On October 24, 1995, The Smashing Pumpkins released what would go on to be one of the defining works of the decade: the ambitious double album Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. Thirty years later, the band is celebrating with a deluxe reissue that expands on the original release and features eighty minutes of previously unheard live recordings from their 1996 tour in support of the record.
Arriving on November 21 through UMe, the reissue will be available in three formats. Fans can stream both the album and the live recordings on DSPs, or pick up a four-disc deluxe CD or 4CD SHM-CD set, both of which feature new liner notes written by Billy Corgan. A limited-edition vinyl box set is also on the way for collectors. That edition includes Mellon Collie along with the 1996 Infinite Sadness tour recordings spread across six LPs. It also comes with a hardbound book of new notes, a custom tarot card deck, seven lithographs ready for framing, all packaged inside a velvet slipcase with a cloth carrying bag.
The centerpiece of this release is the 1996 live material, long sought after by fans. These rediscovered recordings capture the band’s original lineup at its peak. Among them is a live performance of “Geek U.S.A.” from the Infinite Sadness tour, now available for streaming.
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“Unearthing these live recordings from the original lineup’s true, last large-scale tour was a labor of love, and for me certainly a bittersweet as once we blew apart in 1996, we were never quite the same: be it emotionally, or spiritually,” Corgan explains. “Thankfully, I can say this as the band is now enjoying our greatest public success since that time, and one can hear in these tapes the raw power that such nascent faith afforded us, then, and the will and wisdom to persevere that followed.”
By the time The Smashing Pumpkins released Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, they had already become one of the most important bands of the ’90s with Gish (1991) and Siamese Dream (1993). While both were hailed as modern classics, Mellon Collie marked a dramatic step forward, yielding timeless hits such as “1979,” “Tonight, Tonight,” “Zero,” and “Bullet With Butterfly Wings.” The album brought the band seven Grammy nominations, including nods for Album of the Year and Record of the Year, and later achieved diamond certification from the RIAA. The newly unearthed live tracks show the band navigating the whirlwind of success during the era when these songs became instant staples of rock history.
Beyond the reissue, the group is also commemorating the anniversary with unique collaborations. Beginning November 21, Corgan will work with the Lyric Opera of Chicago for A Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness. The special run, limited to seven performances, will reimagine selections from Mellon Collie — spanning the chart-toppers to deeper cuts like “Thirty-Three” and “Thru The Eyes Of Ruby.” The arrangements, crafted by Corgan with conductor James Lowe, will feature soprano Sydney Mancasola, mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams, tenor Dominick Chenes, and baritone Edward Parks.
The Lyric Opera shows will take place November 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, and 30, complete with costume design by House of Gilles, courtesy of Gilles Mendel and Chloé Mendel Corgan. The performances promise a mix of opera, rock, and performance art that blurs traditional boundaries.
The hometown celebrations don’t end there. Corgan has also teamed with Chicago-based Vosges Haut-Chocolat for The Mellon Collie Sessions, a limited-edition chocolate box set available October 21. The package includes a commemorative poster and six chocolate bars, with flavors inspired by iconic songs from the album. The Zero Black Raspberry Tea Bar blends dark chocolate with Forbidden Forest Lapsang Souchong tea from Madame Zuzu’s, the Highland Park tea house founded by Corgan and his wife. The Tonight Tonight Electric Blue Matcha Bar pairs vegan white chocolate with Electric Blue Matcha, while the 1979 Kitchen Sink Bar combines pretzels, marshmallow, and rice crunch with 72% dark chocolate.
In recent years, The Smashing Pumpkins have been in a particularly prolific era. They released Cyr in 2020, followed by the sprawling Atum: A Rock Opera In Three Parts across 2022 and 2023, a conceptual continuation of the stories from Mellon Collie and 2000’s Machina/The Machines Of God. Their creativity carried into 2024 with the critically acclaimed Aghori Mhori Mei. This year, the band revisited Machina for its 25th anniversary, presenting it as originally envisioned. Now, with the Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness anniversary release, the group closes out 2025 with both a nod to the past and a reminder of their enduring impact before turning to whatever bold direction comes next.
