Nine Inch Nails

Formed: 1988
Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Genre: Industrial Metal, Art Rock, Synth-pop, Electronica
Years Active: 1989 -
Meaning of the Name: Refers to the long nails used to seal coffins
Core Members: Trent Reznor
Way of Working: Singular artistic vision; only permanent member of the band until Atticus Ross joined in 2016.
Associated: How to Destroy Angels

Essential Releases

Pretty Hate
Machine (1989)

Introduced Trent Reznor's music to the world. Strong synth-pop/new wave influence, like an ultra-combative Depeche Mode

The Downward
Spiral (1994)

Concept album about a man's descent into suicidal ideation. Deviates wildly from their initial synth-pop.

The Fragile (1999)

Recorded during personal turmoil. Details Reznor's descent into the abyss.

Many people describe Trent Reznor as a musical genius; not merely for his mastery of traditional instruments including the piano, tuba, saxophone, guitar, and drums, nor for his multiple Grammy and Academy Award-winning electronic compositions, but because he punches socially acceptable music in the face so hard its neck breaks, and is lauded by critics and fans while he does it.

In the '90s, anti-establishment figures found incredible success by challenging the moral authority of hypocritical leaders, not just in music, but across the media: Howard Stern in radio, Denis Leary in comedy, Eminem in hip hop, Nirvana and Pearl Jam in grunge. Sinead O'Connor famously shredded a photo of the Pope on Saturday Night Live in 1992. Nine Inch Nails outdid them all.

While Nirvana protested the transformation of ordinary people into gluttonous consumers "here we are now, entertain us", Nine Inch Nails used the aesthetic of BDSM to explore darker, more taboo themes of violent sex, humiliation, dehumanisation, and control. The truly vile lyrics to 'Big Man With a Gun' are a perfect example:

"Got me a big old d*ck and I like to have fun. Held against your forehead I'll make you suck it. Maybe I'll put a hole in your head, you know just for the f*ck of it. I can reduce you if I want. I can devour."

The banned video for 'Happiness in Slavery' (1992), graphically depicts a businessman stripping naked and submitting to a machine that mutilates and destroys him, turning his body into fertiliser. People willingly becoming food for the grinder is a powerful representation of anti-corporate sentiment but the video was so disturbing that official, uncensored versions of it are difficult to find even today.

Furthermore, in 1989, a farmer mistakenly believed that found footage from the 'Down In It' music video was a snuff film and reported the matter to the FBI. Over a year passed before the renowned detective agency determined that the dead man, Reznor, was in fact still breathing. The band's live gigs were no different, often becoming indiscriminate spectacles of destruction.

Reznor upped the ante on rock stars who smashed guitars by demolishing several at once, as well as drum kits, synths, and anything else he could get his hands on. Fans in the crowd took part in the ritualistic violence, fighting each other and throwing liquids at the exposed electric cables on stage.

The popularity of Nine Inch Nails surged while the devil smiled in agreement. The Downward Spiral (1994), a semi-autobiographical concept album about a man descending into madness and suicidal ideation, reached number 2 on the US charts. The Fragile (1999), a 104 minute long opus about a wretched creature failing to put his life in order, was an unlikely number 1.

While the surrounding controversy garnered attention, and the subject matter proved grimly fascinating, the music of Nine Inch Nails was truly important. An amassed legion of fans tattooed 'NIИ' onto their bodies as a lifelong commitment to an artist who catapulted industrial metal into the mainstream. Before Nine Inch Nails it had before seemed impossible. The genre's previous peak, commercially speaking, was The Land of Rape and Honey (1988) by Ministry, which reached number 164 on the US album charts.

Furious industrial purists dispute whether Nine Inch Nails are truthfully a part of the genre because Reznor incorporated the catchy hooks of synth-pop, the luxurious tones of ambient, and the abrasive guitars of rock into his own caustic barrel of metallic noise. However, he undoubtedly introduced an industrial-like sound to millions of listeners with a distinctive panache that served as a rising tide that lifted all boats. For example, Ministry subsequently scored a platinum album with Psalm 69 (1992) and Reznor's protege, Marilyn Manson, reached the summit of the US album charts on two separate occassions.

Despite being criticised for commercialising a genre that was once considered 'anti-music' due to its rejection of melody and harmony, the crossover between industrial and synth-pop/new wave is well-established. Ministry's first album, With Sympathy (1983), was a synth-pop release and the English band, Chris & Cosey, emerged from the rubble of the pioneering industrial giant Throbbing Gristle to excel in the '80s.

Ultimately, Trent Reznor combined his various influences to express a disturbed inner life, proving that music is capable of representing mental states such as longing, isolation, nihilism, wrath, and paranoia, as well as relatively simple concepts such as love and hate. He pushed the boundaries of what music could do in a way that was both artistically deserving and deeply meaningful to a large number of people. If you can handle it, listen to his work to discover why so many people cared so much.

Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?

85

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.

55

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.

70

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.

90

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?

80

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.

95

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.

100

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.

95

Screaming

i Technical attributes.

75

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.

80

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?

80

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.

15

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value.

75

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?

90

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.

35

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc. I've reduced the score for NIN because Trent's presentation often repulsed people.

40

Commercial & Critical Success

Awards >>>

• Grammy Award WINNER! x2: Wish (Best Metal Performance), Happiness in Slavery (Best Metal Performance)
• Grammy Award Nominee x11:

Certifications >>>

• Pretty Hate Machine - Platinum in the US; Gold in the UK
• The Downward Spiral - Platinum in the US & Canada; Gold in the UK & Australia
• The Fragile - Platinum in the US & Canada; Silver in the UK
• With Teeth - Platinum in the Canada; Gold in the US & in the UK
• Year Zero - Silver in the UK
• Hesitation Marks - Gold in Canada

Charts >>>

• The Downward Spiral - Number 2 in the US
• The Fragile - Number 1 in the US; Number 2 in Australia & Canada
• With Teeth - Number 1 in the US; Number 2 in Canada; Number 3 in the UK
• Year Zero - Number 2 in the US; Number 3 in Canada; Number 5 in Australia; Number 6 in the UK
• Ghosts I–IV - Number 3 in Canada
• Hesitation Marks - Number 1 in Canada; Number 2 in the UK; Number 3 in the US & Australia; Number 5 in Germany

Critics >>>

• Rolling Stone: The Downward Spiral - The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2003): 200th
• Rolling Stone: The Downward Spiral - Best Albums of 1999: 4th
• Spin: The Downward Spiral - Best Albums of 1999: 1st

Similar Acts

• Skinny Puppy
• Marilyn Manson
• HEALTH
• Coil
• Machines of Loving Grace
• KMFDM

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