalist Ned Raggett called it "the holy grail of Smashing Pumpkins collectibles for the hardcore fanatic". It became available online in the early 2000s.[33]
Corgan performing at theNassau Coliseum on Long Island in January 1997, featuring a shaved head and his iconic "Zero" shirt.
During 1995, Corgan wrote about 56 songs,[34] following which the band went into the studio with producersFlood andAlan Moulder to work on what Corgan described as "The Wall forGeneration X",[35] and which becameMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, a double album of twenty-eight songs, lasting over two hours (the vinyl version of the album contained three records, two extra songs, and an alternate track listing). The songs were intended to hang together conceptually as a symbol of the cycle of life and death.[7] Praised byTime as "the group's most ambitious and accomplished work yet",[36]Mellon Collie debuted at number one on theBillboard 200 in October 1995.[37] Even more successful thanSiamese Dream, it was certified ten times platinum in the United States[38] and became the best-selling double album of the decade.[39] It also garnered seven1997 Grammy Award nominations, including Album of the Year. The band won only theBest Hard Rock Performance award, for the album's lead single "Bullet with Butterfly Wings". The album spawned five singles—"Bullet with Butterfly Wings", "1979", "Zero", "Tonight, Tonight" which Corgan stated was inspired by theCheap Trick song "I'll Be with You Tonight",[40] and "Thirty-Three"—of which the first three were certified gold and all but "Zero" entered the Top 40. Many of the songs that did not make it ontoMellon Collie were released as B-sides to the singles, and were later compiled inThe Aeroplane Flies High box set. The set was originally limited to 200,000 copies, but more were produced to meet demand.[41]
In 1996 the Pumpkins undertook an extended world tour in support ofMellon Collie. Corgan's look during this period—a shaved head, a long-sleeve black shirt with the word "Zero" printed on it, and silver pants—became iconic.[42] That year, the band also made a guest appearance in an episode ofThe Simpsons, "Homerpalooza". With considerable video rotation on MTV, major industry awards, and "Zero" shirts selling in many malls, the Pumpkins were considered one of the most popular bands of the time.[43][44]
In May, the Smashing Pumpkins played a gig at thePoint Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Despite the band's repeated requests formoshing to stop, a seventeen-year-old fan named Bernadette O'Brien was crushed to death. The concert ended early and the following night's performance in Belfast was cancelled out of respect for her.[45] However, while Corgan maintained that moshing's "time [had] come and gone", the band would continue to request open-floor concerts throughout the rest of the tour.[46]
The band suffered a personal tragedy on the night of July 11, 1996, when touring keyboardistJonathan Melvoin and Chamberlin overdosed on heroin in a hotel room in New York City. Melvoin died, and Chamberlin was arrested for drug possession. A few days later, the band announced that Chamberlin had been fired as a result of the incident.[47] The Pumpkins chose to finish the tour, and hired drummerMatt Walker and keyboardistDennis Flemion. Corgan later said the decision to continue touring was the worst decision the band had ever made, damaging both their music and their reputation.[4] Chamberlin admitted in a 1994Rolling Stone cover story that in the past he'd "gotten high in every city in this country and probably half the cities in Europe." But in recent years, he had reportedly been clean. On July 17, the Pumpkins issued a statement in which they said, "For nine years we have battled with Jimmy's struggles with the insidious disease of drug and alcohol addiction. It has nearly destroyed everything we are and stand for. … We wish [him] the best we have to offer".[48] Meanwhile, the band had given interviews since the release ofMellon Collie stating that it would be the last conventional Pumpkins record,[49] and that rock was becoming stale. James Iha said at the end of 1996, "The future is in electronic music. It really seems boring just to play rock music."[50]
Adore, departure of Wretzky,Machina, and breakup: 1998–2000
After the release ofMellon Collie, the Pumpkins contributed many songs to various compilations. Released in early 1997, the song "Eye", which appeared on the soundtrack toDavid Lynch'sLost Highway, relied almost exclusively on electronic instruments and signaled a drastic shift from the Pumpkins' previous musical styles. At the time, Corgan stated his "idea [was] to reconfigure the focus and get away from the classic guitars-bass-drum rock format."[51] Later that year, the group contributed "The End Is the Beginning Is the End" to thesoundtrack for the filmBatman & Robin. With Matt Walker on drums, the song featured a heavy sound similar to "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" while still having strong electronic influences. The song later won the1998 Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. Though Corgan announced that the song represented the sound people could expect from the band in the future,[52] the band's next album would feature few guitar-driven songs.
Recorded following the death of Corgan's mother and his divorce, 1998'sAdore represented a significant change of style from the Pumpkins' previous guitar-based rock, veering into electronica. The record, cut with assistance from drum machines and studio drummers including Matt Walker, was infused with a darker aesthetic than much of the band's earlier work. The group also modified its public image, shedding its alternative rock look for a more subdued appearance. AlthoughAdore received favorable reviews and was nominated for Best Alternative Performance at the Grammy Awards, the album had only sold about 830,000 copies in the United States by the end of the year.[53] The album nonetheless debuted at number 2 on theBillboard 200[54] and sold three times as many copies overseas.[4] The band began a seventeen-date, fifteen-city charity North American tour in support ofAdore. At each stop on the tour, the band donated 100 percent of ticket sales to a local charity organization. The tour's expenses were entirely funded out of the band's own pockets. All told, the band donated over$2.8 million to charity as a result of the tour.[55] On October 31, 1998, during Halloween, the band opened forKiss atDodger Stadium inLos Angeles, dressed in costume asthe Beatles.[56]
In 1999 the band surprised fans by reuniting with a rehabilitated Jimmy Chamberlin for a brief tour dubbed "The Arising", which showcased both new and classic material. The lineup was short-lived, however, as the band announced the departure of Wretzky in September during work on the albumMachina/The Machines of God, and the band was subsequently dropped bySharon Osbourne Management.[57][58] FormerHole bassistMelissa Auf der Maur was recruited for the "Sacred and Profane" tour in support of the album and appeared in the videos accompanying its release. Released in 2000,Machina was initially promoted as the Pumpkins' return to a more traditional rock sound, after the more gothic, electronic-soundingAdore.[59] The album debuted at number three on theBillboard charts,[60] but quickly disappeared and as of 2007 had only been certified gold.[61][62] Music journalistJim DeRogatis, who described the album as "one of the strongest of their career", noted that the stalled sales forMachina in comparison toteen pop ascendant at the time "seems like concrete proof that a new wave of young pop fans has turned a deaf ear toward alternative rock."[63]
On May 23, 2000, in a live radio interview onKROQ-FM (Los Angeles), Billy Corgan announced the band's decision to break up at the end of that year following additional touring and recording.[59] The group's final album before the break-up,Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music, was released in September 2000 in a limited pressing on vinyl with permission and instructions for free redistribution on the Internet by fans. Only twenty-five copies were cut, each of which was hand numbered and given to friends of the band along with band members themselves. The album, released under theConstantinople Records label created by Corgan, consisted of one double LP and three ten-inch EPs.[64] Originally, the band asked Virgin to offerMachina II as a free download to anyone who boughtMachina. When the record label declined, Corgan opted to release the material independently.[65]
On December 2, 2000, Smashing Pumpkins played a farewell concert at The Metro, the same Chicago club where their career had effectively started twelve years earlier. The four-and-a-half-hour-long show featured 35 songs spanning the group's career, and attendees were given a recording of the band's first concert at The Metro,Live at Cabaret Metro 10-5-88.[65] The single "Untitled" was released commercially to coincide with the farewell show.
In 2001 the compilationRotten Apples was released. The double-disc version of the album, released as a limited edition, included a collection of B-sides and rarities calledJudas O. TheGreatest Hits Video Collection DVD was also released at the same time. This was a compilation of all of the Pumpkins promo videos fromGish toMachina along with unreleased material.[66]Vieuphoria was released on DVD in 2002, as was the soundtrack albumEarphoria, previously released solely to radio stations in 1994.
Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin reunited in 2001 as members of Corgan's next project, the short-livedsupergroupZwan. The group's only album,Mary Star of the Sea, was released in 2003. After cancelling a few festival appearances, Corgan announced the demise of the band in 2003. During 2001 Corgan also toured as part ofNew Order and provided vocals on their comeback albumGet Ready. In October 2004 Corgan released his first book,Blinking with Fists, a collection of poetry. In June 2005, he released a solo album,TheFutureEmbrace, which he described as "(picking) up the thread of the as-yet-unfinished work of the Smashing Pumpkins".[67] Despite this, it was greeted with generally mixed reviews and lackluster sales. Only one single, "Walking Shade", was released in support of the album.
In addition to drumming with Zwan, Jimmy Chamberlin also formed an alternative rock/jazz fusion project band calledJimmy Chamberlin Complex. The group released an album in 2005 titledLife Begins Again. Corgan provided guest vocals on the track "Lokicat". James Iha served as a guitarist inA Perfect Circle, appearing on theirThirteenth Step club tour and 2004 album,eMOTIVe. He has also been involved with other acts such asChino Moreno'sTeam Sleep andVanessa and the O's. He continues to work withScratchie Records, his own record label, as well. D'arcy Wretzky has, aside from one radio interview in 2009, not made any public statements or appearances nor given any interviews since leaving the band in 1999. On January 25, 2000, she was arrested after she allegedly purchased three bags ofcocaine, but after successfully completing a court-ordered drug education program, the charges were dropped.[68]
Corgan insisted during this period that the band would not reform, although when Zwan broke up he announced, "I think my heart was in Smashing Pumpkins [...] I think it was naive of me to think that I could find something that would mean as much to me."[69] Corgan said in 2005, "I never wanted to leave the Smashing Pumpkins. That was never the plan."[70] On February 17, 2004, Corgan posted a message on his personal blog calling Wretzky a "mean-spirited drug addict" and blaming Iha for the breakup of the Smashing Pumpkins.[71] On June 3, 2004, he added that "the depth of my hurt [from Iha] is only matched with the depth of my gratitude".[72] Iha responded to Corgan's claims in 2005, saying, "No, I didn't break up the band. The only person who could have done that is Billy."[73]
The Smashing Pumpkins on May 22, 2007, atLe Grand Rex, Paris; the band's first show since their break up; left to right: Billy Corgan (front) and Jimmy Chamberlin (back)
On June 21, 2005, the day of the release of his first solo albumTheFutureEmbrace, Corgan took out full-page advertisements in theChicago Tribune andChicago Sun-Times to announce that he planned to reunite the band. "For a year now", Corgan wrote, "I have walked around with a secret, a secret I chose to keep. But now I want you to be among the first to know that I have made plans to renew and revive the Smashing Pumpkins. I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams".[67] Corgan and Chamberlin were verified as participants in the reunion, but there was question as to whether other former members of the band would participate.[74][75][76]
In April 2007 Iha and Auf der Maur separately confirmed that they were not taking part in the reunion.[77][78] Chamberlin would later state that Iha and Wretzky "didn't want to be a part of" the reunion.[79] The Smashing Pumpkins performed live for the first time since 2000 on May 22, 2007, in Paris, France. There, the band unveiled new touring members: guitaristJeff Schroeder, bassistGinger Reyes, and keyboardistLisa Harriton.[80] That same month, "Tarantula" was released as the first single from the band's forthcoming album. On July 7, the band performed at theLive Earth concert inNew Jersey.[81]
The band's new album,Zeitgeist, was released that same month onReprise Records, entering theBillboard charts at number two and selling 145,000 copies in its first week.[82]Zeitgeist received mixed reviews, with much of the criticism targeted at the absence of half of the original lineup. The album divided the Pumpkins' fanbase. Corgan would later admit, "I know a lot of our fans are puzzled byZeitgeist. I think they wanted this massive, grandiose work, but you don't just roll out of bed after seven years without a functioning band and go back to doing that".
Corgan and Chamberlin continued to record as a duo, releasing the four-song EPAmerican Gothic in January 2008 and the singles "Superchrist" and "G.L.O.W." later that year.[83] That November, the group released the DVDIf All Goes Wrong, which chronicled the group's 2007 concert residences inAsheville, North Carolina and San Francisco, California. In late 2008, the band commenced on a controversy-riddled 20th Anniversary Tour. Around this time, Corgan said the group will make no more full-length records in order to focus exclusively on singles, explaining, "The listening patterns have changed, so why are we killing ourselves to do albums, to create balance, and do the arty track to set up the single? It's done."[84]
DrummerMike Byrne and bassistNicole Fiorentino joined the band in 2009 and 2010 respectively, and both left in 2014
In March 2009 Corgan announced on the band's website that Chamberlin had left the group and would be replaced.[85] Chamberlin subsequently stated that his departure from the band was "a positive move forward for me. I can no longer commit all of my energy into something that I don't fully possess."[86] Chamberlin stressed that the split was amicable, commenting, "I am glad [Corgan] has chosen to continue under the name. It is his right."[87]
Chamberlin soon formed the bandSkysaw, which released an album and toured in support ofMinus the Bear.[88] In July 2009, Corgan formed a new group called Spirits in the Sky, initially as a tribute band toSky Saxon ofthe Seeds, who had recently died. The following month, Corgan confirmed on the band's website that 19-year-old Spirits in the Sky drummerMike Byrne had replaced Chamberlin and that the pair were working on new Pumpkins recordings.[89]
The group announced plans to release a 44-track concept album,Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, for free over the Internet one track at a time.[90] The first track, "A Song for a Son", was released in December 2009 to moderate press acclaim.[91][92] In March 2010 Ginger Reyes officially left the band, prompting an open call for auditions for a new bassist.[93] That month also saw the first EP,Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor, released from the project as a box set. In May,Nicole Fiorentino announced she had joined the band as bass player, and would be working onTeargarden by Kaleidyscope.[94] The new lineup went on a world tour through to the end of 2010.[95] One of the first shows with the new lineup was a concert to benefitMatthew Leone, bassist for the rock bandMadina Lake, at the Metro on July 27, 2010. In late 2010 the second EP,Vol. 2: The Solstice Bare, was released as another box set, and all four members contributed to the sessions for the third volume ofTeargarden, which was ultimately canceled after the completion of two stand-alone songs.[96][97]
On April 26, 2011, Corgan announced that the Smashing Pumpkins would be releasing a new album titledOceania, which he labeled as "an album within an album" in regards to theTeargarden by Kaleidyscope project, in the fall.[98][99] As with the previous recording sessions, all four band members contributed to the project.[100] Also, the entire album catalog was to be remastered and reissued with bonus tracks, starting withGish andSiamese Dream in November 2011.[98] The pre-Gish demos,Pisces Iscariot, andMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness were released in 2012, withThe Aeroplane Flies High released the following year.Adore was released in 2014.Machina/The Machines of God and the yet commercially unreleasedMachina II/Friends and Enemies of Modern Music were expected to be combined, remixed, and released in the same year but were not released due to label hang-ups. The band did a thirteen-city US tour in October 2011 followed by a European tour in November and December.[101]
Oceania was released on June 19, 2012, and received generally positive reviews. The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 1 on theBillboard Independent. The album spawned two singles, "The Celestials" and "Panopticon". The band proceeded to tour in support of the album, including a US tour involving playing the album in its entirety. By September 2012, Corgan stated that the band had already begun work on their next album.[102] However, despite this, the band concentrated on touring, playing atGlastonbury Festival,Dour Festival and the Barclays Center, where they recordedOceania: Live in NYC, which was released on September 24, 2013.[103]
On March 25, 2014, Corgan announced he had signed a new record deal withBMG, for two new albums, titledMonuments to an Elegy andDay for Night, respectively.[104] In June, it was revealed that Mike Byrne was no longer in the band, to be replaced byTommy Lee ofMötley Crüe on the new album, and Fiorentino would not be recording on the album either.[105][106]Monuments to an Elegy was released on December 5, 2014, to generally positive reviews. The band toured in support of the album starting on November 26, withRage Against the Machine'sBrad Wilk filling in on drums andthe Killers'Mark Stoermer filling in on bass.[107] The follow-up proposed albumDay For Night was cited for delayed late 2015 or early 2016 release.[108]
Later in 2015 Corgan announced that the band would embark on a co-headlining tour of North America withMarilyn Manson, "The End Times Tour", across July and August 2015.[109][110] Prior to the co-headlining dates, the band performed a series of acoustic shows with drum machines and tapes for percussion. When the time came for the co-headlining tour, plans for a drummer fell through and Corgan recruited Chamberlin to reunite for the shows.[111] On February 25, 2016, Corgan posted a video from a Los Angeles studio on the band'sFacebook account, giving an update on the writing process for the new songs for the upcoming album to be released after theIn Plainsong tour.[112]The tour began in Portland, Oregon, on March 22, 2016.[113]
Iha and Chamberlin's return;Shiny and Oh So Bright andCyr: 2018–2021
On his birthday on March 26, 2016, original guitarist James Iha joined Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and Jeff Schroeder on stage unannounced at theAce Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. He performed a few songs, including "Mayonaise", "Soma" and "Today" marking his first appearance with the Smashing Pumpkins in 16 years.[114] Iha also played at the second of the two Smashing Pumpkins shows at the Ace Hotel the following day, which wasEaster Sunday. Iha joined the Pumpkins for a third time at their concert of April 14 at the Civic Opera House in Chicago.[115] In July, Corgan began hinting of the possibility of reuniting the band original lineup, of himself, Iha, Wretzky, and Chamberlin,[116] and in August, he stated he had begun reaching out to the original lineup about the feasibility of a reunion, including speaking to Wretzky for the first time in sixteen years.[117] Despite the comments, Corgan would spend much of 2017 working on solo material – recording and releasing the solo albumOgilala and beginning work on another solo album for 2018.[118] In June 2017 Chamberlin also mentioned the possibility of a reunion tour in 2018.[119] In January 2018 Corgan shared a photo of himself, Iha, and Chamberlin together in recording studio.[120] In February 2018 Corgan announced that he was working with music producerRick Rubin on a future Smashing Pumpkins album, that there were currently 26 songs he was actively working on, and that "the guitar feels once again like the preferred weapon of choice."[121] Soon afterwards, Corgan shared a photo of sound equipment with Iha's name on a label, as well as announcing recording was finished on the album.[122]
On February 15, 2018, founding members Iha and Chamberlin rejoined the band. They embarked on theShiny And Oh So Bright Tour starting in July, with a focus on performing material from their first five studio albums.[123][124] and sold over 350,000 tickets and sold-out arenas including The Forum,United Center, and Madison Square Garden. Original bassistD'arcy Wretzky claimed she had been offered a contract to rejoin the band but Corgan rescinded the offer soon after.[125] Corgan released a statement denying the claims, stating "Ms. Wretzky has repeatedly been invited out to play with the group, participate in demo sessions, or at the very least, meet face-to-face, and in each and every instance she always deferred".[126] Jack Bates (son ofJoy Division bassistPeter Hook) played bass on the tour. Bates previously toured with the Smashing Pumpkins in 2015.[127][128] Multi-instrumentalistKatie Cole rejoined the band for the tour as well, singing backup vocals and playing keyboards and guitar.[129]
In March 2018, Corgan mentioned the band planned to release two EPs in 2018, with the first tentatively planned for May.[130] On June 8, 2018, the first single from the set of music, "Solara", was released.[131] On August 2, 2018, the band celebrated their 30th anniversary by performing inHolmdel, New Jersey. with several notable special guests including Courtney Love, Chino Moreno, Davey Havok, Peter Hook, Mark McGrath, and Dave Keuning and Mark Stoermer of the Killers.[132][133] In September 2018, they announced the albumShiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun., released viaNapalm Records on November 16, 2018, which debuted at number 54 on the Billboard 200 chart.[134][135]
The Smashing Pumpkins performing at Rock am Ring in 2019
After touring through much of 2019, Corgan noted in January 2020 that the band was currently working on 21 songs for a future album release.[136] On August 28, 2020, the band released the single and video for "Cyr", along with a second track titled "The Colour of Love" from their albumCyr, which was released through their new record labelSumerian Records on November 27, 2020. It serves as the second part of theShiny and Oh So Bright series.[137][138][139] On September 25, 2020, the band released another single fromCyr that included the songs "Confessions of a Dopamine Addict" and "Wrath".[140] On October 9, 2020, the band released a third single forCyr that featured the tracks "Anno Satana" and "Birch Grove". On October 29, the band released "Ramona" and "Wyttch" as the fourth pair of singles.[141][142] On November 20, 2020, the songs "Purple Blood" and "Dulcet in E" were released as the fifth and final single forCyr.[143] The following week, on November 27, 2020, the band releasedCyr.[144]
Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts andAghori Mhori Mei: 2022–present
In late 2020, Corgan announced that the band had begun work on a double album to serve as a sequel to the overarching story ofMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness andMachina: The Machines of God.[145] The album was planned for release in 2021, however it wasn't until September 19, 2022, that the album's title,Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts, was revealed. Each act was released on its own, with the dates in order being November 15, 2022, January 31, 2023, and May 5, 2023. All of the acts, along with ten extra songs, were compiled into a vinyl box set that was released the same day as the third grouping of songs.[146] On February 22, 2022, the band announced on social media the Rock Invasion 2 Tour, which had previously been set to take place in spring 2020, postponed to fall 2020, and subsequently canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. The newly announced incarnation of the tour had entirely new locations spanning eleven US cities accompanying the band's spring festival appearances, and four performances in Mexico, their first since 2013.[147][148][149]
In May 2022, the band announced plans for the Spirits on Fire tour withJane's Addiction.[150] In November 2022, The World is A Vampire Festival was announced for March 2023. The festival's lineup includedInterpol,Turnstile,Peter Hook & The Light,Deafheaven,the Warning, and several others.[151][152] In February 2023, the band announced that they would be bringing The World Is A Vampire Festival to Australia as a 10-date tour during the month of April. The lineup featured Jane's Addiction, Amyl & The Sniffers,Redhook, andBattlesnake, in addition to the wrestling matches similar to the singular date in Mexico.[153] In between the band's time in Mexico and Australia, they announced on March 28, 2023, that they would bring The World Is A Vampire to the United States and Canada as a summer tour across amphitheaters, indoor theaters, and one arena. The tour featured support fromStone Temple Pilots, Interpol, andRival Sons, as well as select appearances by Corgan'sNational Wrestling Alliance (NWA) wrestlers along with tapings forNWA Powerrr.[154]
On October 19, 2023,Green Day played a small club show and handed out physical flyers that revealed in 2024 they would be touring the United States and Canada in stadiums with the Smashing Pumpkins,Rancid, andthe Linda Lindas.[155] This tour was officially announced by all four bands on November 2, 2023, asThe Saviors Tour.[156] On October 24, 2023, it was announced in a statement posted on the band's social media that longtime guitarist Jeff Schroeder had decided to leave the band "to explore a slightly different path".[157]
Following Schroeder's departure, on January 5, 2024, Smashing Pumpkins announced via their social media channels that they were accepting applications via email for an additional guitarist.[158] By January 17, the band had received over 10,000 submissions and employed eight people full-time to review each one.[159] On April 26, the band announced that they had chosenKiki Wong as their new touring guitarist, with Billy Corgan noting that he was a fan of hers "before she submitted her name to be considered."[160]
In June 2024, Smashing Pumpkins performed a six-citytour of the United Kingdom and Ireland, which they co-headlined withWeezer.[161][162] That same month, Corgan stated that the band had been spending the last 2 years working on a guitar-driven new studio album, partially in response to the negative reception of the emphasis ofsynthesizers on theAtum releases.[163] The following month, the band announced their thirteenth album,Aghori Mhori Mei, would be released on August 2. The album would be released digitally first, before physical editions followed later.[164] An outtake, "Chrome Jets", was released as a standalone single in September 2025.[165]
On June 27, 2025, it was announced that a reissue of the band’sMachina albums would be taking place. A fully remastered version ofMachina/The Machines of God was released on August 22, 2025, on physical formats and streaming. In October, the band releasedMachina: Aranea Alba Editio, which will contain 80 songs across eight records. The originally envisionedMachina concept album will consist of the first 48 songs, and the other 32 are various bonus tracks consisting of demos, outtakes, and live tracks.[166]
Sample of "1979", the second single fromMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995). The band's biggest hit and a precursor to their change in style, featuring a drum machine accompaniment to Chamberlin's drums and sampled vocal effects.
Since those early days, the direction of the Smashing Pumpkins has been dominated by lead guitarist, lead vocalist, keyboardist, bassist and primary songwriter Billy Corgan, who has been the band's sole constant member since its inception.[180] JournalistGreg Kot wrote, "The music [of the Smashing Pumpkins] would not be what it is without his ambition and vision, and his famously fractured relationships with his family, friends, and bandmembers."[4] Melissa Auf der Maur commented upon news of the group's reunion, "Everyone knows Billy doesn't need too many people to make a Pumpkins record, other than Jimmy [Chamberlin]—who he has on board."[181] In a 2015 interview, Corgan himself referred to the current iteration of the band as "sort of an open source collective",[182] noting that "[i]t's whoever feels right at the time."[182] Many of Corgan's lyrics for the Pumpkins are cathartic expressions of emotion, full of personal musings and strong indictments of himself and those close to him.[4] Music critics were not often fans of Corgan's angst-filled lyrics. Jim DeRogatis wrote in a 1993Chicago Sun-Times article that Corgan's lyrics "too often sound like sophomoric poetry",[183] although he viewed the lyrics of later albumsAdore andMachina as an improvement.[184] The band's songs have been described as "anguished, bruised reports from Billy Corgan's nightmare-land" by journalist William Shaw.[185]
The band's distinctive sound up untilAdore involved layering numerous guitar tracks onto a song during the recording process, a tactic thatMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness co-producer Flood called the "Pumpkin guitar overdub army."[49] Although there were a lot of overdubbed parts onGish, Corgan began to really explore the possibilities of overdubbing withSiamese Dream; Corgan has stated that "Soma" alone contains up to 40 overdubbed guitar parts.[186] While Corgan knew many of the songs would be difficult or impossible to replicate from their recorded versions in concert (in fact, some songs were drastically altered for live performance), he has explained the use of overdubbing by posing the question "When you are faced with making a permanent recorded representation of a song, why not endow it with the grandest possible vision?"[187] This use of multilayered sounds was inspired by Corgan's love of 1970s popular artists and bands such asDavid Bowie,Cheap Trick,Queen,Boston, and theElectric Light Orchestra,[186] as well asshoegaze, a British alternative rock style of the late 1980s and early 1990s that relied on swirling layers of guitar noise for effect.Mellon Collie coproducer Alan Moulder was originally hired to mixSiamese Dream because Corgan was a fan of his work producing shoegaze bands such asMy Bloody Valentine,Ride, andSlowdive.[188]
Like many contemporary alternative bands, the Smashing Pumpkins utilized shifts in song dynamics, going from quiet to loud and vice versa. Hüsker Dü's seminal albumZen Arcade demonstrated to the band how they could place gentler material against more aggressive fare,[4] and Corgan made such shifts in dynamics central to the pursuit of his grand musical ambitions.[189] Corgan said he liked the idea of creating his own alternative universe through sound that essentially tells the listener, "Welcome to Pumpkin Land, this is what it sounds like on Planet Pumpkin."[190] This emphasis on atmosphere carried through toAdore (described as "arcane night music" in prerelease promotion)[191] and theMachina albums (concept records that tell the story of a fictional rock band).[4]
MusiciansNelly Furtado (left) andGerard Way (right) are influenced by the Pumpkins' material.
The Pumpkins drew inspiration from a variety of other genres, some unfashionable during the 1990s among music critics. Corgan in particular was open about his appreciation of heavy metal, citingDimebag Darrell ofPantera as his favorite contemporary guitarist.[49][192] When one interviewer commented to Corgan and Iha that "Smashing Pumpkins is one of the groups that relegitimized heavy metal" and that they "were among the first alternative rockers to mention people likeOzzy andBlack Sabbath with anything other than contempt", Corgan went on to rave about Black Sabbath'sMaster of Reality andJudas Priest'sUnleashed in the East.[49] The song "Zero", which reminded Iha of Judas Priest, is an example of what the band dubbed "cybermetal".[193] Other bands Corgan cited as influences areRainbow,Accept,Mercyful Fate,Dokken,Metallica,Slayer andMyrkur.[194]
Post-punk and gothic rock bands likeJoy Division/New Order,Bauhaus,the Cure, andDepeche Mode were formative influences on the band, which covered such artists in concert and on record. Corgan also citedSiouxsie and the Banshees saying it was important to point back to bands that influenced them.[195]Psychedelic rock was also referenced often in the band's early recordings; according to Corgan, "In typical Pumpkins fashion, no one at that point really liked loud guitars or psychedelic music so, of course, that's exactly what we had to do."[196] Corgan felt that the band's guitars "are a mixture of heavy metal and 80s alternative rock. I think of Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees".[197] Corgan acknowledged that a chord he jokingly claimed as "the Pumpkin chord" (a G# octave chord at the eleventh fret of a guitar with the low E string played under it), used as the basis for "Cherub Rock", "Drown", and other songs, was in fact previously used byJimi Hendrix.[186] Other early influences cited by Corgan includeCream,the Stooges, andBlue Cheer.[198]
The group has sold over 30 million albums worldwide as of October 2012,[218] and sales in the United States alone reaching 19.75 million.[219]Siamese Dream andMellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness have both appeared inRolling Stone magazine's list of the500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[220][221]
The Smashing Pumpkins have been praised as "responsible for some of the most striking and memorable video clips" and for having "approached videos from a completely artistic standpoint rather than mere commercials to sell albums".[223] MTV's 2001 anniversary specialTestimony: 20 Years of Rock on MTV credited the Pumpkins, along withNine Inch Nails, with treating music videos as an art form during the 1990s. Corgan has said, "We generally resisted the idea of what I call the classic MTV rock video, which is like lots of people jumping around and stuff."[224] The band worked with video directors includingKevin Kerslake ("Cherub Rock"),Samuel Bayer ("Bullet with Butterfly Wings"), and, most frequently, the team ofJonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris ("Rocket", "1979", "Tonight, Tonight", "The End Is the Beginning Is the End", and "Perfect"). Corgan, who was frequently heavily involved in the conception of the videos, said of Dayton and Faris, "I know my [initial] versions are always darker, and they're always talking me into something a little kinder and gentler."[225] Videos like "Today", "Rocket", and "1979" dealt with images taken from middle American culture, albeit exaggerated. The group's videos so often avoid the literal interpretation of the song lyrics that the video for "Thirty-Three", with images closely related to the words of the song, was created as an intentional stylistic departure.[226]
The band was nominated for severalMTV Video Music Awards during the 1990s. In 1996, the group won eight VMAs total for the "1979" and "Tonight, Tonight" videos, including the top award, Video of the Year, for "Tonight, Tonight". The video was also nominated for a Grammy at the 1997 ceremony. Of the "Tonight, Tonight" video, Corgan remarked, "I don't think we've ever had people react [like this]... it just seemed to touch a nerve."[227]
Shortly after the band's 2000 breakup, theGreatest Hits Video Collection was released, collecting the band's music videos from 1991 to 2000 and including commentary from Corgan, Iha, Chamberlin, Wretzky, and various music video directors with outtakes, live performances, and the extended "Try, Try, Try" short film.[228]
^"Smashing Pumpkins" at theBillboard database andat AllMusic.com, and as both"Smashing Pumpkins" and"The Smashing Pumpkins" at theRolling Stone database. The band is credited as "Smashing Pumpkins" on the covers ofGish,Siamese Dream, andZeitgeist (and related singles), and as "The Smashing Pumpkins" betweenMellon Collie (1995) andEarphoria (2002), as well as on all releases sinceOceania in 2012.
^"Smashing Pumpkins".Twitter. Archived from the original on September 13, 2013. RetrievedSeptember 13, 2013.25 years ago today we played our 1st show. Billy was on bass, James on guitar and a drum machine{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^abcKelly, Christina (December 1, 1995). "Smashing Pumpkins: The Multi-Platinum Band Is Over the Infighting But Can the Harmony Last?".Us Weekly.
^Corgan, Billy (October 1993). "Corgan interview".120 Minutes (Interview). MTV.
^abAzerrad, Michael. "Smashing Pumpkins' Sudden Impact",Rolling Stone. October 1, 1993.
^Chamberlin, Jimmy; Corgan, Billy (interview subjects).Inside the Zeitgeist (Reprise Records, 2007).
^Mundy, Chris. "Strange Fruit: Success Has Come at a High Price for this Chicago Band",Rolling Stone. April 21, 1994.
^Shepherd, Julianne (June 13, 2005)."Billy Corgan (interview)". PitchforkMedia.com. Archived fromthe original on November 11, 2006. RetrievedFebruary 3, 2007. Corgan has said on various occasions—most notably during the band's 2000 performance onVH1 Storytellers—that "Today" was written as an ironic statement about this period of suicidal thoughts. See alsoBeck, Johnny (December 2001 – January 2002)."The Greatest Songs Ever! "Today"". Blender.com. Archived fromthe original on November 11, 2006. RetrievedFebruary 3, 2007.
^Rosen, Craig (November 2, 1999)."Pumpkins' "Dream"". Yahoo! Music. Archived fromthe original on August 12, 2011. RetrievedNovember 4, 2006.
^"Top 100 Albums". Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA.com). Archived fromthe original on July 25, 2013. RetrievedAugust 4, 2007. Sales for double albums are counted for each disc, thus 4.5 million copies of the double album package have been certified.
^Hendrickson, Matt. "Smashing Pumpkins' Keyboardist Dies of Drug Overdose; Drummer Charged with Possession", International Index to Music Periodicals Full Text. August 1996.
^abcdDi Perna, Alan. "Zero Worship",Guitar World. December 1995.
^Graff, Gary. "Smashing Pumpkins – Rave of the Future",Guitar World. December 1996.
^Gundersen, Edna. "Smashing that Pumpkins stereotype Band shuns 'tragic' label',USA Today. February 26, 1997.
^Chris Connelly (May 2, 1997).MTV's Week in Rock (TV-Series). MTV.
^There is one notable omission, "The End Is the Beginning Is the End". This was excluded because the rights are owned byWarner Bros., which loaned out the band from their regular label, Virgin Records.
^abCorgan, Billy. "A Message to Chicago from Billy Corgan",Chicago Tribune, June 21, 2005.
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