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Me and my buddy are trying to figure out which group is more "famous". Not in albums sold, but in pure recognition.
Not sure how to even qualify that.
Hope you bois can help.
Luv u ❤️
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I would say Trent Reznor/NIN has more broad notoriety in mainstream culture. Quake game soundtrack. Multiple movie scores with 2 Oscars. The collaboration with Bowie. The popularity of 'Hurt' (both the original and the Johnny Cash cover).
NIN for sure. My parents have heard of NIN, but I seriously doubt they've ever heard of Tool. Closer was an enormous hit in the 90's, I don't think Tool has ever had a song achieve that level of widespread recognition.
Closer reached #41 on Billboard's US top 100. Sober reached 13 on the same chart. The 1993 Undertow album was #5. Tool's 1996 Aenema album released at #1. Their 2001 Lateralus album was #2. 10,000 Days was #4.
https://www.billboard.com/pro/tool-break-records-rock-charts-billboard-200-hot-100/
I'm 57, and I still remember the first time seeing the Sober video on Much Music up here in Canada. I was completely blown away. It was one of the most requested videos on Much, and one the most requested on the radio, both on Vancouver's CFOX, and Seattle's KISW. They were just so refreshing... and they had a massive following in the clubs. I worked at The Town Pump in Vancouver, and Tool played there one night in '94. Completely sold out. It was only 300 seats, but not every band would sell out the Pump. And they were like this right across both Canada and the US. If you went to Lollapalooza '93, you got your first taste of them. Maynard's power screams are something to experience. Rage Against The Machine used his power on Know Your Enemy.
The problem with Tool though, was the lawsuits that sidelined them from recording for almost 10 years. That really hurt their growth. But anyone who was at least in their teens in the mid 90s, surely knows who Tool is. Unless you were a bubblegum pop fan that is. But comparing Tool with NIN is pointless... NIN is industrial, and Tool is progressive metal. They are both great in their own, but they're completely different styles. Especially Tool today... although they started out as alternative metal, they're now progressive metal, kind of like a metal version of Pink Floyd. Their style has gotten incredibly intricate, full of polyrhythms, and that's where drummer Danny Carey really shines through. If you're a drummer, you certainly know who Tool is. The man's skill is insane.
Ill never forget seeing the video for Sober. It was like I was watching something illegal (I was 12). It still haunts me a little today.
Yeah, their videos are incredible. The guitarist, Adam Jones did all the stop animation and effects. He's worked on 12 movies, from Aliens, to Ghost Busters 2, to Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Incredibly talented man.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427417/
I was a teen in the mid 90's and Trent definitely had more penetration outside of his core demographic. It was definitely a thing in my world that you had rap kids and rock kids who stuck to their genres pretty tightly, but the rap kids definitely knew who NIN was, Tool not so much.
I think there's an error in your post. It doesn't look like Sober was ever on the Billboard Hot 100. It was #13 on the US Mainstream Rock chart, which TBF is still higher than where Closer charted (#35), although Closer also charted on Dance Singles Sales, Dance Club Songs and Alternative Airplay in addition to the Hot 100.
Anyway, this is pretty pointless at the end of the day, but kinda fun to speculate. I'm currently in China, so I might ask a few people today which of these two artists they know or have heard of.
Well now I can't finds the damn page showing Sober at #13 in the USA. It was in the google search, But I didn't actually click the page, so it's not in my browser history. But it said #13 for the USA. Your original comment said you doubted they had any songs reach such as wide recognition to NIN. I provided stats that show otherwise. NIN started a few years before Tool, and had TV performances. Tool relied on the fans, not MTV. But as for rap kids not knowing who Tool was... so what? It's not the style they listened to. That doesn't make Tool anonymous.
Also, just to note... when it comes to which songs chart higher than others, that's calculated from album sales and streams. That doesn't account for Napster and torrents. That goes for both bands, but just something to remember.
What do you mean so what? The whole point of this thread is which band is more famous in terms of "pure recognition". Your stats just show that Tool was more loved by people firmly within the rock world.
They probably know a song or two but don't know that it's Tool. (Just assuming) If they were listening to radio stations that played NIN then they definitely have heard Sober and Schism at least once.
But I do agree that overall NIN was bigger, they got a shit ton of radio play back in the day
I'd also mention that Trent worked on multiple video game and movie soundtracks. Including the most recent TMNT animated movie.
I would have said Tool before reading the posts here. I guess I have no idea what is famous.
Same here read the comments and everyone is all NIN, however, I think if you played some Tool songs to people and told them it's Tool they would be like, "ohh, that's Tool. I like Tool"
Anecdotally I just asked my boomer dad who used to be a musician if he had heard of these bands. He knew NIN but not Tool.
I'd say NIN.
nin definitely crossed over and gets radio airplay. tool, not so much.
I’m more of a Maynard fan in general. A Perfect Circle put out stellar music too.
I don’t know they both hit the scene at roughly the same time. Trent and NIN had that industrial sound that wasn’t for everyone. Tool back in the day was super gritty and wicked raw. I love both of them but I’m definitely more of a NIN fan over tool, but that’s only because the music resonated with me way more when I was a teen in the early mid 90’s. But for the sake of your argument I think tool is more popular, just from more commercial success. However, I think NIN has a more die hard fan base though.
Only one of those shared a tour with David Bowie. Just sayin'.
I’d say Trent Rez or is probably more famous than the members of Tool, therefore NIN would be more famous in the mainstream world. He never had any issues with playing the “look at me” game, Tool didn’t even appear in their music videos. They would do interviews and the necessary amount of press, but their whole thing is not wanting to engage in rock star cliches. It’s about the music and art for them, and how far they can push boundaries. They’re very private, you never saw them hanging out around LA with other stars, so the gossip rags had nothing to write about them. So I guess the answer is NIN.
I'd say NIN as they were featured on the Simpsons and Johnny Cash covered one of their songs, they are also generally more known in music fan circles however Tool are not exactly unknown.
Tool
Nine Inch Nails, for sure.
HiFi Rush may have gained NIN a few more fans in the past year.
On one hand, looking at album sales and being a household name, I want to say NIN is the clear winner.
On the other hand, it doesn't matter what the subject matter in the music reddit, someone's always going to bring up Tool...