'' (also known as ''
Halo 14'') is a
Double Album by
Nine Inch Nails released in
1999 . ''The Fragile'' is the fourteenth official Nine Inch Nails release and the band's fourth major release. It was preceded by ''
The Downward Spiral '' and is followed by ''
With Teeth ''.
The first single from ''The Fragile'' was the track "
The Day The World Went Away " which was released several months before the album. The
B-side on the single was "Starfuckers, Inc." Strangely, not only was that track included on the final album, but it became a video single itself with an accompanying video.
Reznor described ''The Fragile'' in a 1999 interview:
:"There's a general theme to the album of systems failing and
Things Sort Of Falling Apart . In keeping with the idea of making everything sound a little broken, I chose stringed instruments because they're imperfect by nature. Although it may not sound like it, most of the album is actually guitar - and that includes the orchestral sounds and weird melodic lines. When it came to instruments that I didn't really know how to play - like the ukulele or the slide guitar - we were able to get some really interesting sounds by making the studio the main instrument."
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Prior to its release, Trent Reznor said many things about the direction of ''The Fragile'' would take and what it would include that did end up happening. In particular, he said that he was very interested in
Intelligent Dance Music and that the new album might incorporate this genre. This album opened to mixed responses in 1999, with hardcore fans uncertain what to make of this album in light of the ever-esteemed "The Downward Spiral" from 1994, while casual listeners did not immediately recognize it as typical NIN-styled fare; in fact, only "Starfuckers, Inc." from the second disc ever became a successful single and music video.
The next five years bore witness to the album's coming into its own, with hardcore fans finding a way to integrate it into their discographies even as new NIN listeners claimed it as their first and favorite NIN album. The advent of "With Teeth" has done much to cement "Fragile" as a well-received and well-lauded album in its own right by completists, hard-core fans, and casual listeners alike.
#"Somewhat Damaged" - 4:31
#"
The Day The World Went Away " - 4:33
#"The Frail" - 1:54
#"The Wretched" - 5:25
#"
We're In This Together " - 7:16
#"The Fragile" - 4:35
#"Just Like You Imagined" - 3:49
#"Even Deeper" - 5:47
#"Pilgrimage" - 3:31
#"No, You Don't" - 3:35
#"La Mer" - 4:37
#"The Great Below" - 5:17
#"The Way Out Is Through" - 4:17
#"
Into The Void " - 4:49
#"Where Is Everybody?" - 5:40
#"The Mark Has Been Made" - 5:15
#"Please" - 3:30
#"
Starfuckers, Inc. "- 5:00
#"Complication" - 2:30
#"I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally" - 4:13
#"The Big Come Down" - 4:12
#"Underneath It All" - 2:46
#"Ripe (With Decay)" - 6:34
#"Somewhat Damaged" - 4:31
#"The Day the World Went Away" - 4:33
#"The Frail" - 1:54
#"The Wretched" - 5:25
#"We're in This Together" - 7:16
#"The Fragile" - 4:35
#"Just Like You Imagined" - 3:49
#"Even Deeper" - 5:47
#"Pilgrimage" - 3:31
#"No, You Don't" - 3:35
#"La Mer" - 4:37
#"The Great Below" - 5:17
#"The Way Out Is Through" - 4:17
#"Into the Void" - 4:49
#"Where Is Everybody?" - 5:40
#"The Mark Has Been Made" - 5:15
#"
10 Miles High " - 5:13
#"Please" - 3:30
#"Starfuckers, Inc." - 5:00
#"Complication" - 2:30
#"
The New Flesh " - 3:40
#"I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally" - 4:13
#"The Big Come Down" - 4:12
#"Underneath It All" - 2:46
#"Ripe" - 5:13
#"Somewhat Damaged" - 4:31
#"The Day the World Went Away" - 4:33
#"The Frail" - 1:54
#"The Wretched" - 5:25
#"We're in This Together" - 7:16
#"The Fragile" - 4:35
#"Just Like You Imagined" - 3:49
#"Even Deeper" - 5:47
#"Pilgrimage" - 3:31
#"No, You Don't" - 3:35
#"La Mer" - 4:37
#"The Great Below" - 5:17
#"The Way Out Is Through" - 4:17
#"Into the Void" - 4:49
#"Where Is Everybody?" - 5:40
#"The Mark Has Been Made" - 5:15
#"Please (+appendage)" - 6:19
#"Starfuckers, Inc." - 5:00
#"Complication" - 2:30
#"I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally" - 4:13
#"The Big Come Down" - 4:12
#"Underneath It All" - 2:46
#"Ripe (With Decay)" - 6:34
- Steve Albini - Engineer
- Tom Baker - Mastering
- Adrian Belew - Guitar
- Heather Bennet - Vocals (Background)
- Paul Bradley - Programming
- Buddha Boys Choir - Choir, Chorus, Chant
- Buddha Debutante Choir - Vocals (Background)
- Di Coleman - Vocals (Background)
- Charlie Clouser - Programming, Atmosphere
- Melissa Daigle - Vocals (Background)
- Paul DeCarli - Programming
- Jerome Dillon - Drums
- Dr. Dre - Mixing Assistant
- Mike Garson - Piano
- Page Hamilton - Guitar
- Tracy Hardin - Vocals (Background)
- Leo Herrera - Engineer
- Keith Hillebrandt - Programming, Choir, Chorus, Sound Design
- Danny Lohner - Drum Programming, Ambiance, Synthesizer, Guitar
- Clint Mansell - Choir, Chorus
- Alan Moulder - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
- Dave Ogilvie - Engineer
- Brian Pollack - Engineer
- Trent Reznor - Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Programming, Producer
- Elquine Rice - Vocals (Background)
- Terry Rice - Vocals (Background)
- Bill Rieflin - Drums
- Barbara Wilson - Vocals (Background)
- Leslie Wilson - Vocals (Background)
- Steve Duda - Programming, Choir, Chorus, Percussion, Violin
- Eric Edmonson - Choir, Chorus
- Cherry Holly - Trumpet
- Doug Idleman - Choir, Chorus
- Marcus London - Choir, Chorus
- Denise Milfrot - Vocals
- Judy Miller - Vocals (Background)
- Gary I. Neal - Vocals (Background)
- Christine Parrish - Vocals (Background)
- Adam Persaud - Choir, Chorus
- Martha Prevost - Vocals
- M. Gabriela Rivas - Vocals (Background)
- Nick Scott - Choir, Chorus
- Rodney Sulton - Vocals (Background)
- Stefani Taylor - Vocals (Background)
- Nigel Wiesehan - Choir, Chorus
- Willie - Cello
- Martha Wood - Vocals (Background)
1999 The Fragile The Billboard 200 No. 1
1999 The Fragile Top Canadian Albums No. 2
1999 The Fragile Top Internet Albums No. 1
2000 The Fragile The Billboard 200 No. 1
1999 The Day The World Went Away The Billboard Hot 100 No. 17
1999 We re In This Together Mainstream Rock Tracks No. 21
- ---kers, Inc. Modern Rock Tracks No. 39
1999 We re In This Together Modern Rock Tracks No. 11
1999 The Day The World Went Away Canadian Singles Chart No. 1
2000 Into The Void Mainstream Rock Tracks No. 27
