The Fragile

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The Fragile
LP by Nine Inch Nails
Released	September 21, 1999
Recorded	Nothing Studios, New Orleans
Genre	Industrial rock
Length	103 min 40 s
Record label	Nothing
Producer	Trent Reznor, Alan Moulder
Professional reviews
Allmusic.com	3 stars out of 5	link
Nine Inch Nails Chronology
The Perfect Drug Versions (1997)	The Fragile (1999)	Things Falling Apart (2000)

The Fragile is a Nine Inch Nails album. It was released on September 21, 1999 through Interscope Records. It is their 14th official release and is therefore also known as Halo 14. The Fragile is usually considered to be the band's fourth major release after Pretty Hate Machine, Broken and The Downward Spiral.

Track listing

The Fragile Left

1. "Somewhat Damaged" -4:31
2. "The Day the World Went Away" -4:33
3. "The Frail" -1:54
4. "The Wretched" -5:25
5. "We're in This Together" -7:16
6. "The Fragile" -4:35
7. "Just Like You Imagined" -3:49
8. "Even Deeper" -5:47
9. "Pilgrimage" -3:31
10. "No, You Don't" -3:35
11. "La Mer" -4:37
12. "The Great Below" -5:17

The Fragile Right

1. "The Way Out Is Through" -4:17
2. "Into the Void" -4:49
3. "Where Is Everybody?" -5:40
4. "The Mark Has Been Made" -5:15
5. "Please" -3:30
6. "Starfuckers, Inc." -5:00
7. "Complication" -2:30
8. "I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally" -4:13
9. "The Big Come Down" -4:12
10. "Underneath It All" -2:46
11. "Ripe (With Decay)" -6:34

On the vinyl edition, there are two extra tracks: "Ten Miles High" (inserted after The "Mark Has Been Made") and "The New Flesh" (after "Complication"). Both songs are available on the We're in This Together singles; "Ten Miles High" is also available on Things Falling Apart. The tape edition contains an extension of the song "Please" called "(+ appendage)" in order to stretch the song to fit on the one side of the tape.

Interesting fact: The first single from The Fragile was the track "The Day The World Went Away" which was released several months before the album. The b-side on the single was "Starfuckers, Inc." Strangely, not only was that track included on the final album, but it also became a single itself with an accompanying video.

This album took a very long time to be released. In interviews Trent Reznor said many things about the direction the album would take and what it would include, that did not pan out. In particular he said that he was very interested in IDM and that the new album might incorporate that genre. More spefically he claimed that he had recorded a song with Dr. Dre called "Mr. Reconstruct" which was very sexually explicit.

Personnel

• Steve Albini - Engineer
• Tom Baker - Mastering
• Adrian Belew - Guitar
• Heather Bennet - Vocals (Background)
• Paul Bradley - Programming
• Buddha Boys Choir - Choir, Chorus, Chant
• Buddha Debutante Choir - Vocals (Background)
• Di Coleman - Vocals (Background)
• Charles Clouser - Programming, Atmosphere
• Melissa Daigle - Vocals (Background)
• Paul DeCarli - Programming
• Jerome Dillon - Drums
• Dr. Dre - Mixing Assistant
• Mike Garson - Piano
• Page Hamilton - Guitar
• Tracy Hardin - Vocals (Background)
• Leo Herrera - Engineer
• Keith Hillebrandt - Programming, Choir, Chorus, Sound Design
• Danny Lohner - Drum Programming, Ambience, Synthesizer, Guitar
• Clint Mansell - Choir, Chorus
• Alan Moulder - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
• Dave Ogilvie - Engineer
• Brian Pollack - Engineer
• Trent Reznor - Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Programming, Producer
• Elquine Rice - Vocals (Background)
• Terry Rice - Vocals (Background)
• Bill Rieflin - Drums
• Barbara Wilson - Vocals (Background)
• Leslie Wilson - Vocals (Background)
• Steve Duda - Programming, Choir, Chorus, Percussion, Violin
• Eric Edmonson - Choir, Chorus
• Cherry Holly - Trumpet
• Doug Idleman - Choir, Chorus
• Marcus London - Choir, Chorus
• Denise Milfrot - Vocals
• Judy Miller - Vocals (Background)
• Gary I. Neal - Vocals (Background)
• Christine Parrish - Vocals (Background)
• Adam Persaud - Choir, Chorus
• Martha Prevost - Vocals
• M. Gabriela Rivas - Vocals (Background)
• Nick Scott - Choir, Chorus
• Rodney Sulton - Vocals (Background)
• Stefani Taylor - Vocals (Background)
• Nigel Wiesehan - Choir, Chorus
• Willie - Cello
• Martha Wood - Vocals (Background)

Chart positions

Album

1999   The Fragile                    The Billboard 200        No. 1
1999   The Fragile                    Top Canadian Albums      No. 2
1999   The Fragile                    Top Internet Albums      No. 1
2000   The Fragile                    The Billboard 200        No. 1

Singles

1999   The Day The World Went Away    The Billboard Hot 100    No. 17
1999   We re In This Together         Mainstream Rock Tracks   No. 21
1999   Starf**kers, Inc.              Modern Rock Tracks       No. 39
1999   We re In This Together         Modern Rock Tracks       No. 11
1999   The Day The World Went Away    Canadian Singles Chart   No. 1
2000   Into The Void                  Mainstream Rock Tracks   No. 27