12 '90s Hard Rock Albums Everyone Should Own

Trent Reznor is one of the most prolific and creative musicians of the past few decades, but there was a time when he had the makings of a mainstream superstar, too. It speaks to the expansive tastes of ‘90s consumers that an album like The Downward Spiral was a major commercial success.

That’s not a knock on Reznor by any means, but this, like a lot of his work, is an abrasive record, drenched in darkness and with a suicidal overriding concept reflecting the troubles of its creator. Its most famous song is “Closer”, with its iconic and profane chorus and sparse, industrial sound - it’s a classic track but a bold choice for a lead single to say the least.

On the whole it’s one of the ultimate wallowing records, with the likes of "Piggy" and opener “Mr Self Destruct” a perfect match for the mood of a ‘90s alienated teen, and Reznor’s enduring success has shown him to be one of the great portrayers of despair. When you consider music’s target audience, perhaps The Downward Spiral’s success isn’t so surprising after all.