Nine Inch Nails has hit a major milestone! Their new single, “As Alive as You Need Me to Be,” has climbed to number 21 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart. This achievement puts them in an exclusive club of bands that have charted across five different decades. Only three other bands share this honor: U2, Depeche Mode, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
What makes this even more impressive is that the Alternative Airplay chart started in late 1988, giving bands just over a year to make their mark in the ’80s. Nine Inch Nails has been making waves for over 30 years, starting with their hit “Down In It” in December 1989. Their peak came in the mid-2000s when they scored four consecutive No. 1 hits: “The Hand That Feeds,” “Only,” “Every Day Is Exactly the Same,” and “Survivalism.”
This latest single is their most successful release since 2012. It has reached 2 million radio listeners and made its way onto three different charts: No. 21 on Alternative Airplay, No. 29 on Mainstream Rock Airplay, and No. 22 on Rock & Alternative Airplay.
There’s still a chance for two more bands to join this elite group by 2030. The Beastie Boys, who have been quiet since Adam Yauch’s passing in 2012, could still make a comeback. Jane’s Addiction had a shot too, but their split in 2024 seems to have ended those hopes.
Fans can look forward to hearing “As Alive as You Need Me to Be” and more new music when it drops on September 19. The movie featuring Nine Inch Nails’ fresh tracks will hit theaters on October 10.
