Reznor recorded the band's debut album, Pretty Hate Machine (1989), while working overnight as a janitor at a Cleveland recording studio. After feuding with the label TVT Records about promotion, Reznor signed with Interscope Records and released the EP Broken (1992). The following albums, The Downward Spiral (1994) and The Fragile (1999), were released to critical acclaim and commercial success.
Reznor chose the name "Nine Inch Nails" because it "abbreviated easily" rather than for "any literal meaning". Other rumored explanations have circulated, alleging that Reznor chose to reference Jesus' crucifixion with nine-inch spikes, or Freddy Krueger's nine-inch fingernails. The English letters NIN are also noted for their resemblance to the modern Hebrew characters of the Tetragrammaton. The Nine Inch Nails logo first appeared on the music video for their debut single, "Down in It". The logo was designed by Reznor and Gary Talpas, inspired by Tibor Kalman's typography on the Talking Heads album Remain in Light. Talpas, a native of Cleveland, continued to design Nine Inch Nails packaging until 1997.
Following a hiatus, Nine Inch Nails resumed touring in 2005 and released their fourth album, With Teeth (2005). Following the release of Year Zero (2007), Reznor left Interscope after a feud. Nine Inch Nails continued touring and independently released Ghosts I–IV (2008) and The Slip (2008) before a second hiatus. Their eighth album, Hesitation Marks (2013), was followed by a trilogy consisting of the EPs Not the Actual Events (2016) and Add Violence (2017) and their ninth album Bad Witch (2018). In 2020, Nine Inch Nails released two further installments in the Ghosts series, Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts.
Reznor and Ross typically assemble a live band to perform with them. Not including sporadic band hiatuses, the band has varied over the decades, with the most recent lineup consisting of Robin Finck (initially joined in 1994), Alessandro Cortini (initially joined in 2005), and Ilan Rubin (initially joined in 2009). Nine Inch Nails concerts since 2005 often employ thematic visual elements, extensive use of special effects, and elaborate light shows; songs are often rearranged for performance, and elements of songs that are not scheduled to be performed in their entirety are occasionally assimilated into other songs.
Nine Inch Nails have sold over 20 million records and have been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, winning for the songs "Wish" (1992) and "Happiness in Slavery" (1996). In 1997, Time named Reznor one of the most influential people, and Spin has described him as "the most vital artist in music". In 2004, Rolling Stone placed Nine Inch Nails at No. 94 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. They were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 (their first year of eligibility), nominated again in 2015, and were inducted in 2020.
Nine Inch Nails has issued eight major albums, which have generally received both critical and commercial acclaim. Historically, NIN releases have been assigned a "Halo" index number. For example, the album 'With Teeth' is also known as Halo 19. With the inclusion of the 'Broken' EP, the band's primary releases are:
1. 'Pretty Hate Machine' (1989)
2. 'Broken' EP (1992)
3. 'The Downward Spiral' (1994)
4. 'The Fragile (Left)' / ''The Fragile (Right)' (1999)
5. 'With Teeth' (2005)
6. 'Year Zero' (2007)
7. 'Ghosts I-IV' (2008)
8. 'The Slip' (2008)
9. 'Hesitation Marks' (2013)
10. 'Not the Actual Events' EP (2016)
11. 'Add Violence' EP (2017)
12. 'Bad Witch' (2018)
13. 'Ghosts V: Together' (2020)
14. 'Ghosts VI: Locusts' (2020)
Nine Inch Nails has also produced a number of EP's, remixes, and provided contributions to various movie soundtracks, including 'Lara Croft: Tomb Raider', 'The Crow', 'Natural Born Killers', 'Lost Highway', and 'Tetsuo: The Bullet Man'. Trent Reznor additionally provided the soundtrack for the massively popular id Software game Quake, a release inspired by ambient music. His team up with Atticus Ross resulted in the critically praised soundtrack to the film 'The Social Network', with the Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross duo winning an Oscar for Best Original Score at the 83rd Academy Awards
In 2002, a live album (their second live release, the first being the video 'Closure Documentary') entitled 'And All That Could Have Been' was released on DVD & CD. The Deluxe version of the CD came packaged with a mini album called 'Still'. That release featured several previously released songs in a stripped down, near-acoustic format along with several other new compositions.
Nine Inch Nails as a live band is generally understood to be a separate entity from its recording studio-based component. Occasionally, past band members are invited to participate in the process when not directly involved with recording new material, Nine Inch Nails' lineup tends to change drastically between major tours. Aside from Trent Reznor remaining on lead vocals, nothing about the live band has remained constant since its inception. Reznor cited the long gestation period between studio albums as part of the reason for these frequent personnel changes.
Beginning in late 2005, the live band featured Aaron North on guitar, Jeordie White on bass guitar, Alessandro Cortini on keyboards, and Josh Freese on drums, though all occasionally performed with different instruments. This lineup toured Europe, Asia, Australia, and America through 2007. Trent Reznor reported that he would disband the "rock band configuration" of his touring lineup after their concert in Honolulu, Hawaii on September 18, 2007, and would explore other means to perform Nine Inch Nails material on subsequent tours. Despite this claim he has regained the rock group lineup for the 'Lights In The Sky Over...' tours with Robin Finck returning on guitar and Justin Meldal-Johnsen of Beck and other projects accompanying Cortini and Freese.
Past live band members include (listed chronologically):
* Ron Musarra: Drums, Samplers
* Chris Vrenna: Keyboards, Samplers, Drums
* Richard Patrick: Guitar
* Jeff Ward: Drums
* David Haymes: Keyboards
* Nick Rushe: Keyboards
* Lee Mars: Keyboards
* James Woolley: Keyboards
* Robin Finck: Guitar, Synthesizer
* Danny Lohner: Bass, Guitar, Synthesizer
* Charlie Clouser: Synthesizer, Drums on 5 songs during the Dissonance side of David Bowie's Outside tour, Theremin
* Sean Beavan: Soundboard, Backing vocals on 5 songs
* Jerome Dillon: Drums
* Alex Carapetis: Drums
* Ilan Rubin: Drums
The September 14, 2007 edition of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported that the September 18 show in Honolulu, Hawaii would be the last performance of the current incarnation of the Nine Inch Nails live band. Trent Reznor was quoted as stating, "at this point, I want to switch things around a bit. Nine Inch Nails as a rock band configuration, we've done it and we've done it again. I see other ways I can present the material in concert, more challenging, something new. I don't want it to go stale."
A DVD/Blu-Ray/HD-DVD of live material from the 2006 With Teeth tour was released in late February 2007 entitled Nine Inch Nails Live: Beside You In Time. All three formats include 24 songs from the summer and winter 2006 tours, plus bonus material.
Information about Nine Inch Nails concerts can be found on the NIN website.
Ghosts I-IV was released on March 2, 2008. It contains 36 instrumental tracks and was recorded in ten weeks of fall 2007. Initially intended to be a five-track EP, the album is presented in the form of four nine-track EPs. The tracks do not have names, and are only identified by their track listing and position on the EPs. Ghosts I-IV also adds to the recent experimentation with digital distribution; the album is available in many different ways, including a digital download, for purchase or (partially) free, a CD set, and a deluxe edition set.
The eighth album called "The Slip" was officially released on May 5, 2008. The whole album can be downloaded for free from this website: Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
On February 16th 2009, Trent announced that he would begin his last tour. Nine Inch Nails would indefinitely end. However, it is not likely that this is the end of his music career. In his letter, he hinted that he may do something with Jane's Addiction. In addition, Reznor has said outright in an interview on the official website that he is not done making music as Nine Inch Nails, but that he is done touring.
Trivia:
* Trent Reznor has worked with several big names in musical collaboration outside of NIN in recent years, including time rocker artist David Bowie, Maynard James Keenan of Tool, Zach de La Rocha of Rage Against the Machine, Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, Josh Wink, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, slam poet Saul Williams, hip-hop producer Puff Daddy & The Family, Peter Gabriel, Henry Rollins and more recently, hip-hop producer El-P and Queens of the Stone Age.
* Contrary to popular belief, Suck is technically a cover and not an original. The song was originally performed by the band Pigface on the album Gub (1991), a band which Trent worked with in the past. Trent is given vocal and writing credits and the song was later re-recorded for the Broken EP (1992) as a hidden track .
* Legendary country star Johnny Cash covered Hurt on the album The Man Comes Around.
* NIN along with Marilyn Manson, Maynard James Keenan, Phil Anselmo and other artists worked together to produce the Tapeworm Project, a side project that existed from the mid-1990s through to 2004.
Piggy
Nine Inch Nails Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah you
Hey pig piggy pig pig pig
All of my fears came true
Black and blue and broken bones you left me here I'm all alone
My little piggy needed something new
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
'Cause I just don't care
Nothing can stop me now
'Cause I don't care anymore
Nothing can stop me now
'Cause I just don't care
Hey pig
Nothing's turning out the way I planned
Hey pig there's a lot of things I hoped you could help me understand
What am I supposed to do I lost my shit because of you
Nothing can stop me now
'Cause I don't care anymore
Nothing can stop me now
'Cause I just don't care
Nothing can stop me now
'Cause I don't care anymore
Nothing can stop me now
'Cause I just don't care
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
Nothing can stop me now
The lyrics to Nine Inch Nails' "Piggy" seem to be addressing a specific person or entity that the singer refers to as "pig." It's unclear who or what this pig is supposed to represent, but it's clear that they have caused harm to the singer in some way. The use of pig as the object of the singer's ire may be a way of dehumanizing them, reducing them to an animalistic form to highlight their cruelty.
The first verse describes the physical toll that the pig has taken on the singer. They are "black and blue and broken bones," left alone and in pain. The use of the word piggy here may be a way of emphasizing a sense of betrayal, as if someone or something that the singer had relied on has let them down. The piggy "needed something new," perhaps referring to the pig's need for power or control.
The chorus repeats the phrase "nothing can stop me now" multiple times. This may be the singer's way of psyching themselves up or trying to convince themselves that they are invincible. The repeated use of the phrase "I don't care anymore" also suggests a sense of detachment or withdrawal from the world around them.
The second verse is more introspective as the singer questions their own actions and motivations. They ask "what am I supposed to do" in response to the harm that the pig has caused, suggesting a sense of helplessness or confusion. The mention of having "lost my shit because of you" hints at the idea that the pig may have been the cause of a mental breakdown or emotional outburst.
Overall, the lyrics to "Piggy" feel angry, frustrated, and hurt. It's not clear who or what the pig is meant to represent, but it's clear that they have caused significant harm to the singer. The use of detachment and repetition in the chorus suggests a sense of numbness or desensitization to the pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey pig
Addressing the person or entity responsible for the singer's distress
Yeah you
Confirmation that the addressee is indeed the pig being referred to
Hey pig piggy pig pig pig
Further emphasis on the addressee's porcine nature and the negative connotations associated with it
All of my fears came true
Implying that the pig has caused great harm to the artist, validating their initial fears regarding the relationship or situation
Black and blue and broken bones you left me here I'm all alone
Describing the physical and emotional damage inflicted by the pig, leaving the artist in a vulnerable state of isolation
My little piggy needed something new
Suggesting the pig's actions were motivated by selfishness or a desire for novelty, further adding to the singer's negative view of them
Nothing can stop me now
A declaration of the singer's newfound resilience and determination
'Cause I don't care anymore
The artist has reached a point where they no longer feel affected or concerned by the pig's actions
Hey pig
Repeating the address to the pig indicates that the artist is still focused on the cause of their distress
Nothing's turning out the way I planned
Acknowledging that the situation has gone awry and the original goal or plan has failed
Hey pig there's a lot of things I hoped you could help me understand
Despite the pig's role in causing the singer's problems, they still feel a desire for clarity and closure
What am I supposed to do I lost my shit because of you
Expressing frustration and helplessness at the situation, placing blame on the pig for pushing the artist to their limit
Nothing can stop me now
Reasserting the earlier declaration of resilience and determination
'Cause I just don't care
Emphasizing the detachment from the pig and their actions, indicating a lack of investment or concern regarding the outcome
Nothing can stop me now
Repeating the earlier declaration once again reinforces the singer's newfound sense of strength and invincibility
Nothing can stop me now
Continuing to repeat the line emphasizes the artist's conviction and determination
Nothing can stop me now
Repeating the line serves as a final proclamation of the artist's state of mind, suggesting that they have moved past the pig's influence and are now firmly in control
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Trent Reznor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Hurt
This is the most depressing song ever. I listened to this a lot back in November-December 2022.
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on Eraser
This song is so intense. It sounds like music from a horror movie. I love the Dissonance Tour version, but I don't like the Polite version, as it just sounds like one of those easy listening tracks. This song has gory vibes.
DrJKintobor
on Driver Down
I have a theory that this song is the instrumental for "Just Do It", the lost song from TDS that was scrapped for "promoting suicide".
DrJKintobor
on Heresy
I'm really resisting the urge to make a Warhammer 40k joke.
DrJKintobor
on Mr. Self Destruct
This song reminds me of Fleetway Super Sonic (if you don't know, the Fleetway Sonic Comics have Super Sonic as an evil split personality of Sonic)
Mohin Kann
on Closer
Moien
Antoinette Alvarez
on Something I Can Never Have
This song is sooo beautiful ♡
Antoinette Alvarez
on Sanctified
♡
Antoinette Alvarez
on Find My Way
OMG I ♡ THIS SONG