10 Best Hard Rock Albums Of The 90s
5. The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor is nothing short of a musical genius; a pedestal of innovation and originality to be held up and admired by his peers. Nine Inch Nails' 1994 effort The Downward Spiral is the sound of that innovation hitting all the right notes.
Reznor is famed for his ability to expertly combine technology with musical acumen to produce music unlike anything else out there. The Downward Spiral is littered with examples of this ability producing dividends. March of the Pigs, Closer, Mr. Self Destruct etc. all songs that just scream with originality and each one with a seemingly deeper message to them. And then, of course, there is arguably NIN's most well know piece, Hurt; a beautifully haunting song that speaks to the depth of the album and the artist behind it.
There is little out there, even to this day, that sounds anything like The Downward Spiral and that is a testament to Reznor and his band. It is a truly original piece of art that deserves to be held up as one of the finest Hard Rock albums produced in any decade.