The 25 Best Nine Inch Nails Songs
Definitely one of my very favorite things about this awards season has the been the presence of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who I figured at one point would be left out of the mix for their "Social Network" score, basically because it was too innovative and contemporary for stuffy Academy voters. But now they're nominated, and are by far the potential winner I have my fingers crossed the hardest for. Not just because I thought their score was "The Social Network"'s best asset, but also because I have a long history with Mr. Reznor.
From roughly 1996 to 2002, I was full-fledged obsessed with Nine Inch Nails. My room was covered in photos of Reznor (down went Winona Ryder, up went Reznor... oddly enough my two childhood idols are both fixtures in this year's best picture nominees). All I wore was Nine Inch Nails t-shirts. I genuinely believed Reznor's lyrics (especially on "Pretty Hate Machine") spoke from a queer male perspective, and thus give him significant credit in my coming out process. Blah, blah, blah....
So I've loved the nostalgic element that this awards season has given me via a renewed interest in Reznor's work - and a renewed rotation of NIN songs on my iPod. I got bored on the subway a few days back, and in the midst of a day of listening to Reznor, I decided to kill time my listing my favorite Nine Inch Nails song on my blackberry notepad. I figured I'd share, if only because I've exhausted all actual awards season-related lists, and in the offchance that "The Social Network" score is your introduction to Reznor's work: Please take some time to appreciate what led up to it (it's really an incredible body of work).
1. Hurt (The Downward Sprial, 1994)
2. Closer (The Downward Sprial, 1994)
3. The Perfect Drug (Lost Highway Soundtrack, 1997)
4. Something I Can Never Have (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989)
5. The Day The World Went Away (The Fragile, 1999)
the rest after the jump
6. March of the Pigs (The Downward Sprial, 1994)
7. Head Like a Hole (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989)
8. We're In This Together (The Fragile, 1999)
9. Sin (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989)
10. Wish (Broken, 1991)
11. Starfuckers, Inc. (The Fragile, 1999)
12. Discipline (The Slip, 2008)
13. Only (With Teeth, 2005)
14. The Fragile (The Fragile, 1999)
15. That's What I Get (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989)
16. Terrible Lie (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989)
17. Right Where It Belongs (With Teeth, 2005)
18. Piggy (The Downward Spiral, 1994)
19. My Violent Heart (Year Zero, 2007)
20. A Warm Place (The Downward Spiral, 1994)
21. The Hand That Feeds (With Teeth, 2005)
22. The Only Time (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989)
23. Survivalism (Year Zero, 2007)
24. The Great Below (The Fragile, 1999)
25. Ghosts 13 (Ghosts I-IV, 2008)
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8 Comments
Conor | June 9, 2012 1:55 PM
This is not the "With Teeth" version of Right Where It Belongs.
Please, Dear God, tell me where I can get this version
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kevin | October 16, 2011 8:21 AM
I like this list, but I'm not a huge fan of "Hand That Feeds" or "Only". I think they're not as complex or emotionally powerful as some other songs. I'd replace them with "Heresy" and I'd put "The Becoming" pretty high on this list. Honestly, every song from The Downward Spiral could be in the top 25 it's so good.
kasung | June 1, 2011 7:24 AM
Those posted videos are really great, is that the Nine inch Nails? they are great band.
http://www.zahal.org/groups/sig-sauer-z
rocketgirl | February 25, 2011 6:56 AM
This is a pretty comprehensive list! If you guys like NIN, have you ever heard of The Black Dots of Death? Right now there is a weekly contest challenge to help spread the good name of The Black Dots of Death. The winner of each challenge will get an “Ever Since We Were Children” Deluxe Signed Merch Bundle and a phone call from CLOWN himself!!! Follow the link to the official contest website.
http://boards.theblackdotsofdeath.com//index.php?showforum=11
salvation_comes_in_dreams | February 24, 2011 7:09 AM
Seems more like a "Top 25 Singles by NIN"... I think Hurt and Closer are both awesome, but Clay called it with Reptile or Ruiner (or even The Becoming) as being better song choices from TDS. Same with Starf*ckers, I think Please, The Big Comedown and especially, Where Is Everybody? Would rank higher on my list of songs from the Right disc. I guess the beauty of it is they're all pretty rad though :)
Matt | February 23, 2011 10:14 AM
#10. I'm sure you meant either WISH from BROKEN 1991 or to add BURN from 1993.
clay | February 23, 2011 7:46 AM
not a bad list. personally i didn't care too much for releases on With Teeth and The Slip. i would have definitely put Ruiner and Reptile in there, somewhere. oh, and Me, I'm Not.
carrie | February 23, 2011 5:32 AM
no HAPPINESS IN SLAVERY?