Smashing Pumpkins Albums Ranked: An In-Depth Comparison of Their Two Most Acclaimed Records

Most popular artists are lucky to create a single album that fans love forever. The Smashing Pumpkins have two — and to this day, fans cannot agree on which is the best. The albums Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, both released in the 1990s, showcase different sides of the much-loved Smashing Pumpkins ensemble. The discussion of which is the best continues to inspire passionate debate, with fans fiercely making the case for their preferred album's superiority.

So, which one is Smashing Pumpkins' best album? Our researchers have put together the details on each, looking at production quality, songwriting depth, and lasting cultural and musical influence. Perhaps this will help settle the debate once and for all, but don't hold your breath. The debate about which Smashing Pumpkins albums rank the best is undoubtedly continuing.

Chart success is one way of judging Siamese Dream vs. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. And yet, it all depends on your perspective. What is true is that while Mellon Collie earned greater popular acclaim, Siamese Dream did the work of helping establish The Smashing Pumpkins as a legitimate commercial and musical force.

Siamese Dream, released on July 27, 1993, was The Smashing Pumpkins' second studio album. Although their first album, Gish, released in 1991, gained some success, Siamese Dream debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and went multi-platinum, featuring iconic tracks such as “Today,” “Disarm,” and “Cherub Rock” (which became the band's first hit single). Many fans argue that this album gave the Pumpkins a legitimate place alongside Nirvana and Pearl Jam. It went on to sell more than 6 million copies worldwide.

By comparison, Mellon Collie hit the charts with a running start. It did first-week sales of 246,500 units and became The Smashing Pumpkins' only album to sit atop the Billboard 200. But the real achievement has been its lasting popularity. The album received the rare Diamond certification (10 million unit sales) from the Recording Industry Association of America. Only just over 100 albums in history have achieved Diamond status.

Both albums made waves among fans and critics, even catching the attention of major award panels.

Take Siamese Dream, for instance. At the 36th Annual GRAMMY Awards, “Cherub Rock” received nominations in both the Best Alternative Music Performance and Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal categories. The album's distinctive cover art also earned a nomination.

Upon release, critics praised Siamese Dream heavily, and their admiration has only grown over time. Alternative Press ranked Siamese Dream as the fourth-best album of the 1990s, while Pitchfork named it the 18th best.

Rolling Stone magazine also noted the album for its timelessness, ranking Siamese Dream No. 341 on their 2020 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list and the 12th Greatest Grunge Album of All Time. A 30th anniversary retrospective called the album a "timeless masterpiece."

By comparison, Mellon Collie brought in more award trophies. It earned seven GRAMMY nominations in 1997, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for "1979." It also generated nine MTV Video Music Awards nominations.

Mellon Collie also earned The Pumpkins its first GRAMMY for Best Hard Rock Performance for the epic "Bullet with Butterfly Wings."

Generally, while fans swooned over both albums, critics praised Mellon Collie for its ambitious scope, while arguing that Siamese Dream was a more focused artistic statement, offering a cohesive, strategically planned sound. Here's why they felt that way.

Mellon Collie was conceived and executed as a double album from the start of the project, with inspiration from The Beatles' and their White Album.

Because of the scope, it showcases very different styles and skills of The Smashing Pumpkins, with diverse instrumentation including piano, synthesizers, drum loops, and even a live orchestra. Lead singer Billy Corgan called Mellon Collie "The Wall for Generation X." Corgan wrote more than 50 songs for the album. In total, The Pumpkins had 57 potential songs for the album. In the end, the band chose 28, addressing themes such as nihilism, sentimentality, and hope, expressed in art rock, grunge, alternative pop, and heavy metal styles.

Another obvious measure of an album's impact is the number of singles it generates and how they are received. Also, data in the streaming era fully demonstrates that the albums retain massive lasting popularity.

Mellon Collie unleashed multiple successful singles, including "1979," "Zero," "Tonight, Tonight," the promotional "Muzzle," and "Thirty-Three" over the course of 1996, with three of those making the Top 40. By comparison, Siamese Dream had fewer hits, but each was individually impactful in reaching the targeted alternative rock audience.

Taken together, though, these singles helped define the epic nature of 1990s alternative rock. As one measure, "1979" is the most-streamed Smashing Pumpkins song. "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," which got to No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, has far fewer streams.

Numbers tell a story. Sometimes they tell the story you want them to. Both albums are masterpieces in their own right, timeless creations that generate strong feelings among fans. Do you lean toward Mellon Collie's commercial dominance, ambitious scope, and cultural impact? Or do you prefer Siamese Dream for its thoughtful shaping of the Pumpkins' persona?

Which one you favor depends on your outlook and what gets your adrenaline flowing when listening to music. Give the albums another listen, and in the end, be thankful for two very memorable song collections.