8. Disavowing the punk rock roots shared by many of their alternative rock contemporaries, the Pumpkins have a diverse, densely layered, and guitar-heavy sound, containing elements of gothic rock, heavy metal, dream pop, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, shoegazer-style production and, in later recordings, electronica. Frontman Billy Corgan is the group's primary songwriter—his grand musical ambitions and cathartic lyrics have shaped the band's albums and songs, which have been described as 'anguished, bruised reports from Billy Corgan's nightmare-land.'
9. Gish, a majestic mix of Black Sabbath and dream pop produced by Butch Vig, became a huge college and modern rock hit upon its spring 1991 release.
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11. I took my love, I took it down I climbed a mountain and I turned around And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills til the landslide brought it down Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changing ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life? Well, Ive been afraid of changing cause ive Built my life around you But time makes you bolder Even children get older And Im getting older, too Well, Ive been afraid of changing cause ive Built my life around you Time makes you bolder Even children get older And Im getting older, too I get older, too I took my love and took it down I climbed a mountain, I turned around And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills The landslide brought it down The landslide brought it down
15. The Smashing Pumpkins didn't shy away from making the follow-up to the grand, intricate Siamese Dream. With Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the band turns in one of the most ambitious and indulgent albums in rock history. Lasting over two hours and featuring 28 songs, the album is certainly a challenging listen. To Billy Corgan's credit, it's a rewarding and compelling one as well. Although the artistic scope of the album is immense, the Smashing Pumpkins flourish in such an overblown setting. Corgan's songwriting has never been limited by conventional notions of what a rock band can do, even if it is clear that he draws inspiration from scores of '70s heavy metal and art rock bands. Instead of copying the sounds of his favourite records, he expands on their ideas, making the gentle piano of the title track and the sighing ‘1979’ sit comfortably against the volcanic rush of ‘Jellybelly’ and ‘Zero’. In between those two extremes lies an array of musical styles, drawing from rock, pop, folk, and classical. Some of the songs don't work as well as others, but Mellon Collie never seems to drag. Occasionally they fall flat on their face, but over the entire album, the Smashing Pumpkins prove that they are one of the more creative and consistent bands of the '90s.
22. The Smashing Pumpkins on May 24, 2007, at 'den Atelier', Luxembourg. Left to right: Ginger Reyes, Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin (back), Jeff Schroeder.
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24. The Smashing Pumpkins have been praised for being 'responsible for some of the '90s' most striking and memorable video clips' and for having' approached videos from a completely artistic standpoint rather than mere commercials to sell albums.' MTV's 2001 anniversary special Testimony: 20 Years of Rock on MTV credited the Pumpkins, along with Nine Inch Nails, with treating music videos as an art form during the 1990s. Their attitude towards music influenced a generation of youth.
