Industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Something I Can Never Have‘ was played on the soundtrack of Black Bird this week — Black Bird, Episode 5, “The Place I Lie“.
The song was heard playing over the episode’s end credits.
Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Something I Can Never Have‘ is from the indie band’s debut studio album Pretty Hate Machine, which came out in 1989. An album that was recorded by band member Trent Reznor while playing almost all the keyboards, drum machines, guitars himself.
Interestingly too, while he did receive contract offers from various record companies, Reznor decided to go with TVT Records — a company that mostly released novelty recordings.
Pretty Hate Machine was also a massive hit for Reznor, making it to #75 on the Billboard 200 chart, and to #67 on the UK Albums chart — almost unheard of for a first-time indie artist signed with a non-mainstream label.
The album was also eventually certified Platinum in Argentina, Gold in the UK and 3 x Platinum in the United States.
Nine Inch Nails, by the way, was pretty much Trent Reznor for more than 25 years, until his now-collaborator English musician Atticus Ross joined the project.
Now it’s the two of them, plus a roster of independent musicians hired for recordings and live performances.
Listen to Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Something I Can Never Have‘ from this week’s episode of Black Bird in the video, and on the project’s debut studio album.
There is also a stunning live studio performance of the song you should definitely watch down below.
As for Black Bird, the crime drama is currently streaming via Apple TV+.