March 8, 2019
25-Year-Old Nine Inch Nails' 'Downward Spiral': Every Song Ranked From Worst To Best
Has there ever been a more menacing album that plunged as deeply into 1990s pop consciousness as Nine Inch Nails' second album,downward spiral? suspect.
When NIN debuted, in 1989hate machines, certainly put Ohio-born industrial rocker Trent Reznor and his gritty mechanical sound on the map, peaking at No. 1. At No. 75 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, it's a whole different story: It's so subversive that it is up to the government to even attract attention.
At his Hollywood home, the Manson Family murdered five people, including actress Sharon Tate, an incident that made Reznor a huge star, one who turned inward to free him from the dark corners of his mind. A man known as a demon. It begins with the sound of a man being crushed by prison guards, taken from the George Lucas film.THX1138.fits, as this LP is about violence and self-flagellation, habit and self-hatred. So, indeed, on that fateful night in 1969, there were many words about "pig" written on the door of the house, one of which was the victim's blood.
Reviewing the album 25 years later, one factor is apparent: gritty and aggressive, yet subdued at times, it's a musical masterpiece without a dated sound: its production values are staggering, despite a quarter-century of technological advancement. Studio Magic. Reznor is his understanding of the technical field.
It's hard to classify its 15 tracks: There are simple anthems, haunting ballads, gritty guitars, and atmospheric interludes. But here we start...
14. "Downward Spiral"
It's three minutes and five seconds of perhaps the tangle of atmospheres, acoustic sound effects, and electric guitars that drown out the entire album. The LP's melodic themes resurface before being drowned out, but that might be the purpose: Reznor is exhausted and ready for the closing act: the album's final (and most impactful and confessional) song "Hurt."
13. "Big guy with a gun"
The album's most controversial track can also be considered one of its worst.goal of conservatives, along with Senator and Republican campaign chairman Bob Dole, the music is almost a cliché of commercial anxiety. Reznor's lyrics don't get much better: "I'm a big man (yes I am) / Got a big gun / Give me a big old dick, I / I want to enjoy / Up to your forehead / I'll make you suck it." Naturally, the Republicans took this as an insult to themselves, whilereznor affirmationsThis is discrimination against misogynistic hip-hop.
12. "Reptiles"
Following the previous "Draft"spiralSubsequently, "Reptiles" continued on an equally daring musical path. At 6:51, it is the longest piece of music on the album; Reznor reportedly preferred to release it as a single. Again, it's a layered collision of sounds - how many tracks are there really? -once again he demonstrated his genius with a knack for giving advice with his fingertips. When you hear this music, it's no surprise that Reznor had a truly lucrative career in film scores.
11. "Scratcher"
"Eraser," an additional experimental art song on an "em"-laden album, is an epic of sound design: mosaic melodies and layered vocals that come and go, a midstage barrage of vocals, and retreat into Darkness. Reznor screamed bluntly, "I need you. Dream of you. Find you. Taste you. Fuck you. Use you. Hurt you. Break you. Lose me. Hate me. Crush me. Erase me. Kill me."
10. "Warm Place"
This instrumental, uh-huh, a nod to the nice, cozy, safe place that heroin overdose provides? - Exactly what your inspiration recommends: slow burning, beauty, comfort, happiness. It's 3 minutes and 22 seconds of relaxation, hugs and luxury, muffled by the explosion of crude oil in between.
9. "Mr. Self Destruct"
Once we get the opening time (time, to be precise), the music turns into a rattle of stabbing guitars. Reznor alternates between synth breaks and underground rolls until -raised- the machine turns on again: "I'm the needle in your vein/I'm the excess you can't hold/I'm the enabler, I'm the whore/I'm you needed to earn additional income." During this time, there is no additional music about Reznor's pain and drug addiction.
eight. "waste"
Pieces of sounds come together here that sound like distorted, far-future versions of Depeche Mode (some of which were produced by longtime band collaborator Flood). Danceable breakbeats, member synths and grindcore guitars are combined in collage fashion. There's even a Hendrix-in-guitar heroterminator-style breakdown: "You put all this on your side, don't you? / You imagine in all your lies, don't you? / The breakdown bought a lot to prove that he bought nothing to lose, now He lets you imagine."
7. "Become"
An example of melodic industrial music, with some edgy, if still eerie melodies colliding between whirring synths and piercing screams. Here's a nice tune from a haunted house: "It's scabbed and it hurts and it hurts / You realize I don't come around often / A part of me isn't there / All the pain is gone It's my character circuits." non-organic music, Reznor is half human, half machine.
6. "I don't want this"
Recording a Porno-produced looped beat in the studio for Pyros drummer Steve Perkins, the fantastic guitar screeching and cutting vibes set Reznor free: "I've spent a lot of my life in my head / Don't you say me/nothing really, huh?
5. "Heretics"
"God has no life / Nobody cares / If there is a hell / I'll see you there." It screams, melodious as a lullaby, and breaks out over the roar of guitar and skate synths. This is the typical industry.
four "little pig"
The themes are everywhere: the famous phrase "Pig" is written in Tate's own blood on the partition at 10050 Cielo Drive, and has become the calling card for an infamous murder (reportedly referring to the White Album Jam "Piggies" by the Beatles). With this in mind, Reznor named the company's studio Le Pig and released this hypnotic, haunting slow-tempo jam, including its unique take on drums, as a promotional single.
three. "March of the Pigs"
Is there scarier and more intense music in the NIN catalogue? (There are plenty of scary, intense songs in NIN's catalogue.) The mechanical bombardment of this jam is downright bullshit. One of the band's shortest tracks, clocking in at under three minutes, the album's first single clocks in at a staggering 269 BPM. They layer upon layer: first drums, then rising synths, then utter destruction and shrapnel guitar: "All the pigs lined up / I'll give you what you want / Peel off your skin / Now does it make you feel more high?" oops.
2. "Injury"
The album's closing Monitor is a haunting, eerie ode to the pain of heroin addiction, an acoustic reverie surrounded by rising digital gossamer, piano, and the final chorus: "I'll knock you down/I'll hurt you." was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Recording in 1996 (it lost to Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know"), but when national legend Johnny Cash released it in 2002, it was confirmed as a timeless tradition when he delivered a torturous acoustic rendition. , dying just before their own.
1. "Closer"
You know these phrases, who doesn't? Written about obsession and relationships, this dystopian dance monitor from a nuclear future becomes NIN's biggest hit when interpreted as the original name for animal sex. Jumpsuits tied to crosses, severed pig heads and S&M clothing in Mark Romanek's music video only fueled the mood.
FAQs
Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral Turns 25 - All Songs Ranked From Worst To Best - HitMusic.tv? ›
Music and lyrics
It is a semi-autobiographical concept album, in which the overarching plot follows the protagonist's descent into madness in his own inner solipsistic world through a metaphorical "downward spiral", dealing with religion, dehumanization, violence, disease, society, drugs, sex, and finally, suicide.
Music and lyrics
It is a semi-autobiographical concept album, in which the overarching plot follows the protagonist's descent into madness in his own inner solipsistic world through a metaphorical "downward spiral", dealing with religion, dehumanization, violence, disease, society, drugs, sex, and finally, suicide.
Nine Inch Nails – Greatest Hits (2008, Digipak, CD) - Discogs.
What is the best selling Nine Inch Nails album? ›Nine Inch Nails' second studio album, The Downward Spiral, entered the Billboard 200 at number two, and is the band's highest seller in the US, over four million copies, among five million worldwide.
What is the underrated Nine Inch Nails song? ›'Self Destruction, Part 2'
What is The Downward Spiral and give an example? ›A government prints money to fund the government as opposed to using debt and taxation. This lowers the value of money causing the government to print more which lowers the value of money in a loop that ends with the complete collapse of normal economic functions due to hyperinflation.
What happens after downward spiral? ›The next stage of the downward spiral is addiction. They become physically and psychologically dependent on the substance. This means that they have developed a tolerance for the drug. If they try to stop, they will experience withdrawals.
Did David Bowie like Nine Inch Nails? ›Following the tour, Bowie looked back on his choice to tour with Nine Inch Nails: “I personally did like the combination of NIN and me, but my fans didn't.
Which Nine Inch Nails video banned? ›Nine Inch Nails' performance of "Happiness in Slavery" at Woodstock '94, included on the concert's compilation album, won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1996. The song's music video was almost universally banned for its depiction of Bob Flanagan being tortured by a machine.
Is Nine Inch Nails controversial? ›With that, The Downward Spiral brought about its fair share of controversy, most notably surrounding the 1999 Columbine High School Massacre. The perpetrator of the shootings, Dylan Klebold, had made several references to songs featured on the album while writing in his journal in the years leading up to the incident.
What is the hottest selling album of all time? ›
Michael Jackson's Thriller, estimated to have sold 70 million copies worldwide, is the best-selling album ever. Jackson also currently has the highest number of albums on the list with five, Celine Dion has four, while the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Madonna and Whitney Houston each have three.
What is the 8th best selling album of all time? ›| Rank | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Whitney Houston | The Bodyguard |
| 8 | Adele | 21 |
| 9 | Alanis Morissette | Jagged Little Pill |
| 10 | Pink Floyd | The Dark Side of the Moon |
Miley Cyrus undoubtedly has a love for Nine Inch Nails. The pop star whose cover song choices (as well as her solo material) keep leaning more rock has shared a new clip of her singing the Trent Reznor-penned Pretty Hate Machine single "Head Like a Hole," a Nine Inch Nails classic.
What did Johnny Cash think of Nine Inch Nails? ›Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt never should have worked. Even Cash had his doubts at first. “When I heard the record, I said: 'I can't do that song. It's not my style,” he said.
What made Nine Inch Nails famous? ›Nine Inch Nails saw massive success in 1989 with the song “Head Like a Hole” from their debut album, Pretty Hate Machine. The emotion and rage of Pretty Hate Machine was wrapped in a pop music package, breathing life into an emerging underground generation.
How many Grammys does Nine Inch Nails have? ›Grammy Awards
Nine Inch Nails has received two awards from twelve nominations.
Snail shells, flower petals, pine cones, snakes, storms, DNA, curly hair, even galaxies are spirals—and that's not even nearly all!
What is the opposite of a downward spiral? ›The antidote to a downward spiral is its opposite: a positive feedback loop that can disrupt a downward spiral and catalyze an upward one. And all you need to create the spark of momentum for an upward spiral are small moments of joy.
Why does anxiety spiral? ›Where Does The Anxiety Spiral Begin? An anxiety spiral begins with stressful life events, long-term worries or even unpleasant physical situations or illness. The anxiety-prone mind may disproportionately focus on these thoughts, misinterpreting them as real danger rather than what they are – mere thoughts.
How do I know if I'm spiraling? ›It can take time for feelings to take root and transform into a depression spiral that needs attention. Some warning signs of a downward spiral include but are not limited to7: Difficulty concentrating or focusing on tasks or situations. Feeling indecisive about decisions that used to be easy or obvious.
Can trading be an addiction? ›
Trading in the financial markets is stimulating, exciting, and engrossing. But you can become addicted, just like with actual casino gambling or using illicit drugs. Like any severe addiction, trading addiction can cost you socially and economically.
How do you pull yourself out of a burnout spiral? ›- Make enough time for restful sleep.
- Spend time with loved ones, but don't overdo it — alone time is important, too.
- Try to get some physical activity in each day.
- Eat nutritious meals and stay hydrated.
- Try meditation, yoga, or other mindfulness practices for improved relaxation.
David Bowie always loved The Beatles. They took a while to notice their long-time fan boy. David Bowie was born only four years after George Harrison, but lasting success eluded him until a decade after The Beatles first stormed the charts.
Why did David Bowie change his teeth? ›By 1980 the Serious Moonlight star had serious ambitions to crack America and there is evidence that his teeth had been whitened although there is still misalignment. The video footage shows that Bowie had recession of the gums, with signs that his chain-smoking habit was leading to further staining.
Did David Bowie lose his hair? ›David Bowie lost his hair and eyebrows after chemotherapy, reveals longtime friend and collaborator Tony Visconti. Visconti, Bowie's long-time friend and producer, has revealed that the pop genius showed up for some of the Blackstar sessions without eyebrows or hair after undergoing chemotherapy.
Did Nine Inch Nails play at Woodstock? ›Nine Inch Nails were wary about performing at the mega-corporate Woodstock 25th anniversary show. As were most of the acts that signed up for the infamous set. But a pre-show mud fight got them into the spirit of things before they even took the stage.
Did Nine Inch Nails make hurt first? ›Originally written for Nine Inch Nails' second LP, The Downward Spiral (1994), “Hurt” was written by Reznor and was released officially as a single on April 17, 1995. The song later went on to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song the following year. “Hurt” includes references to self-harm and drug addiction.
Is Nine Inch Nails techno or rock? ›Nine Inch Nails, American alternative rock act known for dark and tortured industrial rock songs. Nine Inch Nails was essentially a stage name for singer and multi-instrumentalist Trent Reznor (b. Michael Trent Reznor, May 17, 1965, Mercer, Pennsylvania, U.S.).
What did Trent Reznor say about Marilyn Manson? ›Speaking to Mojo in 2009, Reznor clarified that there was no love lost between them and explained his true feelings toward Manson. “He is a malicious guy and will step on anybody's face to succeed and cross any line of decency.
Is Nine Inch Nails considered goth? ›In the 1990s, several acts including PJ Harvey, Marilyn Manson, Manic Street Preachers, and Nine Inch Nails included gothic characteristics in their music.
Is Nine Inch Nails cancelled? ›
Nine Inch Nails have canceled their scheduled 2021 shows due to rising Covid-19 cases, the band announced in a statement on Thursday. “It is with great regret that we are cancelling all NIN appearances for the remainder of this year,” the band wrote.
What is the number 1 selling song of all time? ›According to Guinness World Records, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (1942) as performed by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.
What is the number 1 album ever sold? ›The top selling album of all time in the United States based on certified unit sales is currently the Eagles' Greatest Hits, with 38 million copies sold.
What's the most popular song in the world? ›"Blinding Lights" by the Weeknd is the most-streamed song on Spotify, with over 3.5 billion streams.
Who is the best-selling female artist of all time? ›Madonna. The Queen of Pop, Madonna, is the bestselling female artist of all time. She's released 14 studio albums, three soundtracks, five live albums and six compilations, plus 63 UK Top 10 singles. Since 1983, she's sold an estimated 335 million albums and singles worldwide.
What is the #1 selling female album of all time? ›The top-selling female-fronted album of all time based on certified unit sales worldwide is currently Whitney Houston's 1992-released 'The Bodyguard Soundtrack,' with a massive 45 million copies sold.
What 80s band sold the most records? ›In a four-year period from 1982 to 1988, Wham! sold an incredible 30 million records worldwide. That already cemented the duo as one of the best-selling artists of the 80s, but George Michael went on to experience even more success as his 1987 album Faith is one of the best-selling records of all time.
Who does Adele's nails? ›The other thing that Adele nailed as well as her high notes? The perfect French manicure, thanks to manicurist Michelle Humphrey.
What nails does Ariana Grande get? ›Ariana Grande's Nails May Look Like Acrylics, But They're Actually Gel Extensions. All the length without the damage.
Why can Johnny shoot his nails? ›Tusk ACT1 grants Johnny the ability to imbue his nails with the Spin. Johnny is able to make his fingernails, and later toenails, spin themselves at a high velocity and shoot them like bullets up to 10 meters.
What does Nine Inch Nails stand for? ›
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.
Who played with Nine Inch Nails at Woodstock? ›The three-day event, dubbed Woodstock '94, kicked off on August 12th on Winston Farm in Saugerties, New York — where the approximately half-a-million fans in attendance were treated to an eclectic bill of Nineties alternative artists, big-ticket hard rockers, hip-hop acts and radio hit-makers: Metallica, Live, Violent ...
What is the best Nine Inch Nails song? ›- 6Terrible Lie (And All That Could Have Been, 2002)
- 5Closer (The Downward Spiral, 1994)
- 4The Fragile (The Fragile, 1999)
- 3March Of The Pigs (The Downward Spiral, 1994)
- 2Hurt (The Downward Spiral, 1994)
- 1Wish (Broken, 2002)
Trent Reznor says the story in Manson's memoir is a “Fabrication” Trent Reznor is the founder and primary creative force behind industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. He signed Marilyn Manson as the second act of his label Nothing Records, and was the band's producer from 1994 until 1996.
Who did Nine Inch Nails inspire? ›Apple Music Alternative
His mechanistic synth clatter has inspired electronic music's most enigmatic tinkerers (Aphex Twin, Skrillex) to find salvation in earth-rumbling cacophony, and alt-metal and trip-hop's most adventurous navigators (Deftones, Portishead) to expose the tension in all the dark spaces in between.
Although Trent Reznor got his start as the lead vocalist for the rock band Nine Inch Nails, he has since developed a reputation as one of the most innovative film composers working in Hollywood today. Reznor only has a Tony award left to complete his EGOT.
How big is a Grammy? ›According to the Recording Academy, each gramophone weighs five pounds and four ounces and is nine inches tall. The melt value of the Grammy Trophy would be challenging to determine since Grammium is a unique alloy and does not contain precious metals.
What does it mean when someone is mentally spiraling? ›What Does It Mean to Spiral? A thought spiral, also known as catastrophic thinking, is a series of negative thoughts that can feel overwhelming. Once you are in a negative headspace because of the first thought, it's easier to think of more negative thoughts.
What does it mean to be on the upward spiral? ›What is an Upward Spiral? Unlike a downward spiral which symbolizes a decline, an upward spiral is a metaphor for advancement. It is used to explain a continuous process of upward growth mobilized by self-reinforcing thoughts.
What is the meaning of spiral shaped? ›a shape made up of curves, each one above or wider than the one before: A corkscrew is spiral-shaped.
What is the meaning of spiral movement? ›
1. : the path of a point in a plane moving around a central point while continuously receding from or approaching it. : a three-dimensional curve (such as a helix) with one or more turns about an axis.
What mental disorders cause anxiety? ›Examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), specific phobias and separation anxiety disorder. You can have more than one anxiety disorder. Sometimes anxiety results from a medical condition that needs treatment.
What is the difference between upward and downward spiral of emotions? ›Whereas downward spirals lead to narrowed self-focus and rigid or stereotyped defensive behavior, upward spirals lead to increased openness to others and novel or spontaneous exploratory activity. In effect, upward spirals are more open, permeable, flexible and social than downward spirals.
What is the upward spiral of positivity? ›upward spiral on the journey to well-being. Fredrickson proposes that the experience of positive emotion broadens an individual's cognitive processes in the moment, while over time building cognitive, social, and emotional resources.
What is the upward spiral 7 habits? ›Habit 7 is the habit that makes all the others possible. Sharpening the saw is being in a continuous mode of self-renewal in four dimensions: physical, social, spiritual, and mental. This cycle of repeated learning, committing, and doing creates an upward spiral of self-renewal and continuous improvement.
What does the soul spiral mean? ›Spiritually the spiral represents a connectivity with the divine, spiraling from the outer ego (the outside world) into the inner soul (cosmic awareness and enlightenment). The spiral represents evolution and growth of the spirit. It is a symbol of change and development.
What is the spiral of life called? ›The resulting numbers that we get are nothing but a “Fibonacci sequence”. The spirals in nature follow a specific pattern that obeys the Fibonacci sequence. The Fibonacci numbers are the sequence 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610,… where each number equals the sum of its two predecessors.
What is a spiral pattern in real life? ›Snail shells, flower petals, pine cones, snakes, storms, DNA, curly hair, even galaxies are spirals—and that's not even nearly all!
Why is it called spiral? ›"winding around a fixed point or center, arranged like the thread of a screw," 1550s, from French spiral (16c.), from Medieval Latin spiralis "winding around a fixed center, coiling" (mid-13c.), from Latin spira "a coil, fold, twist, spiral," from Greek speira "a winding, a coil (of a snake, etc.), a twist, a wreath, ...
What is the spiral in the human body? ›The cylindric form of the vertebral body serves as a predestinated moment for this. The spiral twisting of the muscles is the most optimal for ensuring variability of movements and performing adaptive survival of the human being and animals in the Earth gravitational field.