Only (Nine Inch Nails song)

Nine Inch Nails song

"Only"

Single by Nine Inch Nails
from the album  With Teeth
Released| July 25, 2005[1]
Recorded| September – December 2004
Genre|

* Dance-rock
* new wave revival
* synth-pop
* dance-punk

Length| 4:22
Label|

* Island
* Interscope

Songwriter(s)| Trent Reznor
Producer(s)|

* Trent Reznor
* Alan Moulder
* Atticus Ross (additional)

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 American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released on July 25, 2005 as the second single from their fourth studio album, With Teeth. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart, where it stayed for seven weeks, and on the UK Rock & Metal. It was the band's second most successful release in the UK, peaking at No. 20.

## Background

[edit]

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

[edit]

"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. Most versions of the single featured "Love Is Not Enough (Live at Rehearsals)", which was recorded live in the studio by the then-current lineup of the band (Reznor, Jerome Dillon, Alessandro Cortini, Jeordie White, and Aaron North).[4]

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.[5]

## Music

[edit]

"Only" has been labeled as dance-rock,[6][7] dance-punk,[8] new wave revival[9] and synth-pop.[10]

## Music video

[edit]

The music video for "Only", directed by David Fincher and relying almost entirely on CGI created by Digital Domain,[11] 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.[12]

The main focus is 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.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Only" (Radio Edit)| 4:01

UK singleNo.| Title| Length

|
|

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/DVDNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Only"| 4:24
2.| "Love Is Not Enough" (Live at Rehearsals)| 3:50
3.| "Only" (music video)| 4:27

UK 9" vinylNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Only"| 4:24
2.| "The Hand That Feeds" (The DFA Remix)| 9:01

12" vinyl and promo CD (Interscope Records B0005465-11)No.| Title| Length

|
|

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

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Only"  | Chart (2005)  | Peak
position

|

Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)[13] | 23
Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)[14] | 7
Germany (GfK)[15] | 90
Ireland (IRMA)[16] | 45
Italy (FIMI)[17] | 45
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] | 87
UK Singles (OCC)[19] | 20
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[20] | 1
US Billboard Hot 100[21] | 90
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[22] | 1
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[23]
Richard X/El-P mixes | 34
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[24] | 22

### Year-end charts

[edit]

2005 year-end chart performance for "Only"  | Chart (2005)  | Position

|

US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[25] | 20
2006 year-end chart performance for "Only"  Chart (2006)  | Position

|

US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[26] | 29

## See also

[edit]

* 2005 in music

## References

[edit]

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. ^ Only Credits (liner notes). Interscope Records. 988 376-0. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
5. ^ "NIN Remixes". MySpace. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
6. ^ "Nine Inch - Nails With Teeth". Stylus Magazine. May 6, 2005. Archived from the original on May 17, 2009. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
7. ^ Arnold, Chuck and Ralph Novak (May 16, 2005). "Picks and Pans Review: Nine Inch Nails". People. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
8. ^ "Nine Inch Nails". Spin. August 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
9. ^ Schiller, Mike (May 17, 2005). "Nine Inch Nails: With Teeth". PopMatters. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
10. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (May 3, 2005). "Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth". Slant. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
11. ^ "In Brief: Moby, Crow". Rolling Stone. July 22, 2005. Archived from the original on April 9, 2006. Retrieved May 21, 2007.
12. ^ "nine inch nails - the official website". nine inch nails. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
13. ^ "Singles : Top 20". Jam!. August 4, 2005. Archived from the original on August 6, 2005. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
14. ^ "RR Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1634\. November 25, 2005. p. 55\. ISSN 0277-4860 – via World Radio History.
15. ^ "Nine Inch Nails – Only" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
16. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Nine Inch Nails". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
17. ^ "Nine Inch Nails – Only". Top Digital Download. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
18. ^ "Nine Inch Nails – Only". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
19. ^ "Nine Inch Nails: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
20. ^ "Rock Singles Chart Top 40". BBC Radio 1. Archived from the original on August 3, 2005. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
21. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
22. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
23. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
24. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
25. ^ "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.
26. ^ "Alternative Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018.

* v
* t
* e

Nine Inch Nails

* Trent Reznor
* Atticus Ross

Studio albums|

* Pretty Hate Machine
* The Downward Spiral
* The Fragile
* With Teeth
* Year Zero
* Ghosts I–IV
* The Slip
* Hesitation Marks
* Bad Witch
* Ghosts V: Together
* Ghosts VI: Locusts

Studio extended plays|

* Broken
* Not the Actual Events
* Add Violence

Live releases|

* Closure
* And All That Could Have Been
* Beside You in Time

Remix releases|

* Fixed
* Further Down the Spiral
* Things Falling Apart
* Year Zero Remixed

Soundtracks|

* Quake
* Tron: Ares

Singles|

* "Down in It"
* "Head Like a Hole"
* "Sin"
* "March of the Pigs"
* "Closer"
* "The Perfect Drug"
* "The Day the World Went Away"
* "We're in This Together"
* "Into the Void"
* "The Hand That Feeds"
* "Only"
* "Every Day Is Exactly the Same"
* "Survivalism"
* "Capital G"
* "Discipline"
* "Came Back Haunted"
* "Copy of a"
* "Everything"
* "Less Than"
* "God Break Down the Door"

Promotional singles|

* "Happiness in Slavery"
* "Wish"
* "Burn"
* "Piggy"
* "Hurt"
* "Starfuckers, Inc."
* "Deep"

Other songs|

* "Something I Can Never Have"
* "Gave Up"
* "Mr. Self Destruct"
* "Dead Souls"
* "Just Like You Imagined"

Promotional releases|

* Lights in the Sky: Over North America 2008 Tour Sampler
* NINJA 2009 Tour Sampler
* Live 2013 EP
* Remix 2014 EP
* Halo I–IV

Games|

* Year Zero
* Nine Inch Nails Revenge

Tours|

* Self-Destruct
* Dissonance
* Fragility
* Performance 2007
* Twenty Thirteen
* Peel It Back

Touring members|

| Current|

* Robin Finck
* Alessandro Cortini
* Ilan Rubin

|

Former|

| Guitarists and bassists|

* Richard Patrick
* Danny Lohner
* Kevin McMahon
* Jeordie White
* Aaron North
* Justin Meldal-Johnsen
* Joshua Eustis
* Pino Palladino

|

Drummers|

* Jeff Ward
* Chris Vrenna
* Jerome Dillon
* Josh Freese
* Alex Carapetis

Keyboardists|

* James Woolley
* Charlie Clouser

Backing vocalists|

* Lisa Fischer

Related|

| Bands|

* Option 30
* The Innocent
* Exotic Birds
* Lucky Pierre
* Prick
* Pigface
* Tapeworm
* Marilyn Manson
* How to Destroy Angels
* Filter
* Jane's Addiction
* Queens of the Stone Age

|

People|

* Adrian Belew
* David Bowie
* Johnny Cash
* Mariqueen Maandig
* John Malm Jr.
* Marilyn Manson
* Russell Mills
* Rob Sheridan
* Gary Talpas
* Saul Williams

Albums and songs|

* If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
* "I'm Afraid of Americans"
* The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!
* Natural Born Killers
* Lost Highway
* "Old Town Road"
* "On a Roll"
* Recoiled

Films|

* Broken (film)
* Another Version of the Truth

Festivals|

* Future Ruins

Articles|

* Discography
* Songs recorded
* Trent Reznor discography
* Awards and nominations
* Band members
* Live performances
* Nothing Records
* Beats Music
* 10050 Cielo Drive
* Twin Peaks: Music from the Limited Event Series

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

*[No.]: Number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template