10 Best Opening Tracks On Debut Rock Albums
4. Head Like A Hole - Pretty Hate Machine (Nine Inch Nails)
Before he took the rather unexpected career turn of becoming an Oscar-winning composer, Trent Reznor was the backbone of industrial metal sad bois Nine Inch Nails.
The mind behind the original version of Hurt, Reznor wrote and produced virtually every track on the band's first album Pretty Hate Machine. And what songs they were.
The frontman's twisted mind bore some dark tales of anger, betrayal, and hatred, and the cooped-up kids of the pre-'90s ate it up.
The album achieved that rare combo of critical acclaim and commercial success, going Platinum in the US. This was an unheard of feat for an independently produced record at the time.
Part of its success has to come down to its opening salvo, the mesmerising Head Like a Hole.
Starting with a smattering of hi-hat cymbals before welcoming in the industrial din of a bass, Reznor sings about wanting to die rather than give someone control over his life. The pain in his vocals is authentic; the sound of a man kicked to the curb by the world.
With this one song, Nine Inch Nails set themselves apart from everyone else on the market and got across everything that made them so special.