The Smashing Pumpkins, an American alternative rock band, was formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, alongside guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Over the years, the band has experienced multiple lineup changes, with Corgan serving as the primary songwriter and only constant member. The current lineup includes Corgan, Chamberlin, and Iha. Known for their richly layered and eclectic sound, the band's music has evolved to incorporate elements of gothic rock, heavy metal, grunge, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, shoegaze, dream pop, and electronica.
Their debut album, *Gish* (1991), garnered underground success and critical praise. As alternative rock gained mainstream traction, *Siamese Dream* (1993) propelled the band into stardom despite a challenging recording process. The album remains one of the genre’s most celebrated works. Their third release, *Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness* (1995), debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, earned a Diamond certification from the RIAA, and cemented the band's commercial and critical legacy. However, following the releases of *Adore* (1998) and the two-part project *Machina* and *Machina II* in 2000, internal struggles, drug use, and declining sales led to the band's breakup.
By the end of the 1990s, the Smashing Pumpkins had sold 30 million albums worldwide, standing among the decade’s most influential and successful alternative rock acts. In 2006, Corgan and Chamberlin reunited to release *Zeitgeist*, marking the band's seventh studio album. They toured extensively through 2007 and 2008 with a revised lineup that included guitarist Jeff Schroeder. After Chamberlin’s departure in 2009, Corgan initiated the *Teargarden by Kaleidyscope* project, a collection of singles, EPs, and two full-length albums—*Oceania* (2012) and *Monuments to an Elegy* (2014). Chamberlin returned as a touring member in 2015 before officially rejoining in 2018 along with Iha. The reunited trio released *Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.* (2018), *Cyr* (2020), and *Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts* (2022–2023). Schroeder departed in October 2023, and the remaining members continued with the release of *Aghori Mhori Mei* (2024).
