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Nine Inch Nails

The song “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails is in the key of B major. The primary chords used throughout the song are: B major (I), C# major (II), G major (bVI), E major (IV), F# major (V), and C (bII). The chords progression is unconventional when compared to traditional music theory. This unconventional use of chords and progressions creates a unique and distinct sound that characterizes the song.

Chord Analysis (Pre-Chorus):

The chord progression in the pre-chorus, which is also found in the verse, would be:
B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – G major (bVI) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – G major (bVI) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – G major (bVI) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II) – B major (I) – C# major (II)

Borrowed Chord:

G major (bVI) is a borrowed chord from B minor, the parallel minor of B major in this song.

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Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” is a unique blend of industrial rock, electronica, and alternative styles that has propelled the song to prominence as one of the band’s most famous and frequently played tracks. The song is in the key of E major and features a recurring chord progression throughout its various sections.

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Keane

“Somewhere Only We Know” composed by Keane, is a pop-ballad that is based in the key of A Minor. It makes use of both diatonic and borrowed chords in a modern pop style progression that creates an oscillating feel, with repetition for familiarity and simple melody drawn from the underlying chords.

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Elton John

The song “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John is brilliantly harmonized, showcasing the great musical arrangement skills of John at his best. Primarily, the song is based in the key of C Major and uses a variety of moving bass lines over mostly diatonic chords in the verses and choruses. There are some key modulations and borrowed chords that give the harmony a rich and complex quality which sets it apart from many contemporary pop songs.

Verse

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The Cranberries

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“Zombie” by The Cranberries features a relatively commonly used chord progression in pop/rock music, often referred to as a ‘vi-IV-I-V’ progression. This chord progression, in this particular case, is in the key of G Major and is made up of four chords: Em, C, G, and D/F#.

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Nine Inch Nails – Closer – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The verse of “Closer” consists solely of a repeated Cm7 chord. Therefore, the chord progression becomes:

C minor 7th (i7)

This progression will be illustrated in this format: Cm7 (i7) for each instance in the verse.

In context of the key being C minor:

“`Cm7 (i7), Cm7 (i7), Cm7 (i7), Cm7 (i7)“`

Similar Chord Progressions

“Closer” presents a unique example with its four-beat repetition of a singular Cm7 chord; this unchanging chordal texture is rather rare in popular music. However, there are similar use of such repetition in minimalist genres. A close example is “Stranger” by Portishead, where the verses emphasize a repeated Em6 chord.

“Stranger” by Portishead: `Em6 (i6), Em6 (i6), Em6 (i6), Em6 (i6)`

Musical Analysis

Focusing exclusively on the repetitiveness of Cm7 for verses creates a spell-binding, hypnotic feel. Playing off this sameness, the effect is further amplified by the undercurrent of the song’s textured and repetitive rhythms, electronic sounds and drum patterns. This dark, brooding sound is inherent to the aesthetics of Nine Inch Nails – showing the interplay between minimalistic simplicity and the emotional, atmospheric undercurrent carried within.

Overall Analysis

“Closer” by Nine Inch Nails works within a minimalist musical framework, where a few shiftless chords and tension-filled pentatonic melodies define the song. It inculcates a dark atmospheric mood through its instrumentation and harmony. The repetitive and consistent use of the Cm7 chord creates a haunting, pulsating groove that add to the atmospheric layer of the song.

Style Analysis

Nine Inch Nails, Denvering into the Industrial genre, strategically employs repetition and minimalist chord progressions to reveal sonic atmospheres tending more towards the eerie and melancholic. The stylistic use of repetitive sequences, electronic soundscapes, and sparse chord progressions is prevalent in the electronic sub-genres, including Techno, Ambient and IDM.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of Closer by Nine Inch Nails are:

[‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’]

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