Nine Inch Nails’ 10 Best Songs
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The post Nine Inch Nails’ 10 Best Songs appeared first on Consequence.
Led by mastermind Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails took an underground genre known as industrial music and brought it to the mainstream by merging aggressive electronic-infused instrumentals with infectious rock hooks. As one of the most innovative bands of the past 30-plus years, NIN have released a myriad of classic songs.
Influenced by a wide range of artists that include David Bowie, Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, and Ministry, among others, Reznor crafted a magnificent debut with Nine Inch Nails’ 1989 album Pretty Hate Machine. Songs like “Head Like a Hole” and “Terrible Lie” quickly became industrial anthems. Then came one of the greatest EPs ever released, 1992’s Broken, an all-killer set that hinted at the direction Nine Inch Nails were moving in with standout tracks like “Wish” and “Happiness in Slavery.”
By 1994, NIN had already made a major name for themselves, but sophomore album The Downward Spiral propelled them to worldwide superstardom. With its profane chorus, “Closer” became an unlikely MTV hit, while the epic “Hurt” poured about as much emotion into one song as humanly possible.
NIN stepped back from the mainstream a bit with 1999’s double album The Fragile, as Reznor explored ambient sounds and experimental electronic music. A long break between albums saw Nine Inch Nails return in 2005 with the more radio-friendly With Teeth.
The past decade-plus has seen Reznor penning award-winning film scores with his musical partner and bandmate Atticus Ross, but NIN have continued to deliver a steady stream of releases in the 21st century, including Year Zero, The Slip, Hesitation Marks, and Bad Witch, along with the instrumental series Ghosts.
Nine Inch Nails Add Yves Tumor, 100 Gecs, and Boy Harsher to 2022 Tour Dates
Now, in 2022, Nine Inch Nails are embarking on their first tour in nearly four years, while also working on new music. The band is playing shows in the US this spring and fall, with a European run set for June. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.
With things ramping back up in the Nine Inch Nails world, what better time to look back at the band’s music by counting down their ten best songs to date.
–Spencer Kaufman
Managing Editor, Heavy Consequence
10. “Only”
“Only” is one of those few Nine Inch Nails songs where Reznor employs a very specific, rule-driven, almost robotic instrumental approach — yet his vocals are all over the map. As he builds the instruments further into a mesmerizing mass of sound, his speak-sing meandering becomes more immediate, repetitive, and poignant — all culminating in the undeniable chorus, “There is no you, there is only me/ There is no f**king you, there is only me.” It’s a true highlight of Nine Inch Nails’ output in the 2000s, demonstrating Reznor’s uncanny ability to create perfect pop songs and f**k them up just a little bit at a time. –Paolo Ragusa
09. “The Day the World Went Away”
After a long break following The Downward Spiral, NIN returned in 1999 with “The Day the World Went Away,” the first single from the ambitious double album The Fragile. Fan anticipation led to the track earning NIN’s highest ever chart position on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 17 . The song’s shoegazey chug is complemented by sensual and melodic vocals from Trent Reznor. If not the most groundbreaking song in NIN’s discography, “The Day the World Went Away” proved that the band could achieve mainstream success without compromising creative integrity or eschewing its own distinct sonic palette. –Jon Hadusek
08. “Copy of a”
One of the highlights from Nine Inch Nails’ excellent 2013 album, Hesitation Marks, “Copy of a” is a more introverted, patient turn from Reznor. His trademark arena-driven synths are less apparent in favor of something closer to the film scoring work he’s become known for with fellow member Atticus Ross, and the results are the satisfying sounds of an artist creating in a cinematic, nuanced space. His musings about existing as merely a copy and the feeling of losing agency is fascinating, too — it’s a great example of Reznor’s evolving lyrical investigations that extend much further beyond “I am sad and hurt.” –Paolo Ragusa
07. “Survivalism”
In 2007, Reznor and co. introduced the album Year Zero with the fierce “Survivalism,” a song that brings the intensity in both its lyrics and its electrifying chorus. With a dystopian theme that resounds throughout the entire Year Zero album, Reznor sings, “I got my propaganda, I got revisionism, I got my violence in hi-def ultra-realism.” Sonically, the song recalls the raw energy and grittiness of earlier works like Pretty Hate Machine and Broken, following the more polished singles “Only” and “The Hand That Feeds” from 2005’s With Teeth. Gritty NIN is pretty NIN. –Spencer Kaufman
06. “March of the Pigs”
Highlighting the first half of The Downward Spiral, “March of the Pigs” rips out of the gate with a hypnotic looping drum break that is solo’d for the first few bars. Explosions of guitar feedback soon descend in torrents, keeping up a breakneck hardcore-esque assault that gives Reznor free rein to pretty much lose it completely. His rasps sound like the exasperated howls of a desperate soul, and the extreme gain on his microphone further intensifies the utter harshness. These tortured sonic tantrums are balanced against dance-y breakdowns and a memorable piano turnaround, wherein Reznor poses the question: “Doesn’t it make you feel better?” It’s the only real moment of relief within this energetic three-minute gem. –Jon Hadusek
05. “Terrible Lie”
“Terrible Lie,” the second song on Nine Inch Nails’ excellent debut Pretty Hate Machine, is a truly foundational industrial rock song. The barrage of booming drums that run amok throughout the track boosts Reznor’s minimalist impulses, but the moody synths that creep in for the chorus add a perfect level of unease. And like “Head Like a Hole” before it, “Terrible Lie” showcases Reznor’s gritty, passionate voice — particularly in the final chorus, where in between shouts, Reznor launches into a viscerally catchy verse shrouded in just enough echo. –Paolo Ragusa
04. “Closer”
“Closer” is one of Nine Inch Nails’ most popular and notorious songs due to the sexual carnality of its chorus phrase. While some might find the direct wordage and sentiments somewhat graphic — earning NIN the infamous “Parental Advisory” sticker — the Downward Spiral track transcends mere shock value. The crushing beats and massive synth lines stand on their own, making this one of the definitive industrial-rock songs of the 1990s and a worldwide sex anthem. That said, the lyrics focus more on self-loathing and obsession overall, rather than romantic lust. –Jon Hadusek
03. “Wish”
The absolutely blistering “Wish” appears on NIN’s 1992 Broken EP and features a couple iconic moments — for one, an appropriately goth and terrifying music video where Reznor and co. are nearly devoured by a bunch of scary men in cages, and also the fact that a line in the song goes, “Gotta listen to your big time, hard line, bad luck, fist f**k.” But those moments aside, “Wish” marked an incredibly animated turn from the synth-heavy Pretty Hate Machine, as Reznor blew away expectations with a guitar-driven, metal-infused assault. –Paolo Ragusa
02. “Hurt”
Arguably a perfect piece of music — both in arrangement and lyrical composition — “Hurt” is Nine Inch Nails’ transcendent masterpiece. A sparse ballad verging on slowcore, Reznor delivers words of despair against a backdrop of brooding acoustic instrumentation. It pulls back the electronic and industrial production for the raw, often brutal emotional content present on most NIN songs from this era. Of course, Johnny Cash would turn “Hurt” into one of the greatest covers ever when he recorded it for his Rick Rubin-produced American IV: The Man Comes Around. It’s a song so powerful, it took on a life of its own. –Jon Hadusek
01. “Head Like a Hole”
An industrial anthem if there ever was one, “Head Like a Hole” is the song that put Nine Inch Nails on the map. While the excellent “Down In It” was the first single from Pretty Hate Machine, “Head Like a Hole” was the track that truly introduced music fans to the genius of Trent Reznor. With its dance-floor ready verses and headbanging chorus, the track brought goth kids and metalheads together when it first arrived in 1989, and continues to be a signature anthem for NIN more than 30 years later. Always the highlight of any NIN live show, “Head Like a Hole” remains one of Reznor’s crowning achievements. Bow down, indeed! –Spencer Kaufman
Nine Inch Nails’ 10 Best Songs
Spencer Kaufman, Paolo Ragusa and Jon Hadusek
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