Smashing Pumpkins' Secret to Longevity Disclosed by Billy Corgan: 'We're OK With Failure'

Smashing Pumpkins is surviving and thriving even when Billy Corgan is the only constant member throughout the years since it was formed.

After its formation in 1988, Smashing Pumpkins went on a hiatus in 2000 but returned in 2006. From there, it continues promoting along with Corgan as the remaining constant member.

Despite losing the founding members and the bandmates who replaced them thereafter, the band remains part of the music industry - something the frontman feels happy about.

Billy Corgan Reveals How Smashing Pumpkins Survives

In a new interview with Chuck Armstrong during Loudwire Nights' Friday episode, Corgan recalled the band's successful singles but noted that Smashing Pumpkins did not start as a singles band. Like other musicians, he and his band were challenged to make pop singles after Nirvana and other groups savored success since they outshined bands, including his.

Although Smashing Pumpkins was not into pop music, the bandmates were tasked to create such type of teen anthems, leading to its success in the 1990s.

Corgan then disclosed how his band was able to get through everything despite constant expectation from record labels and management.

"We've always driven from the arty stuff up into the single," he said. "'Bullet With Butterfly Wings' was a song that came out of all that jamming, it wasn't where we meant to go, it was just where we went on that one day."

Smashing Pumpkins reportedly learned to survive and strive by being okay with failure, with Corgan saying they would "rather try and fail than not try."

The rock band sold 30 million albums worldwide so far, making it one of the most commercially successful bands of the 1990s. Three years after its 2020, "Cyr," Smashing Pumpkins formally released its latest album, "Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts" on May 5.

Smashing Pumpkins' New Album Almost Got Leaked

Corgan shared the shocking revelation about Smashing Pumpkins' rock opera during his interview with KROQ's Klein/Ally Show. According to the frontman, a hacker got all nine songs from the album six months before the album's official release.

The hacker reportedly wanted money in exchange for the files. The band then traced it and decided to pay it off to prevent the songs from leaking.

The FBI was involved in the probe, but Corgan reportedly had to pay the ransom out of his own pocket although he has no idea about its end result.