Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan is raising eyebrows with a bold theory about the decline of rock's cultural dominance. Speaking on his podcast, The Magnificent Others, the musician claimed that MTV and potentially the CIA orchestrated a deliberate shift to sideline the genre in the late 1990s. Corgan described witnessing an abrupt "gravity shift" between 1997 and 1998, where rock was allegedly pushed aside in favor of rap and pop.

According to Corgan, the marginalization was not accidental but was a reaction to rock's power as a social and political force. "I think that rock has been purposely dialed down in the culture," Corgan stated during the episode. He argued that the genre's ability to motivate massive crowds became a concern for those in power, leading to a calculated effort to diminish its influence. He specifically pointed to the gatekeeping role of MTV as the network transitioned its focus away from the alternative icons of the era.

The discussion on The Magnificent Others also touched on how the industry shifted toward more "manageable" genres. Corgan suggested that the complexity and rebellious nature of rock made it harder for corporations to control compared to the emerging pop landscape of the late '90s. While he acknowledged the weight of his claims, he insisted the change he witnessed was too sudden to be purely organic, as reported by Stereogum and ThePRP.