How Nine Inch Nails Wrote 'Hurt' | Song Exploder

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails discusses how he wrote the iconic track, 'Hurt'. Interviewed by Hrishikesh Hirway of hit podcast and Netflix show, Song Exploder, he reveals the inspiration behind the lyrics and how he fed instruments through an infinite reverb loop to create the haunting sound.

The song would later be covered by Johnny Cash and performed by David Bowie, a moment in music history.

Song Exploder spotlights some of the world's greatest musicians as they reveal how they brought one of their songs to life. Featured artists in Volume 2 include Dua Lipa, The Killers, Nine Inch Nails and Natalia Lafourcade. Now streaming on Netflix.

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How Nine Inch Nails Wrote 'Hurt' | Song Exploder

Get inspired as musicians dig deep into the creative process of songwriting and reveal their intimate thoughts in a series based on the hit podcast.

[slothgotti]

we need a nine inch nails documentary like this.

[creepingcrawley]

We've lost many a star from the nineties scenes, I'm thankful trent is still with us.

[morbid]

My best friend took his life 12 years ago and he was the biggest NIN fan. This song played at his funeral to send him off. I just wanted to say I miss you bro.

[callis]

To all the kids who never fit in and didn't have the three friends to start a band with, I hope you're doing ok.

[Goatchild]

Trent Reznor is a musical genuis and one of my heroes

[davecarlson]

I wish this were 10x longer. I would love to hear more of Trent's thoughts on writing this song.

[ely_oh]

A song about someone's self-destruction and eventual suicide that saved mine and the lives of many others since its conception in 1994. Thank you with utmost sincerity, Trent Reznor, not just for Hurt but for The Downward Spiral as a whole.

[CapeRides]

Trent Reznor is one of music's true geniuses that has evolved, yet still kept his unique sound and originality

[MonasticSolace]

Is it just me or does he seem to have a much more gentle and calm countenance to him now?

[XYouVandal]

This man gets it. It's all about the goosebumps. No one seems to understand that in music today

[nomad]

In my opinion, and probably the opinion of most people who are music enthusiasts. That song is probably one of the saddest and most heartfelt songs ever made by man, it's not complicated, but it communicates the idea so clearly and so vividly that it connects to those who feel the way the song sounds. Nine Inch Nails is probably one of the best made music projects in history, and almost every song that Trent and his other partners that have worked with him have made have been timeless and inspirational. NIN is really the type of music any crowd can get into, which is very rare, I think that happens because the songs are really about reality, and it's made into a way that is both theatrical and realistic, its not corny, but its also not too real to the point to were its not entertaining, NIN has the perfect balance. Just my opinion, I could be full of it. But so far, to date, I haven't heard anybody that can get into the nooks and crannies of human emotion in that way, at least a handful of musicians have really done that, so far as I can see. Anyways.

[countconner]

And then he turns around and does a REMARKABLE score for a Pixar film. Genius gets thrown around too much. On Trent, it fits just right.

[harbinger_]

I remember having to defend the shear awesomeness of “Hurt” to my parents, when I was 14. They down-played like it will never be as good as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, or Johnny Cash. Which were their favorite artists. When Cash’s cover of “Hurt” came out, it was pure bliss to make my parents eat their words.

[YeahManMillionaire]

That was the deepest dive into the music episode on the show. The amount of emotion and thought Trent Reznor put into the song was absolutely groundbreaking.
I didn't move a muscle while watching the episode. It was that enthralling.

[zuluhours]

Tent narrates so well. When he spoke at the Cure's induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he was so well spoken and straight from the heart.

[SwamSmokey]

This episode was fascinating.
The amount of thought and effort he puts into his music is ridiculous. Every sound has a reason for being there. It kind of ruined the rest of the episodes for me honestly

[eulogy]

This is the only version of hurt that matters to me.

[jolenemadearest]

There is something so genuinely raw about "hurt" that i love so much.

[JusticeForNicholeAlloway]

A couple years after The Downward Spiral came out, I lived with a BF who beat the crap outta me. I'd lock myself in the bathroom to get away from him and blast Hurt on my headphones, it was like Trent was the only one in the whole world that understood what I was going through.

[BANSHEE]

grew up crying to practically every song.