Nine Inch Nails – Hurt – Chorus
Hurt < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘B’]
Chord Progression Analysis
Here are all the full chord names and their roman numerals.
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B minor (i)
G Major (VI)
D Major (III)
A Major (VII)
B minor (i)
G Major (VI)
D Major (III)
A Major (VII)
B minor (i)
G Major (VI)
D Major (III)
A Major (VII)
B minor (i)
G Major (VI)
A Major (VII)
B Major (i – borrowed chord)
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Similar Chord Progressions
– The Axis of Awesome’s song “Four Chords” makes use of the same vi – IV – I – V progression present in “Hurt”. However, Axis of Awesome cycles these chords throughout the whole song, without the deviation presented the last line of “Hurt”.
– A multitude of pop songs use this progression, or a variation of it. This includes Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” (I – V – vi – IV) and The Beatles’ “Let it Be” (I – V – vi – V).
Please provide further details if the other parts of the song are also required to be analyzed.
Musical Analysis
“Burt” by Nine Inch Nails, is a highly introspective and emotive piece set in a minor key, featuring a repeating chord progression with a brief deviation in the final chord on the last line. This progression contributes to the listener’s sense of anticipation and expectation, particularly as the song builds towards its climax.
The use of the chord progression within the chorus of Bm – G – D – A is an example of a vi – IV – I – V progression when analyzed in D Major. This progression is commonly found in pop music due to its melodic resolution within the particular key and because it provides a sense of ‘completeness’. Therefore, when the progression changes on the final line to Bm – G – A – the listener perceives it as deviation from the expected resolution created by the previous progression.
The borrowed B Major chord is a direct modulation or “chromatic mediant relationship”, which occurs when the root notes of two chords are a third apart.
Overall Analysis
The song “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails mainly consists of a six-chord progression (Bm, G, D, A, Bm, G), repeating four times in the chorus. The sixth repetition alters the ending (Bm, G, A, B), and the key of the song is B Minor.
Style Analysis
“Hurt” falls under the genre of Industrial Rock, a genre known for its harsh and experimental sounds. Yet this song takes a softer and more introspective approach, with the focus on the lyrics and the melody. The chord progression is relatively simple when compared to other songs in the same genre. This minimalism allows listeners to focus more on the artist’s poignant lyrics.
What are the chords in: Nine Inch Nails – Hurt – Chorus?
[‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘D’, ‘A’, ‘Bm’, ‘G’, ‘A’, ‘B’]
