Billy Corgan Wants Rock ‘To Be More Aggressive in Taking on Pop Music’

Rock artists have been losing ground on the pop charts for years, and Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan thinks it's time to go back on the offensive.

In a new interview quoted by NME, Corgan says he thinks rock "needs to be more aggressive in taking on pop music," explaining that the "cozy relationship" between rockers and pop stars needs to end: "Everybody belongs on their own side of the street for a good reason. By definition, a rock star is supposed to be an independent individual who pursues a vision to an end – an Axl Rose, an Elton John. And a pop star is supposed to do whatever they can do to pray at some horrible idol of fame which is ubiquitous and fleeting. And that contradiction, to me, is why everyone should stay on their own side of the street."

That kind of thinking only darkens the artificial lines between genres that close a lot of fans' minds to "other" types music even before they've heard it, but in Corgan's eyes, the difference between "rock" and "pop" has more to do with intent than execution — and when rock stars try to imitate pop stars, everyone suffers.

"What’s difficult about it from an insider point of view is that it sends out a message to kids that that's the only way to be successful in the music business, is to sort of package yourself," he argued. "Quite frankly, if you look at the history of the music business the biggest stars are individuals. There's only one Bob Marley, there's only one Ozzy Osbourne or Madonna. You can try, but you can’t recreate them. So the industry has become about following rather than leading. I think it’s reflected in the sales."

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