Year Zero
by Nine Inch Nails
  • Record Label: Nothing
  • Release Date: Apr 17, 2007
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 256 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 235 out of 256
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 256
  3. Negative: 12 out of 256

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  1. ToddW
    Apr 19, 2007
    1
    LOSER: Wow, dude, Trent Reznor is writing about bleak things. HUMAN BEING: Yaaahhwwwn. Again. LOSER: No, wait, it's a concept album! HUMAN BEING: Strrreeetcchh. NARRATOR: Let's validate every social reject's worst nightmares with a soundtrack to scrape serial codes off of guns by. Small wonder some of the horror these twisted minds come up with when poor little rich Reznor LOSER: Wow, dude, Trent Reznor is writing about bleak things. HUMAN BEING: Yaaahhwwwn. Again. LOSER: No, wait, it's a concept album! HUMAN BEING: Strrreeetcchh. NARRATOR: Let's validate every social reject's worst nightmares with a soundtrack to scrape serial codes off of guns by. Small wonder some of the horror these twisted minds come up with when poor little rich Reznor puts pen to paper. If you Trench Coat Mafioso wanna-be's really want to hear and appreciate dark, download Joy Division, Spaceman 3, The Cure, Carla Bozulich, or Slint. But then, do us all a favor and turn your anger and angst inward. Leave the rest of us who can separate real from Rael be.… Expand
  2. RingoDingo
    Sep 6, 2007
    0
    Terrible. I guess I bought the non-concept version because mine sucks. No immagery, no hooks, very forgetable. I listed to it twice, tried to make it a third time through but got bored. I then popped in 90's NIN, cried a little, because like Nirvana that music will not be created anymore. Trent isnt dead, just his ideas. You can post masterpiece on a canvas smeared with fecal matter Terrible. I guess I bought the non-concept version because mine sucks. No immagery, no hooks, very forgetable. I listed to it twice, tried to make it a third time through but got bored. I then popped in 90's NIN, cried a little, because like Nirvana that music will not be created anymore. Trent isnt dead, just his ideas. You can post masterpiece on a canvas smeared with fecal matter and people will buy it. I guess Trent smeared fecal matter on a mixing console and you all bought it.… Collapse
  3. WestonT
    Jun 10, 2007
    3
    Depending on who you ask, NIN fans fall into a couple of categories. The first is the old fans, who loved the gut-wrenching pain of Pretty Hate Machine and the emotional impact of some of Trent's quieter, more tentative works. Then there's the Downward Spiral / Broken crowd that loves the anger, power, and raw language that gets poured into antisocial and anthemic songs. This Depending on who you ask, NIN fans fall into a couple of categories. The first is the old fans, who loved the gut-wrenching pain of Pretty Hate Machine and the emotional impact of some of Trent's quieter, more tentative works. Then there's the Downward Spiral / Broken crowd that loves the anger, power, and raw language that gets poured into antisocial and anthemic songs. This album is neither of those. This borders on boring, which is not what I expect of Trent, and I'm hoping that he leaves the next "concept album" for Queensryche to do in any conceivable future. Rage against the current machine, not a conjured one, eh?… Expand
  4. DanP
    Apr 19, 2007
    2
    Terrible. One or two good songs (maybe Hyperpower! and Capital G) but that's it, "Survivalism" completely sucks, avoid this one and buy one of their old pieces of art, that are actually worth your money.
  5. Hellion
    Nov 25, 2013
    2
    I have a lot of respect for Trent but ever since With Teeth hit the scene its been downhill ever since. The Slip and Hesitation Marks are a step in the right direction (no emo lyrics and more experimental) though. I have to correct the guy who rated it low saying there are 3 different kinds of NIN fans. Wrong. There are 2. Those that really like the first 3 recordings (PHM, Broken andI have a lot of respect for Trent but ever since With Teeth hit the scene its been downhill ever since. The Slip and Hesitation Marks are a step in the right direction (no emo lyrics and more experimental) though. I have to correct the guy who rated it low saying there are 3 different kinds of NIN fans. Wrong. There are 2. Those that really like the first 3 recordings (PHM, Broken and Downward) and then when Fragile hit with its softer approach it got the next wave of fans. As others have said. This album and With Teeth are incredibly boring. Personally I have always thought Trent had something special going on with those 3 first recordings and the Quake soundtrack. That industrial decayed edge. I suppose we all go through changes. Rated a 2 for the 2 good songs and thats it. Me, I'm Not and God Given.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Most Discussed Album of 2007
32
#32 Most Shared Album of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Sputnikmusic
    80
    Make no mistake this is NIN as usual, but [it is] an effortless, inspired, and unaffected Trent Reznor the likes of which we may not have had the pleasure of knowing for almost a decade and a half.
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  2. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    Amid its carefully calibrated sonic assaults, Year Zero has a number of tracks that will stop you in yours.
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  3. The Guardian
    60
    Its nihilism can grate, but it makes an impression.
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