Perfect (The Smashing Pumpkins song)

"Perfect"
US/UK CD1 cover
Single by the Smashing Pumpkins
from the album Adore
B-side	"Summer" "Daphne Descends"
Released	September 7, 1998 (1998-09-07)
Recorded	1997
Genre	Synth-pop
Length	3:22
Label	Virgin, Hut
Songwriter(s)	Billy Corgan
Producer(s)	Billy Corgan, Flood, Brad Wood
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology
"Ava Adore" (1998) "Perfect" (1998) "Crestfallen" (1999)
Alternative cover
UK CD single 2

"Perfect" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was released as the second single from their fourth album, Adore (1998), on September 7, 1998. It was the final commercial single from the album, although "Crestfallen" and "To Sheila" were subsequently released as promotional singles.

Critical reception

Upon release, the song received positive reviews. Rolling Stone notes that the song "picks up on the synth-pop echoes of the 1996 Pumpkins hit 1979."^[1] Feldman of website Musiccritic.com called the single "an irresistible slice of candy-coated pop"^[2] while website Rockmusicreview.com praised it for its "glimmering shine."^[3]

Music video

To expand on the similarities between "Perfect" and "1979", the band released a music video which continued the story of the characters in "1979". They were able to find and use four out of the five original actors from the "1979" video, including Giuseppe Andrews. The fifth was in jail.^[4] The same directors were hired, husband-and-wife team Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. It was the fifth and final collaboration between them and the Smashing Pumpkins.

The conclusion of the video, in which a tape falls off a car and is crushed, is probably a reference to the fate of the first tapes of the "1979" music video, which had to be re-taped because they were left on the roof of a car and destroyed when the car drove off.^[5]

The video also contains footage of the band performing at The Masque in L.A. for selected fans.^[6] The set played at the taping included heavier songs the band was not performing during regular concerts at the time, such as "Where Boys Fear to Tread", "Bodies", and "Pug".

The video debuted on MTV's 120 Minutes on September 16, 1998.^{[citation needed]}

Track listings

All songs were written by Billy Corgan, except "Summer", written by James Iha. Drums provided by Joey Waronker.^[7]

UK CD1

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Perfect"	3:27
2.	"Summer"	3:14
3.	"Perfect" (Nellee Hooper Mix)	4:14

UK CD2

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Perfect"	3:23
2.	"Perfect" (Perfecto Mix)	7:00
3.	"Daphne Descends" (Kerry B. Mix)	3:53

UK and US Maxi-CDs

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Album Version"	3:23
2.	"Nellee Hooper Mix"	4:14
3.	"Nellee Hooper Instrumental"	4:12
4.	"Perfecto Mix"	7:00
5.	"Electro Breakbeat Mix"	6:02
6.	"Perfecto Dub"	7:04

US CD single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Perfect"	3:23
2.	"Summer"	3:14
3.	"Daphne Descends" (Kerry B. Mix)	3:53

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1998) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[8] 56 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 11 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[10] Remix 19 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[11] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] 82 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[13] 17 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 18 Scotland (OCC)[15] 21 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 24 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 54 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[18] 8 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[19] 31 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[20] 3 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[21] 33

Year-end charts Chart (1998) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[22] 78 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[23] 20 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[24] 93 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[25] 19 US Triple-A (Billboard)[26] 44

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	July 28, 1998	Contemporary hit radio	Virgin	[27]
United Kingdom	September 7, 1998	CD	Virgin Hut	[28]
United States	October 6, 1998		Virgin	[29]
Japan	October 28, 1998	CD		[30]

References

1. "Smashing Pumpkins Adore Album Review". Rolling Stone. May 18, 1998. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
2. "Smashing Pumpkins - Adore - Album Review @ Music-Critic.com : the source for music reviews, interviews, articles, and news on the internet". Retrieved August 23, 2015.
3. "Smashing Pumpkins - Adore / Album Review / Rock Music Review". Retrieved August 23, 2015.
4. Band commentary, "Perfect". Greatest Hits Video Collection.
5. "Another Round: The Smashing Pumpkins – "1979"". Consequence of Sound. March 8, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
6. Smashing Pumpkins - The Making of 'Perfect' (With Commentary). January 14, 2013. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2015 – via YouTube.
7. "The Smashing Pumpkins – Adore (1998, CD)".
8. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 257.
9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7039." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
10. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 6976." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
11. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 7919." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 39. September 26, 1998. p. 9. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
13. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (30.7.–6.8. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). July 31, 2019. p. 11. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
14. "The Smashing Pumpkins – Perfect". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
16. "Smashing Pumpkins: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
17. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
18. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
19. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
20. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
21. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
22. "RPM's Top 100 Hits of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 68, no. 12. December 14, 1998. p. 20. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
23. "RPM's Top 50 Alternative Tracks of '98". RPM. Retrieved October 3, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
24. "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. December 25, 1998. p. 55.
25. "The Year in Music 1998: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. December 26, 1998. p. YE-84.
26. "Best of '98: Most Played Triple-A Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. December 25, 1998. p. 35.
27. "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1258. July 24, 1999. p. 47.
28. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. September 5, 1998. p. 31. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
29. "Perfect / Summer / Daphne Descends". Amazon. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
30. "パーフェクト | スマッシング・パンプキンズ" [Perfect | Smashing Pumpkins] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 1, 2023.

External links

• "Perfect" Official music video on YouTube