Billy Corgan Says 26-Year Age Gap Gives Marriage an Edge

WHO:

NY Post - Billy Corgan is the Smashing Pumpkins frontman; his wife and partner is Chloe Mendel.

US Magazine - Billy Corgan is a Smashing Pumpkins musician; his wife is Chloé Mendel.

WHAT:

NY Post - Corgan described his wife’s youth as an “advantage” in a rare comment about their 26-year age gap.

US Magazine - Corgan views his 26-year age difference with Mendel as a “net positive.”

US Magazine - Corgan said: “I think a lot of women born in the ‘90s, given the societal changes, … [saw the] proper rise of feminism as a kind of way to balance properly a lot of things.”

WHEN:

NY Post - Corgan and Mendel have been together since 2012; they became engaged a decade later and married in 2023.

NY Post - The article identifies Corgan as 59 and Mendel as 34.

WHY:

US Magazine - Corgan connected women born in the 1990s with societal changes and the rise of feminism, which he said helped “balance properly a lot of things.”

(UPDATED October 26, 2026 16:13 UTC)

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan says the 26-year age gap with his wife, Chloé Mendel, is a “net positive” and that her youth is an advantage. He linked women born in the 1990s to societal changes and the rise of feminism, which he said helped balance things. Corgan and Mendel have been together since 2012, got engaged a decade later, and married in 2023.