Nine Inch Nails treats fans to two new albums for free amid coronavirus pandemic

Nine Inch Nails has gifted fans with two new albums, available to download for free, as the coronavirus pandemic drags on.

The albums, "Ghosts V: Together" and "Ghosts VI: Locusts," can be downloaded now from the group's website and are expected to be available on major streaming services by Thursday night.

They're intended as a followup to Nine Inch Nails' 2008 album "Ghosts I–IV."

A number of other musicians have made similar moves to help stir-crazy, housebound fans, offering free online concerts and dropping retro tracks as Americans shelter at home to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

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"As the news seems to turn ever more grim by the hour, we’ve found ourselves vacillating wildly between feeling like there may be hope at times to utter despair – often changing minute to minute," bandmates Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross wrote in an online message to fans. "Although each of us define ourselves as antisocial-types who prefer being on our own, this situation has really made us appreciate the power and need for CONNECTION.

"Music – whether listening to it, thinking about it or creating it – has always been the thing that helped us get through anything – good or bad. With that in mind, we decided to burn the midnight oil and complete these new Ghosts records as a means of staying somewhat sane."

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Tracks on "Ghosts V: Together" are uplifting, according to Reznor and Ross. As for "Ghosts VI: Locusts," "well, you’ll figure it out," they teased.

"It made us feel better to make these and it feels good to share them," Reznor and Ross wrote. "Music has always had a way of making us feel a little less alone in the world… and hopefully it does for you, too. Remember, everyone is in this thing together and this too shall pass."

Nine Inch Nails has been around for more than 30 years. Their last album, "Bad Witch," was released in 2018.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: Nine Inch Nails gives fans 2 free albums amid pandemic