Nine Inch Nails (abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ) is an American industrial rock band founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. The band released two influential albums during the 1990s: The Downward Spiral (1994) and The Fragile (1999), and has record sales exceeding over 20 million copies worldwide with 10 million sales certified in the United States alone.
Lyrical themes found in Nine Inch Nails songs are largely concerned with dark explorations of the self ranging from religion, greed, fame, lust, addiction, self-deception, aging, regret, nihilism, and occasionally politics with the latter topic often being scrutinized in Year Zero. Three of Nine Inch Nails’ recordings are concept albums: The Downward Spiral, follow-up The Fragile, and the aforementioned Year Zero. With Teeth (under the working title Bleedthrough) was to be a concept album about an endless dream occurring in reality, but Reznor eventually took this idea out of the record.
As the band’s main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor was considered the only constant member and creative force within the group through much of its history. However, this changed in 2016 when Atticus Ross was introduced as a permanent member of Nine Inch Nails, alongside the announcement of the Not the Actual Events EP. Furthermore, Reznor typically assembles a live band to perform with him onstage. These touring bands feature a revolving lineup, and often rearrange songs to fit a live setting. Nine Inch Nails often employs thematic visual elements to accompany on stage performances as well, which frequently include light shows.
Nine Inch Nails has been nominated for thirteen Grammy Awards, winning twice for the songs “Wish” and “Happiness in Slavery” in 1992 and 1996, respectively. In 1997, Reznor appeared in Time magazine’s list of the year’s most influential people, and Spin magazine has described him as “the most vital artist in music.” In 2004, Rolling Stone placed Nine Inch Nails at 94 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.
In 2014, Nine Inch Nails was named as nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, their first year of eligibility. In 2015, they were nominated a second time.
NIN’s release of the Add Violence EP this year allows K-ZAP to play the track, “Less Than” as part of our 50 years of rock, blues and more. Download our mobile app: K-ZAP.ORG/apps/
Reference: NIN Wikipedia
Discography
Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
Broken (EP, 1992)
The Downward Spiral (1994)
The Fragile (1999)
With Teeth (2005)
Year Zero (2007)
Ghosts I–IV (2008)
The Slip (2008)
Hesitation Marks (2013)
Not the Actual Events (EP) ( 2016)
Add Violence (EP) (2017)
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