While I generally agree free and name your own price can be amazing tools to gain fans, the question I have been wondering is whether this is a smart move for a band that’s better days are behind them and are already getting poor feedback for their latest release. It is one thing if you are an act who has had their audience turn on them and just crafted a record that can change that and bring your fans back to you in droves, reigniting a dying career. It is another thing when most of the tweets about your new song start with the acronym WTF and no one is going to like it anyway.
What may have been smarter for Corgan to do was put this song out as a feeler and if he saw a great reaction put out his release for free just as planned. But when the world his holding their nose as you release a stinker it may be best to just cash in on the 44 song you have released (maybe still gaining die hard fan support by giving it a cheap price) and still milk your core audience for some dollars while you tour with a 19 year old drummer and no original members aside from yourself. Sometimes it helps to put out the feelers before you announce your strategy to the world. Good luck, Billy boy!