The Smashing Pumpkins had the hit single “1979” in 1996. Written by frontman Billy Corgan, the song was released as a single on January 23, 1996, through Virgin Records in the United States. It appeared on the band's landmark third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, released in 1995.
“1979” stood out from the band's earlier guitar-heavy work because it incorporated loops, samples, and a more atmospheric production style. Its title refers to Corgan's adolescence and the feeling of being young in suburban America, although the lyrics use impressionistic images rather than telling a straightforward story.
The song became the band's highest-charting U.S. single, reaching number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. It topped both the Modern Rock Tracks and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. Its acclaimed music video, directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, won the 1996 MTV Video Music Award for Best Alternative Video.