Nine Inch Nails were honored tonight during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2020 Induction Ceremony on HBO. After an induction speech from Iggy Pop and a video package that included words from St. Vincent, Miley Cyrus, Rick Rubin, and others, Trent Reznor accepted the honor on behalf of the band. He thanked his bandmates, past and present, as well as major collaborators from throughout the band’s history. Read the full speech below, and watch the ceremony on HBO Max.
“As I’ve been wrapping my head around Nine Inch Nails being welcomed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I think I was most looking forward to the ceremony itself where the hopefully whole camp, past and present, was going to get together and have a moment,” Reznor said. “And we’re all stuck in our little boxes staring at our screens.”
He ended the speech by specifically thanking the band’s fans. “This journey’s far from over if I have any say in it, so let’s stop fuckin’ around pattin’ ourselves on the back and get to it,” he said. “Hope to see you all in the flesh soon. Thank you.”
Nine Inch Nails are joined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2020 by the Notorious B.I.G., Depeche Mode, Whitney Houston, T. Rex, the Doobie Brothers, and Ahmet Ertegun Award winners Jon Landau and Irving Azoff. Tonight’s pre-recorded broadcast featured no musical performances and took the place of a planned live show that was scrapped due to the pandemic. An in memoriam segment included a special tribute to Eddie Van Halen.
Read all of Pitchfork’s coverage of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2020 ceremony.
Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails acceptance speech
Thank you so much, Iggy. Hello, everyone. What a disorienting, strange year we find ourselves in. As I’ve been wrapping my head around Nine Inch Nails being welcomed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I think I was most looking forward to the ceremony itself where the hopefully whole camp, past and present, was going to get together and have a moment. And we’re all stuck in our little boxes staring at our screens.
Even now, music’s always been the thing that keeps me going, and, as an artist, I think the most significant accomplishment or feeling is realizing something you’ve created from a fragile and intimate place has reached out and resonated and affected someone else, possibly changing how they see the world. So as to whatever being in a hall of fame means, thank you for the recognition.
With that said, this has been far from a singular endeavor, and I first one to introduce my fellow inductees: Atticus Ross, Robin Finck, Allesandro Cortini, Ilan Rubin, Danny Lohner, and Chris Vrenna. I love these guys and they’ve all been an integral and central part of why we’re here. Additionally, there’s been a number of other key players involved over the years I’d like to recognize and thanks, including Charlie Clouser, James Woolley, Rich Patrick, Josh Freese, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Jerome Dillon, Aaron North, Jeff Ward, and Jeordie White.
Throughout the years I’ve benefited from a strong collection of people around me that’ve offered everything from encouragement to guidance to a kick in the ass when needed. These include Jimmy Iovine, John Silva, Marc Geiger, Ross Rosen, Alan Moulder, Rick Rubin, Zia Modabber, Bill Harper, David Fincher, Jerome Crooks, Steve Barnett, Jim Guerinot, and John Malm. You’re all appreciated and this is for you too. Special thank you to my wife Mariqueen and the kids, you keep me humble and everything worthwhile.
And for the Nine Inch Nails fans out there—you guys are the best. We’ve wound up in some weird places together, and you’re an intense bunch that can drive me out of my mind, but you’re the best. This journey’s far from over if I have any say in it, so let’s stop fuckin’ around pattin’ ourselves on the back and get to it. Hope to see you all in the flesh soon. Thank you.