And POLL That Could Have Been: ILM Artist Poll #119 - Nine Inch Nails - RESULTS

“Only” is one of those songs that I just can’t help but sing along with, even if I didn’t intend to (I know the words to a whole lot of NIN songs but it’s not like I sing along to “Closer” or “Sin”)

"all i wanna do (dfa mix)"

Props to whomever put The Big Come Down as their number 1. That's such an underrated track and one of the best on The Fragile.

I had Hurt at #4. As I was playing tds again for the first time in years a thought flashed into my head, one of those random notions that you immediately know is nonsense - that it was a novelty song, a bonus track, even a cover of a johnny cash song?! Anyway when it came on I realised it's just a fucking great song.

I still haven't really delved into the EPs and I didn't vote for The Background World but that slowly disintegrating 7 minute outro is *chef's kiss*

great images btw thermo.

That 'The Big Come Down' number one was me.

Ranked it first to help boost it's chances of placing highly, but arguably my favourite nonetheless. A great example of the amazing sound design going on throughout The Fragile, which might be my personal favourite production wise - although from that point on it's all quite consistent on that front. The guitar solo/break in 'The Big Come Down' easily one of my top NIN moments.

a very weird and cool song indeed, like taking the good parts of Primus

I’d always assumed that guitar break on The Big Come Down was one of Adrian Belew’s contributions to The Fragile, but seemingly it’s not.

'Everything' was pretty high on my ballot, ivy's take is OTM, I just really enjoy hearing Trent do a full-on pop song, also it basically reignited my interest in the band after tuning out for over a decade.

“all time low” is one of the best things he’s ever done. the “stretch across the sky coda” is just one factor… there’s also:

HEY

EVERYTHING IS NOT OK

― ivy., Thursday, April 25, 2024 9:03 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

I had both Everything and All Time Low pretty high on my list. Just now realized that I accidentally deleted Copy of A from my ballot before submitting, although I can't remember where it was ranked. All Time Low was a song that I hadn't paid much attention to when I first listened to Hesitation Marks. Re-listening for this poll, the thing that jumped out at me was that the vocal cadence reminded me of the Beastie Boys song Girls. A lot better though, for many reasons, including those stated by Ivy.

Jockin' Adrian B. to my dismay.

That's What I Get didn't make my ballot but I really like it and am pleased it got a placement here. With NIN, narrowing it down to 30 was surprisingly easy in that after a certain point it's much of a muchness. There are very few NIN songs I don't like so i tried to rep for ones you don't hear a lot. If I'm Looking Forward To Joining You, Finally doesn't pop up, it was very high on my ballot because I've got a strong attachment to it.

Various Methods of Escape and The Background World are two others I've got that with. In the thread before this there was a bit of discussion of Trent's substance issues and VMEO in particular was a big touchstone for me when I was getting sober. The "I think I could lose myself in here" feels like the weirdly comforting sinking feeling of relapsing, before the shit hits the fan but after you're lucid enough to feel the guilt and the gnawing knowledge that this was an incredibly stupid idea. There's not a lot of other music that captures that for me.

https://i.imgur.com/jZ9eWZ6.jpeg
30. The Fragile
Released on The Fragile, 1999
232 points, 8 voters
Studio version
Still version
Live 2009

https://i.imgur.com/xvyUV66.jpeg
29. The Great Below
Released on The Fragile, 1999
238 points, 7 voters
Studio version

https://i.imgur.com/ivPkP8h.jpeg
28. Somewhat Damaged
Released on The Fragile, 1999
252 points, 7 voters
Studio version
Live 2009

https://i.imgur.com/HNdrDs8.jpeg
27. Gave Up
Released on Broken, 1992
254 points, 9 voters
Studio version
Music video
Live 2000
Live 2008

https://i.imgur.com/a9sAq4C.jpeg
26. And All That Could Have Been
Released on Still, 2002
264 points, 6 voters
Studio version

this one's a favourite of mine, something like their version of a disintegration track

https://i.imgur.com/bQLpjDc.jpeg
25. Happiness In Slavery
Released on Broken, 1992
276 points, 7 voters
Studio version

24. All The Love In The World
Released on With Teeth, 2005
280 points, 8 voters
Studio version

sorry that should be:

https://i.imgur.com/rEZP8NK.jpeg
24. All The Love In The World
Released on With Teeth, 2005
280 points, 8 voters
Studio version

another favourite, the piano house coda with those overlapping vocals is fantastic

https://i.imgur.com/Qy3J1yv.jpeg
23. Last
Released on Broken, 1992
282 points, 8 voters
Studio version
Live 2009

last one for today

oh wait no there's one more

https://i.imgur.com/VSYhd6A.jpeg
22. The Day The World Went Away
Released on The Fragile, 1999
310 points, 9 voters, 1 #1 vote
Studio version
Still version

my #1

love it so much

It's his highest charting single to this day, right? Such a wild bit of trivia you would not expect. A truly unique single too - in hindsight it's quite a risky pick for the first from The Fragile

Both Happiness In Slavery and The Great Below were in my top 5. Both really capture Trent's extremes in terms of sound palette.

“Last” seems less talked about than other Broken songs but I love it so much, maybe the closest he came to a straight rock song but somehow incredibly sexy - the combination reminds me of Jane’s Addiction.

i really love the wall of guitars on "the day the world went away"

i also forgot about the "quiet" version which was a b-side

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmzzu3HqL4c

It's his highest charting single to this day, right? Such a wild bit of trivia you would not expect. A truly unique single too - in hindsight it's quite a risky pick for the first from The Fragile

― octobeard, Friday, April 26, 2024 10:42 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

probably isn’t the case, but I’d be completely unsurprised if Reznor tried to push “Starfuckers, Inc.” as the first single

the fragile just doesn't really have obvious singles which is surely one of the reasons it underperformed

I will never forget Johnny Depp’s introduction of NIN at the 99 MTV music video awards.

xxp it is! Went up to 17. I mean shit, I bought the 12". Fans were hungry lol.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Inch_Nails_discography#Singles

And I recall where I learned this tidbit from too: Rob Harvila's 60 Songs That Explain the 90's.

His next highest charting single was The Hand That Feeds at 31. Closer peaked at 41.

Somewhat Damaged never made my ballot but it could've easily. I once had a huge argument with my then boyfriend because I kept absent mindedly playing the opening riff and staring into space for about half an hour. It's a fantastic opening track. Trying to find out what the "angrily sawing wood with a blunt utensil" sound that punctuates the intro was one of the things that made me interested in music production. The sound design on The Fragile is impeccable.

top 20 will be in two days or so

sounds good! thanks for the rollout so far!

https://i.imgur.com/o8KVsM8.png

Gonna tuck in my tank top and cuff my jorts to get ready for this industrial music!

Al Jourgensen having a Blue Öyster Cult tattoo surprises me, somehow.

let's kick off the top 20

https://i.imgur.com/dTQzFdF.jpeg
20. Something I Can Never Have
Released on Pretty Hate Machine, 1989
312 points, 9 voters, 1 #1 vote
Studio version
Still version

https://i.imgur.com/sShZxCm.jpeg
20. La Mer
Released on The Fragile, 1999
312 points, 10 voters
Studio version

https://i.imgur.com/Tj1Oh2A.jpeg
19. Beside You In Time
Released on With Teeth, 2005
314 points, 7 voters, 1 #1 vote
Studio version
Live 2006

damn i was starting to think my no. 1 wouldn’t make it

Three amazing tracks.

My one time seeing NIN live was this show, the most memorable part of which was certainly this speech before "La Mer".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIsAazPVnFQ

kinda wish the rest of With Teeth was more shoegazer/wall of sound style production that Beside You In Time exhibits. Like a whole album building on The Day The World Went Away

https://i.imgur.com/65IISFx.jpeg
18. Into The Void
Released on The Fragile, 1999
364 points, 11 voters
Studio version
Music video

jmm damn, thanks for sharing that vid

la mer and into the void were nos. 2 and 3 on my ballot

https://i.imgur.com/bswllm7.jpeg
17. Eraser
Released on The Downward Spiral, 1994
368 points, 9 voters
Studio version
Live 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLFUKBWyves

they did do "la mer" into "into the void" live in 2006