Nine Inch Nails facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails performing at the O2 Apollo Manchester in 2022; (L–R): Ilan Rubin, Trent Reznor, Alessandro Cortini, Atticus Ross, Robin Finck
Background information
Origin	Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Genres	Industrial rock alternative rock electronic rock industrial metal
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Nothing TVT Interscope Columbia Capitol The Null Corporation
Members	Trent Reznor Atticus Ross

Nine Inch Nails, often called NIN, is an American rock band. It was started by singer, songwriter, and musician Trent Reznor in 1988 in Cleveland, Ohio. For many years, Reznor was the only official member. Then, in 2016, his frequent music partner, Atticus Ross, officially joined the band.

The band's first album, Pretty Hate Machine (1989), was released by TVT Records. After some creative differences with TVT, the band signed with Interscope Records. They then released the EP Broken (1992) and the albums The Downward Spiral (1994) and The Fragile (1999).

After a break, Nine Inch Nails started touring again. They released their fourth album, With Teeth (2005). Following Year Zero (2007), the band left Interscope due to disagreements. Nine Inch Nails continued to tour and released Ghosts I–IV (2008) and The Slip (2008) on their own.

Their eighth album, Hesitation Marks (2013), was followed by a series of three releases. These included the EPs Not the Actual Events (2016) and Add Violence (2017), and their ninth album Bad Witch (2018). In 2020, the band released two more instrumental albums, Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts.

In 2024, Nine Inch Nails announced new projects through their company, With Teeth. In 2025, they started the Peel It Back Tour and released the soundtrack for the movie Tron: Ares.

When Nine Inch Nails performs live, Reznor usually brings together a group of musicians to play with him. This live band has changed over the years. The current lineup includes Reznor and Ross, along with Robin Finck, Stu Brooks (who joined in 2026), and Josh Freese. The band's concerts are known for their amazing visual effects, special lighting, and unique stage designs. They often change their songs to fit each performance.

Nine Inch Nails has sold over 20 million records worldwide. They have been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards. They won for the songs "Wish" in 1993, "Happiness in Slavery" in 1996, and "As Alive as You Need Me to Be" in 2026. Time magazine called Reznor one of the most influential people in 1997. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Nine Inch Nails among the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Nine Inch Nails was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.

The Story of Nine Inch Nails

How the Band Started (1987–1988)

In 1987, Trent Reznor lived in Cleveland and played keyboards for a band called Exotic Birds. He became friends with the band's manager, John Malm Jr., who later helped Reznor with his own music. Reznor worked as an assistant engineer and janitor at Right Track Studios. The studio owner, Bart Koster, let Reznor use the studio for free to record his demo songs.

Reznor wanted to create music in a specific way but couldn't find a band to help him. Inspired by Prince, he decided to play almost all the instruments himself, using electronic drums. He has continued to play most parts on Nine Inch Nails recordings ever since.

The first Nine Inch Nails live show was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 1988. After performing with another band called Skinny Puppy, Reznor wanted to release a single. Several record labels liked his demo songs, and he signed with TVT Records. Nine of his demo songs, recorded in November 1988 and known as Purest Feeling, were later reworked for the first album, Pretty Hate Machine (1989). The early demos sounded a bit lighter than the final album.

Reznor chose the name "Nine Inch Nails" because it was easy to shorten. Other stories about the name have been shared, but Reznor said he picked it for its simplicity. The Nine Inch Nails logo first appeared in the music video for their first single, "Down in It". Reznor and Gary Talpas designed the logo, inspired by the band Talking Heads. The logo shows the band's initials with the second "N" flipped. Talpas continued to design Nine Inch Nails' album art until 1997.

Pretty Hate Machine and Early Success (1988–1991)

Nine Inch Nails' first album, Pretty Hate Machine, was written and performed by Reznor and released in 1989. This album was his first time working with producers Adrian Sherwood and Mark "Flood" Ellis. Reznor also asked Sean Beavan to mix the demo songs. Beavan later mixed sound for Nine Inch Nails' live shows and even sang backup vocals.

Reznor and his co-producers added the singles "Head Like a Hole" and "Sin" to the album. Rolling Stone magazine called the album "intense but catchy music." Reznor said this mix showed "what was in [his] head at the time." The song "Down in It" was popular on Billboard dance charts. Pretty Hate Machine stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for over two years and became one of the first independent records to sell over a million copies.

Three music videos were made for the album. MTV played the videos for "Down in It" and "Head Like a Hole." A video for "Sin" with mature themes was only partly released. The original "Down in It" video had a dramatic ending that caught the attention of the FBI.

In 1989, the band jokingly said they wanted to appear on Dance Party USA. To their surprise, they were booked on the show and made an appearance.

In 1990, Nine Inch Nails began touring North America, opening for other rock bands. Reznor started smashing his equipment on stage, which audiences found exciting. The band then went on a world tour, including the first Lollapalooza festival in 1991.

Broken and New Directions (1992–1993)

After a difficult tour in Europe, Nine Inch Nails returned to the US. Their record company, TVT, wanted a new album. Reznor felt they were trying to control his music too much. He wanted to end his contract, but TVT refused.

To keep making music his way, Reznor secretly recorded new songs under different names. He eventually signed a deal with Interscope Records and started his own label, Nothing Records. This gave him more freedom to create his music.

In 1992, Nine Inch Nails moved to a new recording location in Los Angeles, which Reznor called "Le Pig." There, they recorded Broken, an EP that was their first release with Interscope Records. It quickly reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. Reznor described Broken as a "blast of destruction" and much harder than Pretty Hate Machine. This harder sound was inspired by how the band played live.

Songs from Broken earned Nine Inch Nails two Grammy Awards: one for a live performance of "Happiness in Slavery" at Woodstock '94, and another for the single "Wish". Reznor made a humorous comment about the song's lyrics when accepting the award for "Wish."

Broken was followed by a remix EP called Fixed in late 1992. One remix, "Last," was later made available online by Reznor.

The Downward Spiral and Global Recognition (1993–1997)

Ideas for The Downward Spiral began after the Lollapalooza festival in 1991. Reznor moved to a new location in Los Angeles to record the album.

Nine Inch Nails' second studio album, The Downward Spiral, reached number two on the Billboard 200. It became the band's best-selling album in the US, selling over four million copies. The album's songs explore a character's emotional journey. Flood helped produce several tracks, and Alan Moulder mixed most of them. Sean Beavan also worked on the album.

The Downward Spiral was recorded at Le Pig Studios. "March of the Pigs" and "Closer" were released as singles. Other songs like "Hurt" and "Piggy" were played on the radio. In 1994, the band also released "Burn" for the Natural Born Killers movie soundtrack. They also covered the Joy Division song "Dead Souls" for The Crow soundtrack, which topped the Billboard 200 album chart.

The music video for "Closer," directed by Mark Romanek, was often played on MTV. However, MTV heavily edited the original video because it contained intense scenes. The video showed scenes related to religion, science, and human behavior.

Critics generally praised The Downward Spiral, calling it one of the most important albums of the 1990s. Spin magazine named it one of the "100 Greatest Albums, 1985–2005." Rolling Stone ranked it among "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time." After The Downward Spiral was released, Reznor produced a remix album called Further Down the Spiral. This remix album was very successful and featured contributions from other artists.

After the album's release in 1994, the band went on the Self Destruct Tour. The stage had dirty curtains and visuals. The band members often wore ragged clothes and looked messy. Their performances were energetic, with band members sometimes damaging their instruments. A memorable performance was at Woodstock '94, where they played covered in mud. This performance was seen by millions of people.

In 1997, Reznor also produced the soundtrack for the David Lynch film Lost Highway. Around this time, Reznor spent a lot of time perfecting his music in the studio, which made the next album take longer to create.

The Fragile and a New Chapter (1998–2002)

Five years passed between The Downward Spiral and Nine Inch Nails' next album, The Fragile, which came out in September 1999. The Fragile was a double album. Reznor created the songs by blending songwriting, arranging, and sound design. Canadian producer Bob Ezrin helped with the album's song order.

Because of the band's past success, there was a lot of excitement for The Fragile even before it was released. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling many copies in its first week. It received mostly positive reviews. Spin magazine called The Fragile the "album of the year."

Nine Inch Nails released three singles from the album: "The Day the World Went Away" in North America, "We're in This Together" in Europe and Japan, and "Into the Void" in Australia. Many songs from the album became popular on alternative rock radio. However, the album quickly dropped down the charts. Reznor paid for the band's North American tour himself.

Reznor followed The Fragile with another remix album, Things Falling Apart, in November 2000. A few months later, the band's 2000 Fragility tour was recorded and released in 2002 as And All That Could Have Been. A special edition of the live CD included a bonus disc called Still, with stripped-down versions of Nine Inch Nails songs and some new music.

In 2002, Johnny Cash covered Nine Inch Nails' song "Hurt" for his album, American IV: The Man Comes Around. The cover was highly praised. After seeing the music video, Reznor became a fan of Cash's version. He said it made him realize how powerful music can be.

With Teeth and a Fresh Start (2004–2006)

Six more years passed before Nine Inch Nails released their fourth full-length album, With Teeth, in May 2005. The album was written and recorded in 2004. With Teeth debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, making it Nine Inch Nails' second album to reach number one. The album's packaging was simple, listing only song names and producers, with lyrics available online. The entire album was available for streaming on the band's MySpace page before its official release. Critics mostly liked the album, with Rolling Stone calling it "classic Nine Inch Nails."

A music video for "The Hand That Feeds" premiered on the Nine Inch Nails website in March 2005. Reznor later shared the song's files, allowing fans to create their own remixes. He did the same for the album's second single, "Only". David Fincher directed a video for "Only" using mostly computer animation. The album's third single, "Every Day Is Exactly the Same", also topped the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

Nine Inch Nails started a North American tour in Autumn 2005, with bands like Queens of the Stone Age opening for them. Another opening act, hip-hop artist Saul Williams, performed with Nine Inch Nails at a festival in New Orleans. The band continued touring North American venues in summer 2006, joined by Bauhaus and other artists. A tour documentary called Beside You in Time was released in February 2007 on DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray. It quickly became number one on the Billboard music video charts.

Year Zero and a Futuristic Story (2007–2008)

Nine Inch Nails' fifth album, Year Zero, was released on April 17, 2007, just two years after With Teeth. This was a much faster pace than previous albums. Year Zero is a concept album that tells a story from the future. It criticizes government policies and their impact on the world fifteen years later. Critics generally liked the album.

An alternate reality game (ARG) was created alongside the Year Zero album, adding to its story. Clues hidden on tour merchandise led fans to discover fake websites that described an "Orwellian" future in 2022. Before Year Zero was released, unreleased songs were found on USB drives hidden at Nine Inch Nails concerts. Fans actively participated in the ARG, which gained attention from news outlets.

The album's first single, "Survivalism", and other tracks were released as multitrack audio files, allowing fans to remix them. A remix album called Year Zero Remixed was later released, featuring remixes by other artists. This was Nine Inch Nails' last release on a major record label for over five years, as their contract with Interscope Records ended.

Reznor planned a film adaptation of the album, saying he "wrote the soundtrack to a movie that doesn't exist." The project later moved to television due to high film costs. Reznor worked with producer Lawrence Bender and writers. In 2007, Reznor announced they would pitch the concept to TV networks. Progress slowed due to a writers' strike, but the project continued. In 2010, a miniseries called Year Zero was reportedly in development with HBO and BBC Worldwide Productions. However, in 2012, Reznor said the project was "on hold."

Ghosts I–IV and The Slip (2008–2012)

In February 2008, Reznor hinted at a new release. On March 2, Ghosts I–IV, a 36-track instrumental album, became available on the band's website. It was the first release on The Null Corporation label. Ghosts I–IV was offered in various formats, from a free download of the first part to a special limited edition package. The album was released under a Creative Commons license, allowing people to share and use it for non-commercial purposes. It was created through improvisation over ten weeks, with contributions from Atticus Ross, Alan Moulder, and others.

Similar to the Ghosts announcement, a post on the band's website in April 2008 hinted at another release. On May 5, Nine Inch Nails released The Slip on their website without any prior advertising. The album was available for free download, with a message from Reznor saying, "this one's on me." It was also protected by the same Creative Commons license as Ghosts. Over 1.4 million people downloaded The Slip. A limited edition CD version was also released.

After Ghosts I–IV and The Slip, a 25-date tour called Lights in the Sky was announced in North America and later expanded. Alessandro Cortini and Josh Freese returned for the tour, and Robin Finck rejoined. Justin Meldal-Johnsen was added on bass guitar. Freese and Cortini later left the live band, which then became a quartet with Ilan Rubin on drums.

On January 7, 2009, Reznor uploaded high-quality video footage from three shows, totaling over 400 GB, for fans to download via BitTorrent. Fans quickly downloaded the data and created a professional three-part digital film, later released physically. This tour documentary, called Another Version of the Truth, received attention from media outlets and had Reznor's support. Screenings were held worldwide.

Nine Inch Nails Revenge, a rhythm game for iPhone/iPod Touch, was released on March 8, 2009. This game featured tracks from Ghosts I–IV and The Slip. Parts of Ghosts I–IV were also used in the soundtrack for the documentary Citizenfour.

In February 2009, Reznor shared his thoughts about the future of Nine Inch Nails, saying it was time for the band to "disappear for a while." He later clarified that he would continue making music as Nine Inch Nails but would stop touring for some time. The "Wave Goodbye" tour ended on September 10, 2009, in Los Angeles. Reznor then released two tracks under the Nine Inch Nails name: a theme song for the film Tetsuo: The Bullet Man and a cover of U2's "Zoo Station".

In 2009, Reznor married Mariqueen Maandig. He then formed a project with Maandig and Atticus Ross called How to Destroy Angels. Their first release, a six-track EP, was available for free download in June 2010. Reznor and Ross also worked together to create the official music for David Fincher's 2010 film, The Social Network. They won a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar for this music. They collaborated with Fincher again for the music of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) and Gone Girl (2014).

In July 2012, Reznor worked with video game developer Treyarch to compose the theme music for Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Later that year, Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Alessandro Cortini remixed a song by Telepathe. Reznor also appeared in the documentary "Sound City" and co-wrote a song with Dave Grohl and Josh Homme. This led to more work with Reznor and Homme on the 2013 album from Queens of the Stone Age called ...Like Clockwork. Reznor contributed vocals and drum programming to some songs. In October, a project with Dr. Dre and Beats Electronics was announced. This project, named "Daisy," was a digital music service that launched in January 2014, with Reznor as chief creative officer.

Hesitation Marks and More Tours (2012–2014)

In an interview with BBC Radio 1, Reznor mentioned he would be writing new Nine Inch Nails music in 2012. He later confirmed that he was working on new material and planned to perform live again. In February 2013, Reznor announced the return of Nine Inch Nails and a new tour. He also revealed a new lineup for the band, including Eric Avery of Jane's Addiction, Adrian Belew of King Crimson, and Josh Eustis of Telefon Tel Aviv, along with returning members Alessandro Cortini and Ilan Rubin. However, Avery and Belew left the touring band before the shows began, and former member Robin Finck returned.

By May 28, 2013, a new Nine Inch Nails album was finished. Released on September 3, Hesitation Marks featured rhythms similar to earlier albums but sounded more expansive. Besides Adrian Belew, Reznor worked with bassist Pino Palladino and musicians Todd Rundgren and Lindsey Buckingham to add different art-rock elements.

The album had three singles, all released before the album itself. "Came Back Haunted" was released on June 6, with a music video that included a warning for people with epilepsy. The second single, "Copy of A", was released for free on August 12. "Everything" was the third and final single.

In July 2013, the Twenty Thirteen Tour began with several festival appearances. The North American part of the tour, called Tension 2013, ran from September to November. It included additional musicians Lisa Fischer and Sharlotte Gibson, with Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Explosions in the Sky as opening acts. This part of the tour was recorded and released as Nine Inch Nails Tension 2013.

In 2014, the band continued its tour worldwide as a four-piece. The lineup included Ilan Rubin, Alessandro Cortini, and Robin Finck. The band toured Australia and New Zealand with Queens of the Stone Age. The tour ended in Europe with the synth-pop band Cold Cave opening. After a break, Nine Inch Nails went on a joint tour with Soundgarden across the US. The experimental hip-hop group Death Grips was scheduled to open most shows, but they announced their breakup and canceled their performances. Oneohtrix Point Never, the Dillinger Escape Plan, and Cold Cave filled in as opening acts.

In 2014, Nine Inch Nails was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time. They were nominated again in 2015 but were not inducted either year.

In June 2015, Nine Inch Nails released instrumental versions of The Fragile and With Teeth for streaming on Apple Music. Reznor, who is Apple Music's chief creative director, mentioned he was "messing around with some things" for a new Nine Inch Nails album. In December 2015, Reznor announced that "Nine Inch Nails will return in 2016."

The Trilogy (2016–2019)

In October 2016, Reznor hinted at new Nine Inch Nails music coming soon. In December 2016, he confirmed that something was indeed happening. Three days later, Reznor announced an EP called Not the Actual Events. He also announced reissues of older albums like Broken, The Downward Spiral, and The Fragile. Not the Actual Events was released on December 23, 2016. It was also revealed that Atticus Ross had officially become a full-time member of the band, the first member other than Reznor to join permanently.

In early 2017, the band announced three festival performances in North America. They played at the Panorama Music Festival in New York and FYF Fest in Los Angeles. The 2017 touring lineup included Reznor, Ross, Robin Finck, Alessandro Cortini, and Ilan Rubin. The band also appeared in Part 8 of the TV show Twin Peaks, performing their song "She's Gone Away."

In June 2017, Reznor confirmed that Not the Actual Events was the first part of a trilogy of EPs. The second part, Add Violence, was released on July 21, and the third part followed in 2018. The single "Less Than" was released a week before Add Violence.

Also in 2017, Reznor and Ross created the music for the Ken Burns series The Vietnam War. Their music included original compositions and reworked pieces from other Nine Inch Nails songs and their movie scores.

The band released their ninth studio album, Bad Witch, on June 22, 2018. They also announced the "Cold and Black and Infinite 2018 North America Tour" with the Jesus and Mary Chain. To prevent ticket scalping, the band sold physical tickets only at the venue before the shows. Reznor explained that this was an attempt to make ticketing fairer for fans.

In October 2019, Nine Inch Nails was nominated again for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Ghosts V–VI and Hall of Fame (2020–2022)

On January 15, 2020, Nine Inch Nails was officially announced as members of the Class of 2020 for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the induction ceremony was postponed. Initially, only Trent Reznor was to be inducted. However, after discussions, Reznor announced that former live band members Chris Vrenna and Danny Lohner, as well as current members Alessandro Cortini, Ilan Rubin (who became the youngest person ever inducted), longtime guitarist Robin Finck, and Atticus Ross, would all be inducted as members of Nine Inch Nails.

On March 26, 2020, Nine Inch Nails released Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts. These were their tenth and eleventh studio albums and sequels to their 2008 instrumental album Ghosts I–IV. The albums were released for free to show support for fans during the pandemic.

The live induction ceremony for the 2020 Hall of Fame was canceled on July 15, 2020. Instead, a special broadcast was shown on HBO and HBO Max on November 7, 2020. A special display was created at the Hall of Fame to celebrate Nine Inch Nails' famous muddy performance at Woodstock '94. On November 6, 2020, Trent Reznor and the other inducted members were interviewed about the band's history. On November 7, Nine Inch Nails was formally inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by punk icon Iggy Pop. Reznor thanked fans, his family, and all his collaborators in his acceptance speech.

On May 6, 2021, Nine Inch Nails released a new song, "Isn't Everyone," with the band HEALTH. On May 7, they announced two shows in Cleveland in September 2021 with the Pixies to celebrate their Hall of Fame induction. These shows were later canceled due to rising COVID-19 cases. Also in 2021, Reznor and Ross produced Halsey's album If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power, which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In February 2022, Nine Inch Nails announced a short tour of the United States and later the United Kingdom, their first performances in almost four years.

On September 24, 2022, Nine Inch Nails performed in Cleveland for the first time since 2013. During the show, all six other inducted members, plus former members Richard Patrick and Charlie Clouser, joined Reznor on stage. They even covered Patrick's Filter hit, "Hey Man Nice Shot". After the show, Reznor mentioned that future tours would be different.

Tron: Ares and Peel It Back Tour (2024–Present)

On April 4, 2024, Nine Inch Nails shared plans for several new projects. These included a project with Epic Games related to Fortnite, a TV series with Christopher Storer, and a film with Mike Flanagan. These projects were created through a new multimedia company called With Teeth, run with the band's art director John Crawford and producer Jonathan Pavesi. The band also worked on a short film, a clothing line, a music festival, and a new record label.

On August 10, 2024, Reznor and Ross appeared at Disney's D23 event. They announced that Nine Inch Nails was creating the music for the movie Tron: Ares. The soundtrack featured new original songs by the band.

Plans for a tour called Peel It Back were revealed on January 13, 2025. Details showed shows in the United States, Canada, and Europe in August and September. On January 14, the band confirmed the tour, but their official announcement was delayed due to wildfires in Los Angeles. The band later announced the summer tour on January 22.

On July 17, 2025, the band released "As Alive as You Need Me to Be" as the first single from the Tron: Ares soundtrack. The song was later nominated for two Grammy Awards. On July 30, the band announced that Freese would rejoin the touring lineup after Rubin left to join the Foo Fighters. This was the band's first lineup change in nine years.

On September 16, 2025, it was announced that Nine Inch Nails and Boys Noize would perform at Coachella 2026 as a supergroup called Nine Inch Noize. Boys Noize had previously opened for the Peel It Back Tour. On October 1, a second North American part of the Peel It Back tour was announced for February and March 2026. For this tour, Stu Brooks joined as the band's main bassist, as Cortini had left Nine Inch Nails after the first part of the tour.

Nine Inch Nails' Sound

Musical Style

Nine Inch Nails' music combines different styles like alternative rock, industrial rock, electronic rock, and industrial metal. Music critics often say Nine Inch Nails was the most popular industrial group and helped bring this type of music to many people. Reznor himself doesn't always call his music "industrial," but he admits to using techniques from early industrial bands.

Reznor said that the song "Down in It" was influenced by early Skinny Puppy. Other songs from Pretty Hate Machine and With Teeth have sounds similar to synth-pop. The album The Fragile mixes many different genres, from solo piano to drum and bass elements. Ambient music is also a part of Nine Inch Nails' sound, especially on Ghosts I–IV, Hesitation Marks, The Downward Spiral, The Slip, and The Fragile.

Songs like "Wish" and "The Day the World Went Away" show how the band uses sudden changes in how loud their music is. Reznor's singing often goes from quiet whispers to loud screams. He also uses software to change his voice in some songs. The band's music sometimes has complex rhythms, like in "The Collector" and "March of the Pigs". Reznor uses noise and distortion in his songs and includes sounds that clash to create a unique feel. These techniques are all used in the song "Hurt".

On The Fragile, Reznor repeats musical ideas in different songs, sometimes with different instruments or speeds. Many songs on Year Zero have long instrumental endings. One review described the album's sound as guitars mixing with electronic glitches, beeps, and distorted percussion.

Song Themes

The lyrics in Nine Inch Nails songs often explore deep personal feelings. They touch on topics like religion, greed, fame, self-deception, aging, regret, and nihilism. Sometimes, the lyrics move away from personal thoughts to discuss topics like politics, which is the main focus of Year Zero. Three Nine Inch Nails albums are concept albums, meaning they tell a story or explore a specific idea: The Downward Spiral, The Fragile, and Year Zero.

Musical Inspirations

Reznor's earliest musical influence was the Eagles. He said seeing them perform in 1976 made him want to be on stage someday. Another big inspiration for the band is Gary Numan. Reznor said that after hearing Numan's song "Cars," he knew he wanted to make music with synthesizers. Other influences include Ministry and Skinny Puppy, which helped shape the 1989 album Pretty Hate Machine. The album's notes also mentioned Public Enemy and Prince. The 2005 song "Only" shows the disco-like beats and synthesizers inspired by Numan. Other important artists for Nine Inch Nails include Depeche Mode, Queen, King Crimson, Devo, the Cure, Joy Division, U2, Bauhaus, Adam Ant, Coil, and Soft Cell. Reznor and Vrenna were also influenced by Jane's Addiction's live shows and raw rock sound.

Reznor has toured with some of his inspirations. In 1988, Nine Inch Nails briefly opened for Skinny Puppy. In 1995, Nine Inch Nails toured with David Bowie, who, along with Pink Floyd, greatly influenced The Downward Spiral. In 2006, Nine Inch Nails toured with Bauhaus.

Nine Inch Nails' Impact

After The Downward Spiral was released, other famous artists noticed Nine Inch Nails' influence. David Bowie compared Reznor's impact to that of The Velvet Underground. Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose was heavily influenced by Nine Inch Nails, changing his band's sound in the mid-90s. Bob Ezrin, a producer for bands like Pink Floyd and Kiss, called Reznor a "true visionary" in 2007. Music journalists often credit Nine Inch Nails with making industrial music more popular, even though Reznor has mixed feelings about the term.

The band has received four awards from 25 nominations. This includes two Grammy Awards for the songs "Wish" (1993) and "Happiness in Slavery" (1996). Nine Inch Nails also won two Kerrang! Awards, including the Kerrang! Icon award in 2006 for their contributions to rock music. They have also been nominated nine times for the MTV Video Music Awards.

In 1997, Reznor was listed in Time magazine as one of the year's most influential people. Spin magazine called him "the most vital artist in music." The Recording Industry Association of America reported that Nine Inch Nails sold 10.5 million albums in the United States. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine placed The Downward Spiral at number 200 on its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The following year, they ranked Nine Inch Nails at number 94 on their list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

In 2019, Reznor and Ross received songwriting and production credits for the number-one song "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X. This song used a sample from their track "34 Ghosts IV" from Ghosts I–IV. "Old Town Road" broke the record for most consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. As producers, Reznor and Ross won a CMA Award for 'Musical Event of the Year'.

In January 2020, after being nominated in 2014 and 2015, Nine Inch Nails (including Alessandro Cortini, Robin Finck, Danny Lohner, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Ilan Rubin, and Chris Vrenna) were inducted into the 2020 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Nine Inch Nails has influenced many newer artists. Reznor noted that some bands imitate his style, while others echo it in a more original way. Many artists and bands say Nine Inch Nails has influenced their music, including:

Live Performances

Until Atticus Ross joined in 2016, Reznor was the only official member of Nine Inch Nails. However, Reznor always tours with a group of musicians. The lineup of the live band often changes between major tours. Reznor said that the long time between studio albums and his desire for new interpretations of his music were reasons for these changes. While band members sometimes helped with recording, Reznor always had full creative control in the studio.

The Tapeworm project was created in 1995 as a side-project with Reznor and various live-band members. It was meant to be a more "democratic" creative space. The band included live members Danny Lohner and Charlie Clouser, and later other frequent Nine Inch Nails contributors. However, after nine years, no music was officially released from the group, and it stopped being active in 2005.

Nine Inch Nails' concerts use many visual elements, including complex lighting, stage designs, and projections. These visuals help to make the music experience even stronger. Many songs have specific visual support, like synchronized lights or old image montages.

Tours

• Pretty Hate Machine Tour Series (1988–1991)
• Self Destruct Tour (1994–1996)
• Fragility Tour (1999–2000)
• Live: With Teeth Tour (2005–2006)
• Performance 2007 Tour (2007)
• Lights in the Sky Tour (2008)
• Wave Goodbye Tour (2009)
• Twenty Thirteen Tour (2013–2014)
• I Can't Seem To Wake Up (2017)
• Cold and Black and Infinite (2018)
• U.S. 2022 & U.K. 2022 (2022)
• Peel It Back Tour (2025–2026)

Band Members

Official Members

• Trent Reznor – lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, saxophone, piano, programming, drums, percussion (1988–present)
• Atticus Ross – keyboards, synthesizers, programming, bass, backing vocals (2016–present)

Live Band Members

• Robin Finck – guitars, synthesizers, keyboards, lap steel, violin, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals (1994–1996, 1999–2000, 2008–2009, 2013–present)
• Josh Freese – drums, marimba (2005, 2005–2008, 2025–present)
• Stu Brooks – bass, keyboards, guitars, backing vocals (2026–present)

Notable Former Live Band Members

• Chris Vrenna – drums, percussion, keyboards, samplers (1988–1990, 1992–1996)
• Richard Patrick – guitars, backing vocals (1989–1993)
• Jeff Ward – drums (1990–1991; died 1993)
• James Woolley – keyboards, synthesizers, programming, backing vocals (1991–1994; died 2016)
• Danny Lohner – bass, guitars, synthesizers, backing vocals (1993–2003)
• Charlie Clouser – keyboards, synthesizers, theremin, percussion, programming, backing vocals (1994–2001)
• Jerome Dillon – drums, guitars (1999–2005)
• Jeordie White – bass, guitars, backing vocals (2005–2007)
• Aaron North – guitars, backing vocals (2005–2007)
• Alessandro Cortini – bass, keyboards, synthesizers, guitars, backing vocals (2005–2008, 2013–2025)
• Justin Meldal-Johnsen – bass, backing vocals (2008–2009)
• Ilan Rubin – drums, percussion, bass, guitars, cello, keyboards, backing vocals (2008–2009, 2013–2025)

Discography

• Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
• Broken (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 (2016)
• Add Violence (2017)
• Bad Witch (2018)
• Ghosts V: Together (2020)
• Ghosts VI: Locusts (2020)
• Tron: Ares (2025)

Awards and Recognition

Nine Inch Nails has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards and has won three times: for "Wish" in 1992, "Happiness in Slavery" in 1995, and "As Alive as You Need Me to Be" in 2026:

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
1992	"Wish"	Best Metal Performance	Won
1995	The Downward Spiral	Best Alternative Music Performance	Nominated
1995	"Happiness in Slavery" (from Woodstock '94 compilation)	Best Metal Performance	Won
1996	"Hurt"	Best Rock Song	Nominated
1997	"The Perfect ..."	Best Hard Rock Performance	Nominated
1999	The Fragile	Best Alternative Music Album	Nominated
1999	"Star..., Inc."	Best Metal Performance	Nominated
2000	"Into the Void"	Best Male Rock Vocal Performance	Nominated
2005	"The Hand That Feeds"	Best Hard Rock Performance	Nominated
2006	"Every Day is Exactly the Same"	Best Hard Rock Performance	Nominated
2009	"34 Ghosts IV"	Best Rock Instrumental Performance	Nominated
2009	Ghosts I–IV	Best Boxed Set or Limited Edition Package	Nominated
2013	Hesitation Marks	Best Alternative Music Album	Nominated
2026	"As Alive as You Need Me to Be"	Best Rock Song	Won
		Best Song Written for Visual Media	Nominated

See also

In Spanish: Nine Inch Nails para niños