1. The Fragile
2. The Downward Spiral
3. Pretty Hate Machine
4. Hesitation Marks
5. Year Zero
6. With Teeth
7. The Slip
8. Broken
9. Ghosts I-IV
(HM/WT/YZ could easily change around in the next few years, but I think 1-3 and 7-9 are pretty set)
1. The Fragile
2. The Downward Spiral
3. Pretty Hate Machine
4. Hesitation Marks
5. Year Zero
6. With Teeth
7. The Slip
8. Broken
9. Ghosts I-IV
(HM/WT/YZ could easily change around in the next few years, but I think 1-3 and 7-9 are pretty set)
1. The Downward Spiral
2. The Fragile
3. Broken
4. Year Zero
5. Pretty Hate Machine
6. With Teeth
7. The Slip
8. Hesitation Marks
9. Ghosts
Even though I love The Fragile, The Downward spiral will just always have a special place in my heart. Also, there are some tracks on The Fragile such as Starfuckers and a couple others on the 2nd disc that I just really don't enjoy listening to that much, where as I love every song on The Downward Spiral and the concept of the whole thing is very appealing to me. Year Zero is by far the most creative and exciting album Trent has made since he got clean IMO. With Teeth and all the others really don't stack up when compared to his other work. Even though I don't listen to the studio PHM that much, I love the live versions of all the songs so I feel like it deserves its spot. Hesitation Marks is still an alright album, it's just not what I look for in a NIN album. Ghosts was something I listened to once and never had the urge to go back to. The Slip had some good songs like Lights In The Sky and Head Down but overall it didn't do much for me. Maybe when I grow out of my edgy teenage years I'll appreciate these later albums more.
1. Ghosts I-IV
2. The Downward Spiral
3. Hesitation Marks
4. With Teeth
5. Broken
6. The Fragile
7. Year Zero
8. The Slip
9. Pretty Hate Machine
I think ranking albums is kinda weird, but I was curious if I was able to settle on some order and, well, I could. Could put HM above TDS, maybe, since I definitely feel like listening to it more these days, but I'm not sure how much that matters.
9. The Slip
8. Broken
7. Pretty Hate Machine
6. With Teeth
5. Ghosts
4. Hesitation Marks
3. Year Zero
2. The Downward Spiral
1. The Fragile
7-6
5-4
3-2
All tend to change places depending on what mood i'm in.
I actually haven't done this since Not The Actual Events came out. Anyway, I just thought that I'd give it a try now that it actually exists. I doubt much has changed since the last time I ranked my favorite NIN albums, but at least it gives me yet another release to rank.
1. The Fragile
2. The Downward Spiral
3. Pretty Hate Machine
4. Broken
5. With Teeth
6. Year Zero
7. And All That Could Have Been (Still)
8. Hesitation Marks
9. Not The Actual Events
10. Ghosts I-IV
11. The Slip
1. The Downward Spiral/The Fragile
3. Ghosts I-IV
4. Year Zero
5. Hesitation Marks
6. Broken/Not The Actual Events
8. With Teeth
9. The Slip
10. Pretty Hate Machine
1. Fragile
2. Pretty Hate Machine (TRs 2010 remaster helped my love for this album grow)
3. Downward Spiral
4. Broken
5. Year Zero
6. Still
7. With Teeth
8. NTAE
9. fuck it, Purest Feeling
10. Slip
11. Ghosts
12. Hesitation Marks
tds
broken
the slip
wt
the fragile
year zero
hm
phm
ntae
(haven't heard any ghosts tracks outside of lits shows, so ...)
TDS-just honestly perfection imo, it can't NOT affect me
TF-top 14 songs on the album might be as good at TDS, but there's too many other songs that I can't really appreciate tbh, but the songs I do appreciate...just wow
HM-got into NIN when I was 14 (2014) so I have nostalgia for it and it has grown on me much more than any other album, might be the most comforting album
WT-connects the most to me personally, might have the best stand-alone songs of all the albums
NTAE-addicting, engaging, finding it hard not to listen to everyday- love the style
PHM-always fun, very relatable, a classic, but it doesn't have the same level of layers as the higher ranked albums imo
Add Violence- some of the coolest sounds/textures Trent has ever touched, but it still leaves something to be desired.
YZ-great concept, still sounds awesome, probably best last two songs on an album, but sometimes the songs sound too similar
Broken- 8 awesome songs I always enjoy
TS-even though it's ranked so low, I still love it, but some of the songs really drag it down for some reason in my mind
Ghosts-beautiful, but I enjoy a few instrumentals on an album rather than an entire album of them
Last edited by Tommy_Macbeth; 09-05-2017 at 03:38 PM.
The Fragile/The Downward Spiral
Pretty Hate Machine/Broken
With Teeth/The Slip/Not The Actual Events/Add Violence
Ghosts
Hesitation Marks
Year Zero. (If Capital G and Godgiven are taken out it isn't so bad in fairness)
In that order, but I would enjoy listening to any of them. The ones that are doubled up are the ones I flit between depending on the weather.
1. The Downward Spiral
2. The Fragile
3. Year Zero
4. Add Violence
5. With Teeth
6. Hesitation Marks
7. The Slip
8. Pretty Hate Machine
9. Broken
10. Not The Actual Events
11. Ghosts I-IV
12. Still
Currently:
TDS
The Fragile
NTAE/Add Violence (the third part will help decide more concretely where these would go)
Still.
Year Zero
With Teeth
Hesitation Marks
Pretty Hate Machine
Broken
Ghosts I-IV
The Slip
As of right now:
1. The Fragile
2. Pretty Hate Machine
3. Broken
4. The Downward Spiral
5. With Teeth
6. Add Violence
7. Not the Actual Events
8. Year Zero
9. Hesitation Marks
10. The Slip
11. Ghosts
A tricky one for sure, but I'm going to commit myself without thinking it through too much.
01 The Downward Spiral - Never any doubt about that, and I don't expect this to ever change. Stone cold classic. Say no more.
02 The Fragile - I have love/hate issues with this record, but I can't bring myself to place it any lower. I tried, but no.
03 Add Violence - Maybe it's just because it's new, but after however long now it still feels consistently outstanding. Love it.
04 Hesitation Marks - Flawed as a whole, but at its best it sums up all I love about NIN.
05 With Teeth - Playing this more as time goes by. Unspectacular by NIN standards, but the quality of the songs shines through.
06 Broken - Sonically amazing, particularly for its time, but in contrast to WT the songs themselves just aren't as good.
07 Not The Actual Events - Actually could be joint 6th. Couple of great songs, and an interesting shift in sound for NIN.
08 Pretty Hate Machine - Feel bad for having this down here. It is a classic, of course, but from a retro perspective.
09 Year Zero - Loved YZ songs played from LITS, and appreciate the concept etc, but the record lacks something somewhere.
10 Ghosts - It's a good record, and I'm glad it exists, but won't get a great deal of play at home for me.
1. The Downward Spiral
2. Broken
3. The Fragile
4. Pretty Hate Machine
5. With Teeth
6. Hesitation Marks
7. Yr Zero
8. Ghosts
9. Add Violence
10. The Slip
11. NTAE
1. The Downward Spiral/The Fragile
3. Ghosts I-IV
4. Not The Actual Events
5. Year Zero
6. Hesitation Marks
7. Broken/Add Violence
8. With Teeth
9. The Slip
10. Pretty Hate Machine
*breaks down sobbing*
*kicks the gun across the floor*
I CAN'T. I CAN'T DO IT.
LPs
The Fragile
Ghosts
Year Zero
TDS
Hesitation Marks
PHM
With Teeth
The Slip
EPs
Still
NTAE
Broken
AV
The Fragile
The Downward Spiral
Broken
Add Violence
Ghosts I-IV
Year Zero
Not the Actual Events
Still
With Teeth
Pretty Hate Machine
Hesitation Marks
The Slip
01 The Downward Spiral
02 The Fragile
03 Year Zero
04 Broken
05 With Teeth
06 Not The Actual Events
07 Add Violence
08 The Slip
09 Hesitation Marks
10 Pretty Hate Machine
11 Ghosts
Main Albums:
----- Masterpiece -----
1. Fragile - The quintessential NIN album, best combo of heavy/light and complex/minimalist. Band lineup, arrangement, and production was at the peak.
2. Downward Spiral - This album sets them apart from the rest of the alternative acts of the time. Absolutely no filler, and nobody could match the band's raw energy.
----- Excellent -----
3. Still - Best aural representation of depression/hopelessness, contains 3 of Trent's best instrumentals.
4. Broken - Best aural representation of rage/nihilism, contains best cover done by NIN.
----- Very Good -----
5. Year Zero - Great follow up to a lackluster comeback album (in my opinion), most singularly focused and complete post-Fragile album.
6. Ghosts I-IV - Great experimentation and concept, proves that Trent doesn't need lyrics to make evoke emotions from the listeners.
----- Good -----
7. With Teeth - Great start, average middle, and good finish to the album. First album on my list to contain filler tracks in my opinion, but still lots of classic songs.
8. Pretty Hate Machine - Several good/great songs, surprisingly catchy, but with some of the cheesiest lyrics in the entire catalog.
9. NTAE/AV/3rd EP Trilogy - Some good impressions at first, especially after the let down I had after hearing Hesitation Marks. Not complete grade due to the third EP being unreleased so far.
----- Average -----
10. The Slip - A couple of great songs, some other good tracks, but overall sounds like B-sides from WT and YZ sessions.
11. Hesitation Marks - My hopes were pretty high after hearing Came Back Haunted, but this album was a let down for me because of the generic sounding slower sections (unlike the slow songs from Fragile/WT/YZ which were unique and sounded nothing like the other).
Remix Albums
1. Further Down the Spiral - Best collabs/remixes and awesome experimentation
2. Closer to God - Ditto
3. March of the Pigs - See 1 and 2 but kinda short
4. Year Zero Remixed - Some great remixes, similar in theme to YZ but different enough as well.
5. Things Falling Apart - Very good remixes but also some filler and crappy ones too.
6. Fixed - I like the effort but way too noisy and weird for me.
7. The Perfect Drug - Wasn't feeling it, most remixes seemed half-baked to me.
Current Top Ten
10. Hesitation Marks
Top heavy and back-loaded, this album starts strong and ends stronger. I feel it would have benefited from a couple cuts (ahem, Running & Disappointed). To be honest, I only fully listened to this album a couple times and don't really find myself coming back to it. I can appreciate the change of pace and a new aesthetic, but it doesn't really resonate sonically. 6/10 Top Tracks: Copy of A, In Two, Black Noise
09. The Slip
How did I, How did I, How did I like this album? Just as with Hesitation Marks, I feel it has its ups and downs.
With Teeth light, the songs have some great pop to them, yet I feel a little more production value would have put this higher on my list. I understand it was done quickly and it's kind of a broken-down experimental extended EP. The album isn't bad by any means, it's reflective and foreshadows Ghosts to come and it was literally priceless. Also, can I hear Demon Seed live once before I die? Fuck. 6.5/10 Top Tracks: Head Down, Lights in the Sky, Demon Seed
08. Broken
The rage of a disillusioned 26-year old man makes this EP one worth screaming to. Guitar heavy and full of giving no fucks other than those of the fisting variety. A project taking the destructive side of the live act and amping it up to eleven in the studio. The energy of this album still excites, yet the anger is something I no can longer relate to (most of the time). Gnashing and brutal this wasn't meant to last, but for a short period in the early 90's it was for right now. 7/10 Top Tracks: Happiness in Slavery, Gave Up
07. With Teeth
This album is a great portrayal of a man reflecting on his prior struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues. Brave, daring and full of beautiful moments that are less concerned about fitting into the fans concept of what NIN should be and more of a musical catharsis. It erratically beats, it flip flop flips and then the album concludes with little pieces bleeding through, everything back where it belongs, fabric tearing, lines blurring and the struggle going on and on and on... 7/10
Top Tracks: All the Love in the World, Sunspots, The Line Begins to Blur, Right Where It Belongs
06. Not the Actual Events/Add Violence/ ?
Sleeping or awake these EP's are a dream come true, breathing old life into new NIN. It has it all, endless loops, vocals clear as mud, burning carcasses, crawling spiders and infected Japanese. With the finale still waiting to break through the surface, there is no future point in time I don't see this project making my top 5. ?/10
Top Tracks: The Idea of You, Burning Bright (Field on Fire), This Isn't the Place, The Background World
05. Pretty Hate Machine
Honest and ahead o' the times. This machine was the hate child of 80's pop, infused with an industrial hip-hop vibe, mixed with a vocalist whose heart was grey and head was... well... like a hole. Everything about this album is begging to please. Sprinkled with dirty, yet pretty aggro-synth hits. Opening with one of NIN's most popular anthemic numbers and unabashedly drenched in lyrics so embarrassingly honest that you wouldn't want your older sibling to read them at the dinner table. 7.5/10 Top Tracks: Head Like a Hole, Terrible Lie, The Only Time, Ringfinger
04. Ghosts I-IV
This collection of instrumentals show case the process and the strong collaboration between Trent and Atticus. Like a fine wine (minus TR whining) this album ferments in my mind, filling me with the spirit of what could have been. Haunting and conjuring the sounds of a world we are no longer beholden to. A timeless piece filling in the blanks of our deepest, darkest memories. 8/10 Top Tracks: 1 Ghosts I, 13 Ghosts II, 24 Ghosts III, 28 Ghosts IV, 31 Ghosts IV, 34 Ghosts IV, 35 Ghosts IV
03. Year Zero
This album has grown on me and as the world that is conveyed in the album seems set on a collision course with reality, this only adds to my intrigue. Set in a dystopian future and fraught with warning. It's not the usual introverted, self-reflective NIN trope, yet still feels as relevant, nihilistic and foreboding. It's not just music, it's an experience. 8.5/10 Top tracks: Me, I'm Not, My Violent Heart, In This Twilight, Zero-Sum
02. The Downward Spiral
Ironically the pinnacle. The Downward Spiral is an enigma, terrifying yet alluring. From the first sounds you are sucked in, to be chewed until all the tender parts have been erased. It's visceral landscape scraping away all the rest. Leaving you breathless, regretful and taking you to limitless depths. Until at the last second you realize there is hope and even though it's a million miles away, we can rejoice that we are still right here. 10/10
Top Tracks: Mr. Self Destruct, Piggy, Ruiner, The Becoming, Reptile, Hurt
01. The Fragile
Waves of every feeling ever felt. 10/10
Top Tracks: Somewhat Damaged, The Day the World Went Away, We're in This Together, Just Like You Imagined, La Mer, The Great Below, The Way Out is Through, Please, The New Flesh, I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally, The Big Come Down, Ripe (With Decay) Still: Leaving Hope
Last edited by OSLIN; 09-11-2017 at 07:15 PM.
[Disclaimer]: I do not dislike ANY Nine Inch Nails release. It just so happens that when I put them in order it ended up like this. So just because an album is low doesn't mean I find it bad. Also, my opinions on the releases constantly changes, so in about a week this list will likely be pretty different.
Pretty Hate Machine: Synth-Pop is not really my go to, but the Industrial undertones do help it. All in all just not 100% my taste.
Ghosts I-IV: Cool idea. Awesome songs. Not very memorable, with the songs not having distinct enough titles. Also very long listen.
With Teeth: I personally blame this ranking on overplaying. I truly loved this album when I first heard it, but I've long since worn out my taste for it. Though my love for Beside You In Time has never ceased.
The Downward Spiral: Go ahead. Murder me. But before you do, the reason I rank this so low is because I actually find myself going back to it not really that often compared to the other albums. I've also kind of worn out my taste for it. Okay, NOW you can kill me.
Year Zero: While I actually like this album more than the one in front of it, I find it hard to listen to in one setting, since the electronics really punch you and aren't all that easy to listen to.
Hesitation Marks: Never got the hate for this. It's like Pretty Hate Machine but in a way I like even more. That's all I can really say about it.
Broken: Pure, uncontrolled, aggression. It's like Year Zero in that it punches you a bunch, but much quicker so that no second is wasted.
Not The Actual Events: Alongside the next release, I actually credit this releases high ranking to it being new and much more fresh than anything else. But, I also rank it so high because it takes what I like about With Teeth, Broken, Hesitation Marks and The Downward Spiral and puts in a new package that still sounds original.
Add Violence: Eh, probably just because it's the newest EP. But anyway, it goes in several different directions while still maintaining a constant flow.
The Fragile: This is a masterpiece. It is also hard to listen to in one setting, but the punches aren't that common so it's still a smoother listen. Also the story is genius, much like the Downward Spiral, but the music helps it keep it's replay ability, with the Right side being very experimental.
Eh, still don't feel satisfied with this. Oh well
I was absolutely/pleasantly surprised to see just how much I actually enjoyed Add Violence. I just don't know any other way to put that right now, but the fact that it's that close to Broken for me, should say it all. Satisfaction, indeed.
1. The Fragile
2. The Downward Spiral
3. Pretty Hate Machine
4. Broken
5. Add Violence
6. With Teeth
7. Year Zero
8. And All That Could Have Been (Still)
9. Hesitation Marks
10. Not The Actually Events
11. Ghosts I-IV
12. The Slip
Last edited by Halo Infinity; 11-29-2017 at 10:24 PM.
1. Ghosts I-IV
2. Further Down The Spiral (US)
3. The Downward Spiral
4. Fixed
5. Quake OST
6. The Fragile
7. Broken
8. Still
9. Recoiled
10. Not The Actual Events
11. Add Violence
12. Year Zero
13. The Slip
14. Hesitation Marks
15. Things Falling Apart
16. Pretty Hate Machine
17. With Teeth
18. Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D
Too lazy to look at what past posts I made in this thread, but here’s the latest and probably last one. Many of the top half are too close to call so the tiebreaker goes to percantage of album I enjoy. Also excluding remix albums, Still, and Ghosts (which should’ve been a seperate Trent project but I understand the marketing advantage of having the NIN label attached to it):
1) TDS
2) Broken
3) PHM
4) TF
5) WT
6) YZ
(major drop off at this point)
7) HM
8) TS
9/10) NTAE/AV (songs are interchangeable between EP’s IMHO and could’ve just been one album)
1) The Fragile
2) The downward spiral
3) NTAE (yes, I am ranking it this high. It's fantastic!!)
4) Year Zero (10 yrs ago, I would have placed this record at the bottom of the pile, this record has really grown on me since then)
5) Broken
6) The Slip (demon seed scores this album the majority of its points)
7) Pretty Hate Machine
8) Add Violence (it's not bad. I was just expecting so much more after NTAE and considering the name "add violence" I thought this would be even harder/more abrasive than NTAE was, not dialing it down a notch. I think NTAE and Add Violence should swap album names.
9) With Teeth (I used to place this record higher, but everytime I try and listen to it these days, I can't help to see what I saw in this record back in the day. These days I listen to all the love and sunspots and maybe the line begins to blur and I'm done. I can't listen to this record from front to end).
10) Hesitation Marks
Currently, without any serious thought, best to last:
TDS
The Fragile
NTAE
Year Zero
Add Violence
With Teeth
Hesitation Marks
Pretty Hate Machine
Broken
Ghosts
The Slip
I love them all, but some more than others, like a parent willing to be honest about their feelings towards their children. The top 3 feel consistent but everything else shuffles around all of the time.
Last edited by implanted_microchip; 11-24-2017 at 12:23 AM.