Yungblud has kicked off 2026 with a high-profile collaboration, unveiling a new version of his song “Zombie” featuring The Smashing Pumpkins.
The reimagined track marks the first time the Pumpkins have appeared on another artist’s recording, a notable moment in the band’s three-decade career.
Originally released as part of Yungblud’s fourth studio album Idols, “Zombie” has become the British rocker’s fastest-streaming solo single to date, surpassing 100 million global streams. The song is nominated for best rock song at the 2026 Grammy Awards, while Idols is also nominated for best rock album.
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The updated version retains the emotional core of the original recording while leaning into a darker, heavier sound. Yungblud opens the track with the familiar first verse and chorus before Billy Corgan enters on the second verse,.
The new arrangement features denser guitar layers and a more foreboding atmosphere, amplifying the song’s themes of trauma, grief and emotional isolation.
In a recent interview with interview with Loudwire, Yungblud revealed that Siamese Dream was a key reference point while writing “Zombie.” “When I was making ‘Zombie,’ I was really channeling Siamese Dream,” he said.
“It was really the sadness and the melancholic emotion mixed with the aggression of Billy’s guitars.”
He added that the original demo for “Zombie” was initially heavier, but he scaled it back out of concern that it leaned too closely toward the Pumpkins’ sound.
“I always imagined another take,” Yungblud said, describing the new version as a way to finally “scratch that itch.”
That idea became reality after Yungblud reached out directly to Corgan.
Within days, the singer flew to Chicago — the Pumpkins’ hometown — to record the new version and its accompanying music video. The visual, directed by Charlie Sarsfield, features both artists and was released alongside the track.
The collaboration follows a landmark year for Yungblud.
In addition to his Grammy nominations, Idols topped the U.K. Albums Chart and reached No. 15 on Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart. He also earned a Top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 with One More Time, his collaborative EP with Aerosmith.
The EP’s single “My Only Angel” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart.
Looking ahead, Yungblud is set to head to Australia for a string of shows as part of his Idols tour, as well as a sold-out U.K. arena tour beginning April 11, with additional international dates expected later in the year.
