it is a subjective term. there are plenty of unsuccessful "pop" bands - lack of commercial success doesn't make them any more indie/alternative whatever. i guess any band that releases a single is almost by definition pop. thinking about it did the pumpkins have big hit singles in any major market? i seem to recall billy saying as much in an interview during the mcis-era and they sure didn't have any hits after that time period.
when does a band cross-over into pop anyway - is it a distinct shift in their sound, or just popularity, or having hit singles? in which case Zeppelin qualify by being enormously popular. nobody would call nirvana pop band when bleach was released but 2 years later they were a huge pop band. but was in utero a pop record, even though their profile was just as big?
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