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Billy Corgan, frontman and guitarist of the band The Smashing Pumpkins, launched his new podcast, The Magnificent Others, on February 5. Recently, the singer sat down with Fortune on April 6 to discuss why he prefers to be in charge of his marketing and media.
"I think I’ve had to learn how to be my own media in the last 10 years with the decline of the state of journalism, particularly in music," Corgan shared.
He expressed his frustration and dissatisfaction with modern media as opposed to traditional media, commenting that music journalism falls under two sectors, "the rise or the decline."
According to Billy, modern-day music journalism has become all about clickbait: "If they don’t generate clicks, they can’t sustain their business." He remarked that he wanted to reach people in a way that was "respectful and warm," likening his journey to social media creators.
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"We’ve built our own ecosystem and stopped relying on mass media to tell our story, using social media instead. You’ve seen this across the spectrum—whether it’s YouTube creators or influencers—people realizing they don’t fit into the mainstream system and finding another way to tell their story," Corgan added.
Billy Corgan on his podcast The Magnificent Others
Billy Corgan expressed his lack of fondness for journalists, opening up about the pressure of being in the public eye and how isolating it has often felt.
“Being in public life at a certain level has a certain pressure to it that’s very, very unique, then over time, through your own observation, you realize most people don’t understand what that pressure feels like," he shared.
This realization led to his journey to "be (his) own media," inspiring him to try communicating in different ways, including voicing other people's stories. This ultimately gave him the idea for his podcast, The Magnificent Others.
Subsequently, Corgan partnered with Bill Maher's Club Random Studios and launched the podcast on February 5, 2025. Since then, he has hosted a wide range of guests, from Gene Simmons to Howie Mandel.
Billy Corgan's take on AI
When asked to elaborate on the subject of artificial intelligence, Billy Corgan shared that he has no problem with AI being used for marketing. However, when it comes to music, he considers it "a gift from God" and "one of the rarest art forms." Although he acknowledged that the use of AI to create music and other art forms is inevitable, he deemed it as "heretical."
"To me, that’s the difference between p*rn and a well-made film. You could argue that p*rn generates more income and attention, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for the soul or serves its intended purpose. That’s why I call it heretical," Billy Corgan staed.
Corgan also called it the end of an era, stating that up until the late 90s, all music was analog, which dated back to "cavemen beating bones and chanting." He stated that AI will mark a significant change in the way people produce and listen to music, ending an era lasting for over 1000 years.
Billy Corgan's other ventures
Billy Corgan, along with his wife, owns a vegan, plant-based teahouse cafe called Madame ZuZu's Emporium. It also serves as a space for upcoming artists, comedians, and other performers.
Corgan is also the owner of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), crediting his ownership to his networking within the wrestling industry and his passion for wrestling.
Billy Corgan also appears to be a fan of pop singer Taylor Swift. On June 3, 2024, he spoke with The Irish Times and defended Taylor Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department, which had been receiving backlash due to its lengthy runtime.
Corgan remarked:
"Taylor Swift is one of the most gifted pop artists of all time. How is it a bad thing that she’s releasing more music? I can’t follow that ... You can go on Spotify and just skip it."
The thirteenth album by The Smashing Pumpkins, Aghore Mhori Mei, was released digitally on August 2, 2024.
