The Fragile cover art

  Studio Album · No. 3

The Fragile Songwriting Credits by Nine Inch Nails

1999 Nothing / Interscope 23 tracks 104 min

Produced by Trent Reznor, Alan Moulder  ·  Engineered by Steve Albini (engineering), Alan Moulder (mixing), Tom Baker (mastering)

Nothing / Interscope Industrial RockArt RockAlternative RockAmbient
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 23 of 23 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 23 / 23 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 23 tracks with documented writers, by whether Nine Inch Nails carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
23 trackswritten by Nine Inch Nails 0 tracksoutside writers
Nine Inch Nails's roles on this album

Share of the 23 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

23
Tracks
1
Lyricists
2
Producers
1999
Released
Data Insight

The Fragile was produced by Trent Reznor and Alan Moulder (who also mixed the album) at Nothing Studios in New Orleans over a troubled multi-year period (January 1997 to July 1999), with Steve Albini contributing engineering and supplemental drum recording, and Tom Baker mastering. It was NIN's first release in five years following The Downward Spiral and arrived while Reznor was battling drug and alcohol addiction. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 229,000 first-week copies, then experienced the largest single-week drop from number one in Billboard 200 history at the time, falling to #16 the following week. It is certified 2× Platinum in the United States.

The Fragile is the third studio album by Nine Inch Nails, a double album released in September 1999 on Nothing/Interscope Records and produced by Reznor and Alan Moulder, recorded in the aftermath of The Downward Spiral's commercial and critical success while Reznor was experiencing substance abuse and depression that would eventually require treatment. Reznor wrote all material; the album's 23 tracks across two discs represent the most formally ambitious and tonally varied release in the NIN catalog, ranging from the chaotic industrial metal of 'No, You Don't' and 'Starfuckers, Inc.' to the ambient instrumental passages of 'La Mer' and 'The Way Out Is Through.' The Fragile debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 228,000 first-week sales and has been certified platinum in the United States; 'We're in This Together' reached number one on the Modern Rock chart. Critical reception was initially divided, some reviewers found the double album sprawling while others praised its ambition, but subsequent reassessment has been consistently positive, and the album is now regarded as the equal of The Downward Spiral in terms of artistic ambition and execution.

Track Listing & Credits 23 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Somewhat Damaged
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
2
The Day the World Went Away
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
3
The Frail
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
4
The Wretched
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
5
We're in This Together
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
6
The Fragile
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
7
Just Like You Imagined
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
8
Even Deeper
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
9
Pilgrimage
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
10
No, You Don't
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
11
La Mer
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
12
The Great Below
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
13
The Way Out Is Through
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
14
Into the Void
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
15
Where Is Everybody?
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
16
The Mark Has Been Made
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
17
Please
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
18
Starfuckers, Inc.
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
19
Complication
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
20
I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
21
The Big Come Down
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
22
Underneath It All
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
23
Ripe (with Decay)
Trent Reznor Trent Reznor Trent ReznorAlan Moulder Trent Reznor (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 2 contributors

More from Nine Inch Nails

Frequently Asked Questions The Fragile

Who produced The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails?
The Fragile was produced by Trent Reznor and Alan Moulder at Nothing Studios in New Orleans. Moulder also handled all mixing; Steve Albini contributed engineering and additional drum recording on several tracks; Tom Baker mastered. The sessions ran from January 1997 to July 1999, a notoriously difficult period during which Reznor was struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.
Where was The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails recorded?
The Fragile was recorded at Nothing Studios in New Orleans, Louisiana, Trent Reznor's own facility, which he had established after the success of The Downward Spiral. The sessions ran from January 1997 to July 1999, spanning more than two years. Steve Albini also contributed engineering work on select tracks.
Did The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails debut at number one on the Billboard 200?
Yes, The Fragile debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with approximately 229,000 first-week copies when released September 20, 1999, Nine Inch Nails' first chart-topper in the US. However, it then experienced the largest single-week drop from number one in Billboard 200 history at the time, falling to number 16 the following week.
Did any singles from The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails chart on the Billboard Hot 100?
No singles from The Fragile charted on the main Billboard Hot 100. Three official singles were released ("The Day the World Went Away," "We're in This Together," and "Into the Void"), but none achieved Hot 100 chart positions. The album debuted at number one despite no Hot 100 single presence.
What is the runtime of The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails?
The Fragile runs 103 minutes and 39 seconds across 23 tracks on the double-album standard edition, divided between disc one (left) and disc two (right). It is Nine Inch Nails' longest studio album. Released September 20, 1999, through Nothing/Interscope Records, it certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA.
Why did The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails take so long to make?
The Fragile took more than two years to record (January 1997 to July 1999) primarily because Trent Reznor was battling severe drug and alcohol addiction during the sessions, which he has spoken about publicly. The period following The Downward Spiral's commercial and critical success was marked by personal turmoil. Reznor later got sober and credited the recovery with enabling him to work more productively on later albums.
What certifications did The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails receive?
The Fragile is certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA in the United States (2 million units) and 2× Platinum in Canada (200,000 units). In the UK it received BPI Silver certification (60,000 units). Despite its critical standing, domestic US physical sales were 898,000 by May 2005, indicating much of the US certification was earned in its first years of release.

Sources