Nine Inch Nails Songs Ranked
Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN (stylized as NIИ), is an American industrial rock band formed in 1988 in Cleveland, Ohio. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band until the official addition of English musician Atticus Ross in 2016. Reznor recorded the band’s debut album, Pretty Hate Machine (1989) while working overnight as a janitor at a Cleveland recording studio. After feuding with the label TVT Records about promotion, Reznor signed with Interscope Records and released the EP Broken (1992). The following albums, The Downward Spiral (1994) and The Fragile (1999) were released to critical acclaim and commercial success. Nine Inch Nails have sold over 20 million records and have been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, winning for the songs “Wish” (1992) and “Happiness in Slavery” (1996). In 1997, Time named Reznor one of the most influential people, and Spin has described him as “the most vital artist in music”. In 2004, Rolling Stone placed Nine Inch Nails at No. 94 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. They were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 (their first year of eligibility), nominated again in 2015, and are scheduled for induction in 2020. Here are all Nine Inch Nails’ songs ranked.
Don’t miss out on the sounds of Nine Inch Nails! Click and enjoy the sounds of one of the multi-talented bands ever!
20. And All that Could Have Been (And All that Could Have Been, 2002)
“It’s non-metal song, but one of the best, masterpiece that give me chills every time I hear it. Long intro, but easily the best song in all history of music.”
19. Into the Void (The Fragile, 1999)
“The much darker aesthetic of the song in comparison to it’s disc one counterpart, La Mer, fits all too well with the album. The synth in the song is amazing, the repetition is perfect; the song is top five for me.”
18. Somewhat Damaged (The Fragile, 1999)
“The layering of soundscapes produces an escalating mood which culminates in the angriest song Reznor has done. True catharsis”
17. Ruiner (The Downward Spiral, 1994)
“Amazing song. My favorite. Horribly underrated. This song has everything. A catchy and interesting drum beat, amazing synths and Trent hits his angriest ever in my opinion in this song. The lyrics in this song are amazing as well. “And the only pure thing left in my f****** world is wearing your disease! ” Then the chorus comes in and it just overwhelms you with two different overlayed synths that mesh perfectly. You can sense Trent’s pure hatred in this song in every word that he says. Then the guitar solo comes in, and the combination of the guitar and drums creates one of the greatest solos I have ever heard and it fits perfectly into the song, which then finishes with one of the most iconic lines Trent has ever used and something that still inspires me “You didn’t hurt me, nothing can hurt me, you didn’t hurt me, nothing can stop me now.”
See more: Nine Inch Nails Albums Ranked
16. You Know What You Are? (With Teeth, 2005)
“The lyrics are so quick, but so good and complete a rhyme only Trent could write. The fact that it also has no drums also makes it very unique for NIN, so I’ll have to say it’s one of my favorites.”
15. Copy of A (Hesitation Marks, 2013)
“The chorus is the best part of the song. It’s very catchy and just incredibly unique. He uses high pitch and it actually turns me on a bit, I must admit.”
14. Something I Can Never Have (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989)
“From the gloomy instruments to the lyrics to Trent’s agony-ridden vocals, this is by far the most morbidly depressing song I’ve ever heard. And that’s why it’s beautiful.”
13. Terrible Lie (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989)
“The pure anger and angst shown through this entire song stands out in the entire catalog of the band’s music as a frontrunner. My personal favorite Nine Inch Nails song of all time.”
12. Reptile (The Downward Spiral, 1994)
“This has to be one of the best songs Reznor has ever created. Vocals are practically perfect, lyrics are incredibly sinister and creative, and the instrumental is amazing, and perfectly compliments the tone of the song.”
11. March of the Pigs (The Downward Spiral, 1994)
“This song gives you such a desire to just thrash about angrily, but in a happy way. It’s aggressive and makes you feel on top of the world. The awkward time signature, pounding drums and general distorted feel all add to an amazing feeling overall.”
10. Only (With Teeth, 2005)
“This predicted the future, with Reznor collaborating with David Fincher in the video. Oh yeah, the song also kicks ass.”
9. The Perfect Drug (Lost Highway, 1997)
“This is a very interesting song… Should be in first 5, the music is awesome and lyrics are very good. Also the music video of this song should be rewarded.”
8. We’re in This Together (The Fragile, 1999)
“The Moment when the Refrain begins with “You and me! ” is one of the greatest, breath-taking moments in modern music history. It sounds like the perfect soundtrack for a perfect Action-Sequenze in a movie. It’s like packing the insanity and intensity of Mad Max:Fury Road in a 4 Minute song”
7. Every Day is Exactly the Same (With Teeth, 2005)
“This piece literally gives me chills every time I hear it – it is a truly beautiful and unique song. We are so privileged to have Reznor making and sharing his music with the world.”
See more: Faith No More Albums Ranked
6. Right Where It Belongs (With Teeth, 2005)
“You can live in this illusion. You can choose to believe… “This song just hits you like a ton of bricks and leaves you pondering after it has finished. It definitely has the best lyrics of any Nine Inch Nails song.”
5. Head Like a Hole (Pretty Hate Machine, 1989)
“First NIN I ever heard as a 14 year old kid. I was immediately hooked then, and now. No other band has spoken of “me” quite in the same eloquent lyricism as nin. Almost every track had deep meaning to me and I could relate the words somehow to my existence. This is my favorite track of the 10 (all exceptional), but there were far to many overlooked tracks that never received adequate fanfare.”
4. The Hand that Feeds (With Teeth, 2005)
“This song is a perfect mix of industrial and rock. Definitely one of their best. Trent Reznor’s genius is summarized in this song”
3. Wish (Closure, 1997)
“I love Nine Inch Nails! The album, broken is one of my favorites of all time. I know it is not complexly written like the fragile or downward spiral, but the broken Nine inch nails is my favorite nine inch nails, and I think it is what Trent does best, and that every broken song should be here. I like them all equally. I am disappointed in the most recent NIN. I am happy for Trent for fixing ‘the broken machine’, but he has lost the NIN I love to a purely electronic monster in albums like year zero. I LOVE BROKEN!”
2. Hurt (American IV: The Man Comes Around, 2002)
“This song is so true to life itself, I just seen the concert & they played as the encore. I loved all the songs but they saved the best to the last! I think for me it’s a true celebration of life!”
1. Closer (The Downward Spiral, 1994)
“This song took me to another planet… Also it would get me in almost any girls pants… Girls turn into raging animals when they hear this song.”