Many readers of the Teufel Blog probably count themselves fans of Nine Inch Nails. And of course, real fans all know, the initial Nine Inch Nails records were entirely written and performed by one man – unquestionably one of the foremost working musicians today – Trent Reznor. But the general public is probably less aware of his subsequent career as a film soundtrack composer, which has been equally prolific. He now has composed soundtracks for 24 films, racking up two Oscars, a BAFTA, an Emmy, three Golden Globes, and two Grammy Awards along the way. So, whether you’re an old fan or someone who knows very little about Trent Reznor, read on to learn more
Early Life and Musical Roots
Born on May 17, 1965, in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Michael Trent Reznor showed musical promise from a young age, learning piano before branching into other instruments. After moving to Cleveland, Ohio, he worked at a recording studio where he began crafting what would become the debut Nine Inch Nails album. His early experiences in synth-pop bands like Exotic Birds and Slam Bamboo laid the groundwork for his later innovations in industrial rock.
The Rise of Nine Inch Nails and Industrial Rock
Reznor founded Nine Inch Nails (NIN) in 1988, serving as its sole official member for decades. The debut album, Pretty Hate Machine (1989), introduced a unique blend of synth-pop, industrial textures, and raw emotion. It was followed by the aggressive Broken EP (1992), which won a Grammy.
Those were followed by his critically aclaimed The Downward Spiral (1994), featuring hits like “Closer” and “Hurt.” To record this album, which remains the highest-selling Nine Inch Nails release to this date, Reznor rented and moved into a mansion in Los Angeles which was where the Manson Family committed the Tate-LaBianca murders in 1969. He even converted one of the rooms in the house into a studio, which is where the album was largely recorded!
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The next few years were dominated by touring, while Reznor struggled with addiction and writers block. After releasing The Fragile in 1999, Reznor went on tour again, then spent some time in rehab. What followed was With Teeth (2005), reaching number 1 on the Billboard 200. In 2007, Reznor released Year Zero, which was a departure in terms of sound and came along with a companion alternate reality game with political overtones. This innovative approach combined with direct engagement with fans led to an even bigger following on the internet.
Read also: Check out Teufel’s article on another electronic music pioneer, Wendy Carlos
It was also in this later phase of his career that Reznor started working with Atticus Ross, who would become his most significant creative partner in the next phase of his career. Ross’ first credited contribution to a Nine Inch Nails release was on With Teeth, and he has only become a bigger part of the band since then, officially becoming the second member in 2016.
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Reznor has actually been working in movies for most of his career, but it was initially more sporadic. The first film he composed for was 1994’s Natural Born Killers, directed by Oliver Stone and written by Quentin Tarantino. He next worked on David Lynch’s 1997 Lost Highway, producing two tracks along with other more minor roles.
But Reznor’s full transition to film scoring began with David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010), co-composed with Atticus Ross. Their haunting, minimalist score earned them an Academy Award for Best Original Score, beating out industry giants like Hans Zimmer.
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This marked the beginning of a fruitful collaboration with Fincher, which includes more well-known movies such as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 2011, Gone Girl in 2014, and Mank in 2020.
Read also: If you’re a fan of movie soundtracks, check out this list of Teufel’s favorite horror film soundtracks.
With the smash success of those works, Reznor and Ross went on to work with other directors, which also brought his work to the small screen. He won an Emmy in 2019 for his work on HBO’s Watchmen series, and took a bit of a left turn in 2020’s Soul, where he worked with Jon Batiste to add atmosphere to a jazzy children’s movie.
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In 2022, Reznor worked with another composer, Luca Guadagnino on romantic horror film Bones and All, and the duo worked together again in 2024 on the smash hit Challengers. His scoring work, which blends analog synths with ambient textures and emotional resonance is now recognized widely for its ability to redefine the sonic identity of films, so we can expect to see Reznor’s name on new movies for years to come.
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Influence on Music and Film
Reznor’s work with Nine Inch Nails helped bring industrial music into the mainstream, with David Bowie comparing his music to the Velvet Underground for how monumental and genre-defining it was. In particular his 90’s output was critical in shaping a new sound that would be further developed by bands like Tool, Linkin Park, Korn, and Muse.
His soundtrack work with Atticus Ross opened doors for other rock musicians, who have gone on to craft unique and interesting film scores of their own such as Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead and Thom Yorke. It also had a big impact on the art form, which has since largely moved away from traditional orchestration and into a more mood-driven synthesizer/electronic soundscape direction, which was pioneered by Trent Reznor in the Social Network.
So, whether through the visceral power of his music with Nine Inch Nails, or the atmospheric depth of his movie soundtracks, Reznor continues to shape the sound of the world we live in today in many ways.
Images:
Title image: Nine Inch Nails on Flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0
Image 1: Rik Goldman on Flickr. CC BY-ND 2.0
