Nine Inch Nails Application Coming to iPhone

[MacRumors]

As part of an extensive interview with Wired, Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and collaborator Rob Sheridan revealed plans for an upcoming Nine Inch Nails iPhone application that is awaiting approval by Apple. The application is said to utilize the location-based social features found in Twinkle and known as "Nearby".

The free Nine Inch Nails app, scheduled for release as soon as it gets final approval from Apple, is a mobile window on all things NIN: music, photos, videos, message boards, even — thanks to a GPS-enabled feature called Nearby — the fans themselves.

Nearby is "kind of like Twitter within the Nine Inch Nails network," says Rob Sheridan, Reznor's long-time collaborator. "You can post a message or a photo by location, and if you're at a show you can see conversations between other people who are right there."

The application will reportedly link with the official NIN.com website and allow fans to upload photos and messages directly to the site, utilizing features of Nearby to make the locations of the content viewable on Google Earth.

The iPhone app takes that a big step further. NIN.com has a Google Earth plug-in that fans can use to see conversations and photos from across the planet, or at a specific location. A feature on the iPhone app's Nearby tab will enable them to post messages and photos from their iPhones to the website and have them pop up in Google Earth.

Article Link: Nine Inch Nails Application Coming to iPhone

 

[ZMRoach]

I've been waiting for this app forever! The whole approval process has taken nearly 3 weeks now(part of the 5ish% that don't get approved in less than a week), TR tweeted when it was submitted to Apple. It seems like it will be worth the wait though. Hopefully with all the press that this app is getting in the music world right now it will pressure Apple to finally approve it.

 

[DipDog3]

This old news. This exact story was on Digg yesterday.

 

[CocoaPuffs]

Great, another web page converted into an app for no good reason in particular.

Other than I guess the location service part...

 

[mus0r]

Will this enable us to drop TR messages telling him how terrible his last few releases have been?

 

[cloudnine]

Will this enable us to drop TR messages telling him how terrible his last few releases have been?

iawtc. How is NIN even still relevant? They had a very unique sound in the late 80's, early to mid 90's, but 20 years of trying to do album after album of the same sound is just sad. We don't really need an iPhone app to remind us of how little they've progressed along the way.

 

[modul8tr]

^^^^

Alright, clearly you're kidding. Please tell me how The Fragile, or even Ghosts I-IV & The Slip (the two latest releases) sound anything like Pretty Hate Machine or The Downward Spiral? Whether you actually like those records or not....sonically, they're all different.


I'm excited about the app. And remember, it's only the beginning.

 

[brianbobcat]

Google Earth Plug-in???

I want ot know more about this Google Earth PLug-in they're talking about. I've taken the time to map out ALL Apple Retail stores around the globe on the desktop version of Google Earth, but no way to get a .kml or .kmz onto the phone. If G.E. 2.0 would incorporate layer support so I could import this file, that would be Great!

Frankly I couldn't care less about NIN, but that's just me.

-Brian

 

[ben5959]

I feel a little let down about the comments that some of you have made about nin. I expected more from the tech savvy individuals that populate the MR universe. Nin is a complex supergroup that has constantly reinvented their sound since the late 80's depending on the technological advancements of the times. They are a testiment to die hard metal/industrial fans as well as geeks alike. Clearly some of you haven't really listened to their latest releases. Head Like A Hole to Closer to Into the Void to Echoplex, all completly different sounds yet the same old musical genius is consistent. The nin app will be welcomed with open arms.

 

[bennifer3000]

I'm somewhat surprised at the poor reaction, but not at all shocked, given the obscene amount of Mac Posers out there, who band-wagoned around 2005 due to mounting peer pressure and public perception, but this App is nothing less than a revelation. In both the music industry and in interactive technologies.

Trent and co. have continued down the path of innovation both technically and creatively and crafted one of the best iPhone Apps out there. Like their other revolutionary ideas that showed how it's about the fans and the music, not the corporate giants (Year Zero games, The Slip free, high-quality giveaway, etc.), hopefully this will mark a return to artistry and ethics in music.

NIN, just like Apple, continues not to accept comfortability or "the norm" and that is inspiring. I tip my hat to you, Mr. Reznor/Sheridan.

 

[JtheLemur]

Oh just look at all the missed opportunities for marketing!

"…*within the Nine Inch Network…"
"… within the Nine Inch Nailswork…"
"… within the NINetwork…"
"… within the Nearby Nails Network…"

Boooo Rob Sheridan!

 

[eXan]

+1 to NIN-defense

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

iawtc. How is NIN even still relevant? They had a very unique sound in the late 80's, early to mid 90's, but 20 years of trying to do album after album of the same sound is just sad. We don't really need an iPhone app to remind us of how little they've progressed along the way.

You clearly haven't listened to NIN in a while.
Or much at all. Their sound changes considerably from album to album.

 

[cloudnine]

You clearly haven't listened to NIN in a while.
Or much at all. Their sound changes considerably from album to album.

Well, just to clarify, I have... Year Zero, With Teeth, Pretty Hate Machine, Ghosts I-IV, The Downward Spiral and Closer. And yes, I loved NIN back in the day. In my angsty teen years, I was all about Closer and Pretty Hate Machine. But, it all just started to sound the same to me, and I'm not into them enough nowadays to care whether or not their sound has changed. I guess I don't have much to "rebel" against these days.

Regardless, I find it amusing that NIN, or any other band for that matter, is releasing an iPhone application. Shameless self-indulgent promotion. Could reznor "toot" his own horn any louder?

 

[SpaceKitty]

I feel a little let down about the comments that some of you have made about nin. I expected more from the tech savvy individuals that populate the MR universe. Nin is a complex supergroup that has constantly reinvented their sound since the late 80's depending on the technological advancements of the times. They are a testiment to die hard metal/industrial fans as well as geeks alike. Clearly some of you haven't really listened to their latest releases. Head like a whole to closer to into the void to echoplex, all completly different sounds yet the same old musical genius is consistent. The nin app will be welcomed with open arms.

Supergroup??? You do realize I hope that Trent WAS NIN and there was no one else in the band but him. He did everything in the studio and much of the music was programmed just as it is today. Trent only brought a band together to do tours. Gary Numan was another artist who did the same thing in the late 80s and most of the 90s. That's the thing with electronic music, you don't need a band to do much of it. Ghosts was a great example of this.

 

[lostngone]

You clearly haven't listened to NIN in a while.
Or much at all. Their sound changes considerably from album to album.

I agree, however call me old fashion but I liked their early stuff...

 

[lostngone]

I don't know about the NIN app..

However a Metalocalypse app would be totally brutal!!!

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

Well, just to clarify, I have... Year Zero, With Teeth, Pretty Hate Machine, Ghosts I-IV, The Downward Spiral and Closer. And yes, I loved NIN back in the day. In my angsty teen years, I was all about Closer and Pretty Hate Machine. But, it all just started to sound the same to me, and I'm not into them enough nowadays to care whether or not their sound has changed. I guess I don't have much to "rebel" against these days.

Regardless, I find it amusing that NIN, or any other band for that matter, is releasing an iPhone application. Shameless self-indulgent promotion. Could reznor "toot" his own horn any louder?

Everybody is entitled to their opinion, but how is providing an interaction tool for your fans "tooting your own horn"? You think he doesn't feel satisfied with his 20+ year music career?

 

[blindzero]

Well, just to clarify, I have... Year Zero, With Teeth, Pretty Hate Machine, Ghosts I-IV, The Downward Spiral and Closer. And yes, I loved NIN back in the day. In my angsty teen years, I was all about Closer and Pretty Hate Machine. But, it all just started to sound the same to me, and I'm not into them enough nowadays to care whether or not their sound has changed. I guess I don't have much to "rebel" against these days.

Regardless, I find it amusing that NIN, or any other band for that matter, is releasing an iPhone application. Shameless self-indulgent promotion. Could reznor "toot" his own horn any louder?

Sonically and lyrically The Fragile is more mature than any of his other work...without listening to The Fragile you can't quite make your first argument. While I agree his past few releases have left me a bit wanting (even if there are quite a few gems to be found), it doesn't mean he or this app isn't "relevant" - he is trying to be at the forefront of offering his fans a better way to interact:

Probably the best was he offered a bunch of his music up for remixing, and even placed a distribution tool for the remixes on his site.

This isn't huge news, but it's another forward step in what is possible for fans and artists to connect.

 

[ctdonath]

Think Different

This app is disruptive tech.

Oh sure it's not a giant deal when applied only to its intended audience (NIN fans, even casual ones like me).

But ... consider how this will be immediately & pervasively duplicated for any number of specialized social interests. The whole "message board" paradigm (this one included) could very well be outright replaced by equivalent apps. Not only does a given audience have an ability to chat with likeminded others, but we'll have in-pocket instant push notification, geotagged text/audio/photo/video posts, "Nearby" location of members wanting to meet up, etc. - all specialized to a particular topic and membership-style audience.

For many years I've seen message board posters struggle to coordinate meet-ups on short notice, beg for "where was that taken" photos, belatedly switch from casual check-in pull-style review of new messages to instant-update push-style messaging over breaking news, and generally lament missing out on lots of interesting things (if they find out at all).

This is huge. And it started with a depressed-sounding industrial rocker wanting to keep his fans informed.

 

[likemyorbs]

oh thats just great! why doesn't nickelback make an app too? it'll be just about as useful...

 

[chappy87]

So where the hell has this thing got to?! Trent said on Friday that it should be ok-ed by apple "any time now" on Monday.

This thing has massive potential, as pointed about by a previous poster. NIN are still incredibly relevant, with a hugely developing sound. To look at their relevance and continued progression by looking at the Year Zero ARG, and the new ways in which Trent is publishing his music without a record company. Trent Reznor is one of the most innovative people in music right now, and this is illustrated through this app. This is why it's completely different to Nickelback doing anything similar....

 

[k'five]

NIN. ....(yawn). OOooooo "Daaaark". Hooray for melodramatic noodling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoN6XfyQsr4

...NIN, just a band.

 

[ben5959]

Supergroup??? You do realize I hope that Trent WAS NIN and there was no one else in the band but him. He did everything in the studio and much of the music was programmed just as it is today. Trent only brought a band together to do tours. Gary Numan was another artist who did the same thing in the late 80s and most of the 90s. That's the thing with electronic music, you don't need a band to do much of it. Ghosts was a great example of this.

Supergroup?, uhhhh , Yes a Supergroup,

While the main efforts/creations of NIN has been mainly solely been Attributed to Trent, take a look at the people whom he has collaborated with and brought in as the band to back him......

Robin Finck (GNR), Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck), Twiggy Ramirez (Manson), Charlie Clouser (freakin everyone), Josh Freese (Devo, A Perfect Circle) , Richard Patrick (Filter)

So when speaking about their Live incarnation, Yes supergroup is applicable.

 

[RidleyGriff]

NIN. ....(yawn). OOooooo "Daaaark". Hooray for melodramatic noodling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoN6XfyQsr4

...NIN, just a band.

The only thing lamer than overzealous fans? People that think they're special for bashing overzealous fans.

I mean, ironic hipster detachment is neat and all, k'five, but the interactivity involved with this app could be a big deal. Will it? Who knows. But a tech-savvy artist -- with, more importantly, an EXTREMELY tech-savvy audience -- bringing out this kind of app has a lot of potential.

Heaven forbid Reznor/NIN try to push the envelope or business model of the record industry. I mean, they're just a band.