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The Smashing Pumpkins was formed by songwriter/lead guitarist Billy Corgan in 1988 in Chicago.  Corgan joined forces with guitarist James Iha, bassist D’Arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.

The band’s heavy metal, gothic rock combined with psychedelia and pop sound captivated the public.  The Smashing Pumpkins’ unique style got them signed with Virgin Records.  In 1990, the singles I Am One and Tristessa got a lot of radio airplay, and the year after the album Gish followed.  The album was a commercial smash with hits such as Rhinoceros and Drown, selling more than 400 000 copies.  The band then went on tour to promote their new hits. 

The Smashing Pumpkins had their big moment oveshadowed by some behind the scenes drama.   Iha and Wretzky were in the midst of a messy split, Chamberlin had drug and alcohol problems, while Corgan was going through a depression. 

The difficulties had not been completely resolved when the band was ready to record their second album, Siamese Dream. However, this did not prevent the album from becoming a commercial success. The disc had a string of hits that made the charts such as Disarm, Today and Cherub Rock. The Pumpkins were relentless, and produced their third album, Pisces Iscariot (1994), while they were on tour.  

In 1995, the band released Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. It debuted at number one on the charts in the United States and became the group’s biggest smash.  The album sold more than 7 million copies and the hit singles 1979, Zero, Tonight, Tonight and Bullet With Butterfly Wings were among the biggest hits in alternative music.  The following year, the Smashing Pumpkins won their first Grammy in the category Best Hard Rock Performance for the single Bullet With Butterfly Wings.

In 1996, the group got a lot of media attention when a girl was crushed in a mob at one of their concerts.  A few months later, the band’s keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin died of a heroin overdose.  Melvoin was with Chamberlin who survived the overdose, and was then dismissed by the other band members.  Matt Walker was recruited by the Smashing Pumpkins to be the group’s new drummer.  

In 1997, the Smashing Pumpkins recorded two songs for the Batman & Robin soundtrack.  They nabbed a second Grammy for the single The End is the Beginning is the End. The album Adore came out in 1998.  Although there were 850 000 copies sold, it was still considered a commercial failure.  The Smashing Pumpkins did a charity tour and then asked Chamberlin to come back.

The Pumpkins released MACHINA: The Machines of God in 2000.  Shortly after, D’Arcy Wretzky left the band and Melissa auf der Maur filled in as the group’s bassist. The album Machina II: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music was then released.  This album marked the beginning of the end for the group, which dissolved a few months later.

In the years that followed, the member of the Smashing Pumpkins plunged into many new projects.  In 2005, Billy Corgan announced that the group was reuniting on the same day that his debut solo album was being released.  The other bandmates were not in full agreement and it took two years before the band made a comeback with the album Zeitgeist. The album went to number one on Billboard.  The signature tune Tarantula  was a smash, and the band launched a new concert series.