Head Like a Hole Introduction
In a Nutshell
When Trent Reznor unleashed "Head Like a Hole" on the world back in 1989, there wasn't anything else out there that sounded quite like it.Thrashing, metal-inspired guitar parts? We'd heard that. Bleak, brooding lyrics full of self-loathing and allusions to S&M? That was something more unusual. But building it all on top of a rollicking electronic dance beat? That was mind-blowing.
This is the darkest upbeat song you'll ever hear.
About the Song
| Artist | Nine Inch Nails | Musician(s) | Trent Reznor |
| Album | Pretty Hate Machine | ||
| Year | 1989 | ||
| Label | TVT Records | ||
| Writer(s) | Trent Reznor | ||
| Producer(s) | Trent Reznor, Flood, Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc | ||
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Music Video
Shmoop Connections
Money, power, sex, domination, love, and hate.Trent Reznor brought all these vital elements of the human experience together in surprising and sometimes uncomfortable ways. Listening to Nine Inch Nails isn't something you'd usually describe as…pleasant.
But then, neither is Othello or The Merchant of Venice or Macbeth; plumbing the depths of the human character isn't necessarily fun. But that makes it no less riveting.
On the Charts
In 1990, "Head Like a Hole" peaked at #28 on the U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart.Pretty Hate Machine peaked at #75 on the Billboard 200.