Warner Chappell Music, the global publishing arm of Warner Music Group, has renewed its exclusive worldwide administration deal with multi-talented musician, songwriter and singer, William Patrick Corgan. The agreement covers Corgan’s full catalog of music and future material – including his work as the Smashing Pumpkin’s frontman and primary songwriter – which encompasses the Grammy-winning “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” and “The End Is the Beginning Is the End,” along with “Today,” “1979,” “Zero,” “Stand Inside Your Love,” and many others.
Warner Chappell Music Co-Chair and CEO, Guy Moot, and Co-Chair and COO, Carianne Marshall, said: “William has always gone against the grain to create his distinctive and unique sound. His music is wildly captivating and consistently pushes the boundaries of what’s possible. He’s a true creative genius, and we’re so excited to continue to partner with him and support his incredible work.”
Warner Chappell Music SVP of A&R, Greg Sowders, added: “William’s musical contributions in the early 1990s laid the groundwork for the explosive grunge era that followed. As one of alternative rock’s greatest legends, his wide-reaching influences have persevered for more than three decades. We’re extremely proud to be on this journey with him and look forward to collaborating on exciting new projects and Smashing Pumpkins releases.”
William Patrick Corgan shared: “I’m pleased and honored to be among the greats who make up the great tradition and legacy of Warner Chappell. To even stand in the shadow of the great Harry Warren, who one could argue helped build this rich company from its inception, is all I needed to know.”
William Patrick Corgan grew up in Chicago and started playing guitar in high school with a few local bands. He was introduced to music from The Cure and Bauhaus, which ignited his passion for alternative rock at a young age. Corgan graduated with honors and went on to pursue music full-time in the mid ‘80s. Early in his career, he briefly played with The Marked and Deep Blue Dream before forming the Smashing Pumpkins with guitarist James Iha in 1988. The band quickly started gaining momentum after welcoming bassist D’arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.
The Smashing Pumpkins dropped their debut album, Gish, in 1991. Their next release, Siamese Dream in 1993, became the Smashing Pumpkins first critically acclaimed, multi-platinum hit. The quartet followed with their RIAA-certified 10x platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness in 1995 and RIAA-certified platinum Adore in 1998 – both of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. In 2000, the group parted ways and five years later, Corgan reunited the band and has since released several new albums and tours with a revolving lineup of members. Corgan produced the Smashing Pumpkins’ newest album, Cyr, in 2020, which was accompanied by a five-part animated series, In Ashes, written by Corgan and directed by Mike Anderson. For more than 30 years, Corgan has remained the longest-standing member of the Smashing Pumpkins, overseeing the release of 20 albums, EPs and related musical projects.
Outside of an impressive career with the band, Corgan has also recorded four solo albums and amassed a long list of syncs. Notably, Apple recently licensed the Smashing Pumpkins song, “We Only Come Out at Night” for an iPhone commercial about its new ‘Night Mode’ feature. Corgan has also contributed to major movie and television soundtracks, including Batman & Robin, Transformers, HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant, NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Fox’s The O.C., among others. In addition, he has written and produced for top rock acts like Hole, Korn, Sir Sly, Third Eye Blind, Phantogram, The Civil Wars, Paul Oakenfold and more. He is currently working on a Smashing Pumpkins concept album comprised of 33 songs, which will serve as a sequel to the Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Machina albums.
