Classic '90s Music: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by the Smashing Pumpkins

Every so often, a music group comes along that leaves a lasting mark on the work of rock. The Smashing Pumpkins were just such a group. Throughout the '90s they were always present in some way, either with Billy Corgan's fashion antics or tragedy in the form of drug overdose. However, regardless of their high profile, The Smashing Pumpkins backed up their hype with solid music that challenged pop, prog, metal, grunge and alternative labels. Their magnum opus, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 in 1995 and has since gone nine times platinum.

Five of the 28 songs that appear on the 2 CD double album were successful singles in their own right - "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," "1979," "Zero," "Tonight, Tonight" and "Thirty-Three." All but two of the songs were written by Billy Corgan, and each song contributes to a loose concept that is about "the human condition of mortal sorrow," according to Billy in a 1998 interview with Listessa.

Mellon Collie is a beautiful example of the diversity within alternative music of the '90s. There's a little something for everyone, from the grace and sadness of "Thirty-Three" to the pounding intensity and rage of "Bullet with Butterfly Wings." Billy's uniquely less-than-mellifluous vocals rang true with millions of fans who identified with their image of grass-roots geeks. Reviewers almost unanimously praised Mellon Collie as one of the best of 1995 and to this day, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness still ranks on many music review site listings of the top albums of the '90s.

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