NIN's first release is an imperfect beast, one that doesn't capture Reznor's capabilities as well as, say, The Downward Spiral, but it makes up for this in its incredible accessibility, innovation, and infectious nature. This is only the first step.
The second full NIN album is a brilliant descent into Reznor's then-troubled soul and, more rewardingly, the way in which he transforms that emotional baggage into his unique, sampled, distorted form of musical genius.
This one's a concept album. Reznor takes NIN's distorted and sampled sound to another level with this glitch-infected picture of a despotic distopia where the government has gone out of control.
Nine Inch Nails' latest album continues to develop the group's blend of pop, dance, glitch, and buzz. The standout here is "Discipline." Best part? It's free.