History Music / TheFragile1999

In terms of sound, the album [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] from ''Spiral'' by largely forgoing distorted and gritty sounds in favor of a more eclectic, art rock-styled approach. It's also, to date, one of the band's only two [[MultiDiscWork multi-disc studio albums]] (the other being ''Ghosts I-IV''), with its CD release split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length (totaling at 104 minutes, about 39 longer than ''Spiral''). As a result, the album's additional time lends a slower pace, with its tracks focusing more on somber progression than the raw energy of its predecessor.

In terms of sound, the album [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] from ''Spiral'' by largely forgoing distorted and gritty sounds in favor of a more eclectic, art rock-styled approach. It's also, to date, the band's only [[MultiDiscWork double album]], split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length (totaling at 104 minutes, about 39 longer than ''Spiral''). As a result, the album's additional time lends a slower pace, with its tracks focusing more on somber progression than the raw energy of its predecessor.

In terms of sound, the album [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] from ''Spiral'' by largely forgoing distorted and gritty sounds in favor of a more eclectic, art rock-styled approach. It's also, to date, the band's only [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double album]], split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length (totaling at 104 minutes, about 39 longer than ''Spiral''). As a result, the album's additional time lends a slower pace, with its tracks focusing more on somber progression than the raw energy of its predecessor.

* MinisculeRocking: "The Frail" is far away the album's shortest track, and one of the shorter ones across the NIN discography, coming in at just under 2 minutes in length.
* MoodMotif: The riff that opens the very first track on the album, "Somewhat Damaged", later reappears in "La Mer" and "Into the Void", both times as a slightly different rendition both rhythmically and in key. These three are some of the darkest songs on the album.
* NewSoundAlbum: ''The Fragile'' features more industrial and experimental elements and is a little less heavy.

In 2016, as part of the band's campaign to release all of their albums on vinyl, they released a special four-LP version of the album called ''The Fragile: Deviations 1'' which contains altered or instrumental formats of all of the songs combined with new songs written during the recording of the album.

* {{Understatement}}:"Somewhat Damaged" is about a guy who's a ''lot'' more damaged than "somewhat".

''The Fragile'' is the third studio album by American rock band Music/NineInchNails, released in September 21, 1999. The album was recorded at Trent Reznor's Nothing Studios in New Orleans, taking over two years to make.

The album is largely seen as a [[ConceptAlbum conceptual]] [[SpiritualSuccessor sequel]] to the band's previous album ''Music/TheDownwardSpiral'' from the perspective of that album's protagonist. The music and lyrics explore the protagonist's internal turmoil in his attempts to find emotional stability and build back up from the dark place he's in emotionally and existentially.

Although ''The Fragile'' reached #1 in the ''Billboard'' 200 chart on release and has since been certified double platinum, it didn't perform as well as ''Spiral'', which was attributed to its different sound and insufficient promotion from Interscope Records. Around a year after release, the album (like its predecessor) received a remix album titled ''Things Falling Apart'', which featured a cover of the Music/GaryNuman song "Metal", as well as new tracks such as "10 Miles High" and "The Great Collapse".

!!Into the Tropes:

The album is largely seen as a [[ConceptAlbum conceptual]] [[SpiritualSuccessor sequel]] to the band's previous album ''Music/TheDownwardSpiral'' from the perspective of that album's protagonist, in that it takes the interpretation of the album's storyline in which the protagonist survives his suicide attempt and goes from there. The music and lyrics explore the protagonist's internal turmoil in his attempts to find emotional stability and build back up from the dark place he's in emotionally and existentially.

In terms of sound, the album [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] from ''Spiral'' by largely forgoing distorted and gritty sounds in favor of a more eclectic approach more akin to art rock. It's also, to date, the band's only [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double album]], split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length (totaling at 104 minutes, about 39 longer than ''Spiral''). As a result, the album's additional time lends a slower pace, with its tracks focusing more on somber progression than the raw energy of its predecessor.

* TextlessAlbumCover: The band's logo is the only text appearing on the cover of the album, and even then it's cut off.

''The Fragile'' is the third studio album by Music/NineInchNails, released in September 1999. The album was recorded at Trent Reznor's Nothing Studios in New Orleans, taking over two years to make.

!!!Outtakes

The album is largely seen as a [[ConceptAlbum conceptual]] [[SpiritualSuccessor sequel]] to the band's previous album ''Music/TheDownwardSpiral'' from the perspective of that album's protagonist, in that it takes the interpretation of the album's storyline in which [[spoiler:the protagonist survives his suicide attempt]] and goes from there. The music and lyrics explore the protagonist's internal turmoil in his attempts to find emotional stability and build back up from the dark place he's in emotionally and existentially.

!! Tracklist:
!!!Left Disc

!!!Right Disc

* DarkerAndEdgier: The album {{zig|ZaggedTrope}}zags this -- it has more LighterAndSofter moments than ''The Downward Spiral,'' but with its [[{{Bookends}} cyclical nature]] and DownerEnding, it ultimately winds up being arguably just as dark overall as its predecessor.

The album is largely seen as a [[ConceptAlbum conceptual sequel]] to the band's previous album ''Music/TheDownwardSpiral'' from the perspective of that album's protagonist, in that it takes the interpretation of the album's storyline in which [[spoiler:the protagonist survives his suicide attempt]] and goes from there. The music and lyrics explore the protagonist's internal turmoil in his attempts to find emotional stability and build back up from his spiral.

In terms of sound, the album [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] from ''Spiral'' in the sense that it largely forgoes distorted and gritty sounds in favor of an approach more akin to art rock. It's also, to date, the band's only [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double album]], split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length (totaling at 104 minutes, about 39 longer than ''Spiral''). As a result, the album's additional time lends a slower pace, focusing more on somber progression than the raw energy of its predecessor.

* DeclarationOfProtection: "The Fragile", from the perspective of someone vowing to preserve the purity of a girl who "shines in a world full of ugliness", knowing that they're the only person who sees her beauty.

* LimitedLyricsSong: "The Way Out Is Through" in particular, though the whole album qualifies. Trent Reznor had this to say about it:
-->''"The Fragile was an album based a lot in fear, because I was afraid as fuck about what was happening to me ... That's why there aren't a lot of lyrics on that record. I couldn't fucking think. An unimaginable amount of effort went into that record in a very unfocused way."''

The album is seen by some as a [[ConceptAlbum conceptual sequel]] to the band's previous album ''Music/TheDownwardSpiral'' in that it takes the interpretation of the album's storyline in which [[spoiler:the protagonist survives his suicide attempt]] and starts from there, exploring the internal process of attempting to build back up from a downward spiral, with all of the ups and downs that come with it.

In terms of sound, the album [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] from ''Spiral'' in the sense that it largely forgoes distorted and gritty sounds in favor of an approach more akin to art rock. It's also, to date, the band's only [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double album]], split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length (totaling at 104 minutes, about 39 longer than ''Spiral''). As a result, the album's slower pace focuses more on somber progression than the raw energy of its predecessor.

Although ''The Fragile'' reached #1 in the ''Billboard'' 200 chart on release and has since been certified double platinum, it didn't perform as well as ''Spiral'', which was attributed to its different sound and insufficient promotion from Interscope Records.

Around a year after release, the album (like its predecessor) received a remix album titled ''Things Falling Apart'', which featured a cover of the Music/GaryNuman song "Metal", as well as new tracks such as "10 Miles High" and "The Great Collapse".

* DrivenToSuicide: Suicidal ideation is heavily implied in the lyrics to "La Mer", obscured only by the fact that it's in a foreign language; Trent went on record ten years later stating that he wrote it when he was just a hair's length away from taking his own life.
-->"About 10 years ago or so I locked myself away in a house on the ocean, and I tried to... I said I was trying to write music. Some of which wound up on ''The Fragile''. But what I was really doing was trying to kill myself. And the whole time I was away by myself, I managed to write one song, which is this song. So when I play it I feel pretty weird about it, because it takes me back to a pretty dark and awful time in my life. It's weird to think how different things are now: I'm still alive, I haven't died yet. And I'm afraid to go back to that place because it feels kind of haunted to me, but I'm going to go back. I'm going to get married there."

* CallBack: "The Wretched" contains the line: "Back at the beginning / Sinking, spinning...", while "The Big Come Down" contains the lines: "Got to get back to the bottom / Try to get back to where I'm from / [[FromBadToWorse The closer I get the worse it becomes]]...", in which may be a reference to the title of the previous album ''The Downward Spiral''.

* DownerEnding: The album's narrative ends with the protagonist failing to find happiness, returning to their original feelings at the bottom of the downward spiral. As described by Trent:

** The chorus of "Even Deeper" even lampshades this.
--->''When I think I can overcome,\\

-->''And when the day arrives''\\

The album is seen by some as a conceptual sequel to the band's previous album ''Music/TheDownwardSpiral'', taking the interpretation in which [[spoiler:the protagonist does not die from his suicide attempt]].

In terms of sound, it [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] in the sense that it largely forgoes distorted and gritty sounds in favor of an approach more akin to art rock. It's also, to date, the band's only [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double album]], split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length (totaling at 104 minutes, about 39 longer than ''Spiral''). As a result, the album's slower pace focuses more on somber progression than the raw energy of its predecessor, taking influences from electronics, noise, and ambient.

In 2016, as part of the band's campaign to release all of their albums on vinyl, they announced a special four-LP version of the album called ''The Fragile: Deviations 1'' available through pre-order only which contains altered or instrumental formats of all of the songs combined with new songs written during the recording of ''The Fragile''.

* EpicRocking: Eight of the 23 tracks are over 5 minutes long, with two of these being over six minutes. The longest track, "We're In This Together" clocks in at 7:16.

* SanitySlippage: It's prominent throughout the whole album, but it arguably shows itself best in "Into The Void". Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away.

It was generally well-received by critics, although its length and lyrical substance received some detractors. It also didn't perform as well as ''Spiral'', which was attributed to its different sound and insufficient promotion from Interscope Records. Despite this, the album reached #1 in the ''Billboard'' 200 chart on release, and has since been certified double platinum.

The album is seen by some to be a continuation of the storyline of the band's previous album ''Music/TheDownwardSpiral'', taking the interpretation in which the [[spoiler:main character does not die from his suicide attempt]].

In terms of sound, it [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] in the sense that it forgoes distorted and gritty instrumentation in favor of a more art rock-esque approach. It's also, to date, the band's only [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double album]], split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length (totaling at 104 minutes, about 39 longer than ''Spiral''). As a result, its slower pace eschews its predecessor's sense of raw, pent-up energy for somber progression, with its soundscapes growing drearier and experimenting with elements including electronic beats, heavy noise, rock guitar and ambient harmonies.

It was generally well-received by critics, although its length and lyrical substance received some detractors. It also didn't perform as well as ''Spiral'', which was attributed to its different sound and insufficient promotion from Interscope Records. Despite this, the album reached #1 in the Billboard 200 chart on release, and has since been certified double platinum.

# "The March" (3:42) (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1 and The Fragile Instrumentals)
# "One Way To Get There" (2:44) (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1)

# "The New Flesh" (3:40) (Found On The Vinyl Edition and the single We're In This Together)
# "Ten Miles High" (5:13) (Found On The Vinyl Edition and the single We're In This Together)
# "+Appendage" (2:44) (Found On The Cassette Edition)
# "Missing Places" (1:26) (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1)

# "Taken" (3:35) (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1)
# "Not What It Seems Like" (3:30) (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1)
# "White Mask" (3:22) (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1)
# "Was It Worth It?" (5:03) (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1)
# "Can I Stay Here?" (4:25) (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1 and The Fragile Instrumentals)
# "Hello, Everything Is Not Okay" (5:16) [AKA Ten Miles High (Instrumental)] (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1 and The Fragile Instrumentals)
# "Feeders" (2:02) (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1)
# "Claustrophobia Machine (Raw)" (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1)
# "Last Heard From" (Found On The Fragile: Deviations 1)

* {{Bowdlerise}}: The promotional radio edit of "Starfuckers, Inc." is called "Starsuckers, Inc.", and censors every swear (aside from the word "whore") as well as the words "suck you" and "taste" (in the context of fellatio). It additionally replaces the song's non-explicit bridge entirely[[note]]although this was more for legal reasons - since it heavily interpolated "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon without permission[[/note]].

* SuicideBySea: One possible reading of both "La Mer" and "The Great Below", which appear back-to-back. It has been suggested that Trent's original plan was to have a female vocalist sing the climactic part of the song, but for whatever reason this didn't end up happening.

-->--'''"The Wretched"'''

In terms of sound, it [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] in the sense that it forgoes distorted and gritty instrumentation in favor of a more art rock-esque approach. It's also, to date, the band's only [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double album]], split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length (totaling at 104 minutes, about 39 longer than ''TDS''). As a result, its slower pace eschews its predecessor's sense of raw, pent-up energy for somber progression, with its soundscapes growing drearier and experimenting with everything from electronic beats and heavy noise to rock-laden guitar and ambient harmonies.

It was generally well-received by critics, although its length and lyrical substance received some detractors. It also didn't perform as well as ''TDS'', attributed to its different sound and insufficient promotion from Interscope Records. Despite this, the album reached #1 in the Billboard 200 chart on release, and has since been certified double platinum.

[[caption-width-right:350:''I'd listen to the words he'd say, but in his voice I heard decay.'']]

In terms of sound, it [[NewSoundAlbum differs a great deal]] in the sense that it forgoes distorted and gritty instrumentation in favor of a more art rock-esque approach. Soundscapes, electronic beats, ambient noise, rock-laden guitar, and the usage of melodies as harmonies are all exhibited on the album. It's also unique since it's, to date, the band's only [[DistinctDoubleAlbum double album]], split into "left" and "right" discs around 50 minutes each in length.

It was generally well-received by critics, although its length and lyrical substance received some detractors. It also didn't perform as well as ''The Downward Spiral'', attributed to its different sound and insufficient promotion from Interscope Records. Despite this, the album reached #1 in the Billboard 200 chart on release, and has since been certified double platinum.

* DrivenToSuicide: Suicidal idealation is heavily implied in the lyrics to "La Mer", obscured only by the fact that it's in a foreign language; Trent went on record ten years later stating that he wrote it when he was just a hair's length away from taking his own life.
-->"Can you hear me? About 10 years ago or so I locked myself away in a house on the ocean, and I tried to... I said I was trying to write music. Some of which wound up on ''The Fragile''. But what I was really doing was trying to kill myself. And the whole time I was away by myself, I managed to write one song, which is this song. So when I play it I feel pretty weird about it, because it takes me back to a pretty dark and awful time in my life. It's weird to think how different things are now: I'm still alive, I haven't died yet. And I'm afraid to go back to that place because it feels kind of haunted to me, but I'm going to go back. I'm going to get married there."