Alternate Rock
Yungblud Revamps ‘Zombie’ With The Smashing Pumpkins for a Darker, Heavier Mix
Yungblud has kicked off 2026 with one of the most unexpected rock collaborations of the year, releasing a darker reimagining of his hit song “Zombie” featuring The Smashing Pumpkins. The revamped version deepens the emotional weight of the original track, adding heavier guitars, brooding textures, and a powerful new vocal turn from Billy Corgan.
Originally released on Yungblud’s latest album, Idols, “Zombie” quickly became his fastest-streaming solo single, surpassing 100 million global streams. The song’s new iteration marks the first time The Smashing Pumpkins have appeared on another artist’s recording, making the collaboration a milestone moment for both acts.
Billy Corgan Brings a New Emotional Edge
The remix retains the structure of the original but leans fully into its darker instincts. Yungblud opens the song with the familiar first verse and chorus before Billy Corgan takes over the second verse, his unmistakable voice adding a sense of quiet devastation. The two artists then join together for the closing moments, amplifying the track’s haunting refrain: “Would you even want me?”
Musically, the rework features denser guitar layers and a more foreboding atmosphere, heightening the song’s themes of trauma, grief, and emotional isolation. The result feels less like a remix and more like an evolution—one that embraces the pessimism and aggression Yungblud says he originally held back.
Inspired by Siamese Dream
Yungblud has long cited The Smashing Pumpkins as a major influence, particularly their 1993 classic Siamese Dream. Speaking previously about the creation of “Zombie,” he said the album’s blend of melancholy and distortion heavily shaped the song’s DNA.
“When ‘Zombie’ came along, I knew I wanted to do a new version of it,” Yungblud explained. “There needed to be this Jekyll and Hyde element—light and optimism on one side, darkness and bitterness on the other.”
That vision ultimately led him to contact Billy Corgan directly. Within days, Yungblud traveled to Chicago to record the new version and an accompanying music video, directed by Charlie Sarsfield.
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Grammy Recognition and a Big Year Ahead
“Zombie” is currently nominated for Best Rock Song at the 2026 Grammy Awards, competing against tracks by Nine Inch Nails, Sleep Token, Hayley Williams, and Turnstile. Meanwhile, Idols is also up for Best Rock Album, placing Yungblud among heavyweights like Deftones, Linkin Park, and Haim.
Reflecting on the album, Yungblud has described Idols as a pivotal moment in his career—one that forced him to reject nostalgia and carve out a future-facing version of rock music.
As he prepares for a sold-out U.K. arena tour and international dates later this year, the “Zombie” remix stands as a defining artistic statement—bridging generations of alternative rock while pushing Yungblud further into his own sonic identity.
