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Only (Nine Inch Nails song)

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"Only"
Single by Nine Inch Nails
from the album With Teeth
ReleasedJuly 25, 2005[1]
RecordedSeptember – December 2004
Genre
Length4:22
Label
Songwriter(s)Trent Reznor
Producer(s)
Nine Inch Nails singles chronology
"The Hand That Feeds"
(2005)
"Only"
(2005)
"Every Day Is Exactly the Same"
(2006)
Halo numbers chronology
Halo 19
(2005)
Halo 20
(2005)
Halo 21
(2006)

"Only" is a song by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. It was released as the second single from Nine Inch Nails' fourth album, With Teeth. "Only" reached number one on the Billboard Modern Rock chart, where it stayed for seven weeks. It is the second successful release that Nine Inch Nails has had in the UK, peaking at number 20.

Background

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Singer Trent Reznor said the song is about the music business clashing with his artistic desires.

When you get on this path of trying to sell records it becomes about selling more records and playing bigger venues. ... It's like, 'Wait a minute!' The goal has to be about making the best music possible or else it becomes something that will make you implode. ... Should I say yes to that Microsoft commercial because I could use a new house? Or do I say no because this is something precious that would be tarnished if I did that? I find myself saying this to record labels and business manager guys, and they're like, 'You won't do what because of what?'[2]

Recording and release

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"Only" was the last song completed for With Teeth.[3]

Like the previous single, "The Hand That Feeds", "Only" was only widely released in Europe. European releases include a CD, a DVD, and a 9" vinyl. The only United States release is a vinyl format—a remix record with mixes from Richard X and El-P.

Like "The Hand That Feeds", "Only" was released as a GarageBand multitrack file, as well as for DigiDesign Pro Tools, Ableton Live, and Sony ACID Pro. A fan remix community page was set up on MySpace.[4]

Music

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"Only" has been labeled as dance-rock,[5][6] dance-punk,[7] new wave revival[8] and synth-pop.[9]

Music video

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The music video for "Only", directed by David Fincher and relying almost entirely on CGI created by Digital Domain,[10] shows various objects in an executive's office, such as Pin Art, Newton's Cradle and laptop screen saver coming to life with the propulsion of the song and was released on July 12, 2005, at NIN.com.[11]

The main focus is Trent Reznor's face in the pinscreen that sits on the desk, which is the only way he appears in the video. The only non-CGI components of the video are a person's hand[citation needed] (Fincher's, who owns the PowerBook in the video[citation needed]) and the cars in the background[citation needed].

Track listing

[edit]
Promo (Interscope Records INTR-11468-2)
No.TitleLength
1."Only" (Radio Edit)4:01
UK single
No.TitleLength
1."Only"4:24
2."The Hand That Feeds" (The DFA Remix)9:01
3."Love is Not Enough" (Live at Rehearsals)3:50
4."Only" (music video)4:27
UK single/DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Only"4:24
2."Love is Not Enough" (Live at Rehearsals)3:50
3."Only" (music video)4:27
UK 9" vinyl
No.TitleLength
1."Only"4:24
2."The Hand That Feeds" (The DFA Remix)9:01
12" vinyl and promo CD (Interscope Records B0005465-11)
No.TitleLength
1."Only" (Richard X Remix)7:24
2."Only" (El-P Remix)4:21
3."Only" (Richard X Dub)7:51
4."Only" (Richard X Edit)3:46
5."Only" (El-P Instrumental)4:21

Charts

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Steffen Hung. "Nine Inch Nails - Only". australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  2. ^ "King of Pain". Kerrang!. July 12, 2005. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  3. ^ Trent Reznor (February 26, 2005). "Access". nin.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2009.
  4. ^ "NIN Remixes". MySpace. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  5. ^ "Nine Inch - Nails With Teeth". Stylus Magazine. May 6, 2005. Archived from the original on May 17, 2009. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  6. ^ Arnold, Chuck and Ralph Novak (May 16, 2005). "Picks and Pans Review: Nine Inch Nails". People. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  7. ^ "Nine Inch Nails". Spin. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  8. ^ Schiller, Mike (May 17, 2005). "Nine Inch Nails: With Teeth". PopMatters. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  9. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (May 3, 2005). "Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth". Slant. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  10. ^ "In Brief: Moby, Crow". Rolling Stone. July 22, 2005. Archived from the original on April 9, 2006. Retrieved May 21, 2007.
  11. ^ "nine inch nails - the official website". nine inch nails. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  12. ^ "Singles : Top 20". Jam!. August 4, 2005. Archived from the original on August 6, 2005. Retrieved November 9, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. ^ "RR Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1634. November 25, 2005. p. 55. ISSN 0277-4860 – via World Radio History.
  14. ^ "Nine Inch Nails – Only" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  15. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Nine Inch Nails". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  16. ^ "Nine Inch Nails – Only". Top Digital Download. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  17. ^ "Nine Inch Nails – Only". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  18. ^ "Nine Inch Nails: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  19. ^ "Rock Singles Chart Top 40". BBC Radio 1. Archived from the original on August 3, 2005. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  20. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  21. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  22. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  23. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  24. ^ "The 2005 Year in Music and Touring – Hot Modern Rock Songs" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 52. December 24, 2005. p. YE-70. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  25. ^ "Alternative Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018.