Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor Blasts Rock Hall of Fame: ‘I Don’t Give a F*ck!’

Trent Reznor. Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

In 2016, Nine Inch Nails received their first nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an honor that hasn’t been repeated in the two years since. (It’s the year of Roxy Music, baby!) But if you’re feeling bad for those nice industrial-rock boys and prepared to take a pilgrimage to plead your case to the Cleveland overlords, perhaps it’s best to channel your energy into something that actually matters, because front man Trent Reznor couldn’t give two shits about the snub, or the Grammys while he’s at it. “I saw somebody write something online or comment on Twitter like, What could be less rock and roll than the fuckin’ Hall Of Fame. And that is authentically how I feel about it,” Reznor explained to Stereogum. “I’ll say this: It’s nice to be appreciated. It’s nicer when it feels like that’s coming from a place that you care about. Like, a Grammy doesn’t mean a fuckin’ thing. It means a few assholes in a room that are trying to make a TV show have good ratings deciding, Let’s give it to this guy. It doesn’t feel like it has any meaning behind it.”

What Reznor does believe has meaning behind it, though, is the Oscars, which awarded him and his creative partner Atticus Ross with Best Original Score for The Social Network in 2010. “When you see what goes on behind the scenes there and the different guilds and how many people are involved and how seriously they take it, I’m still pretty blown away by that,” he said. “I’m not saying there isn’t politics and bullshit involved too but it feels like it’s coming from a much more significant place and from the community that’s honoring you than a couple dudes trying to get ratings for a TV show like the Grammys.” But, uh, back to the Rock Hall for a moment. What would Reznor and the band even do if they’re inducted, anyway?

“I don’t give a fuck! You know what I mean? The worst would be if we did get inducted and then what? We’d have to fuckin’ show up and jam?” Reznor said. “I can’t even imagine what that would be. I’m not saying this as sour grapes. I honestly couldn’t give less of a shit. I’m not gonna sleep any better. Included or not.” Well, if his nightmares are realized and Cleveland comes calling in 2020, maybe then can take a page from Dire Straits’ playbook.