Maps of Music

Ghosts V: Together (2020)

Where the lyrics of Ghosts V: Together take you, and where it was really made.

Nine Inch Nails gave this album away for free in March 2020 with no advance notice, releasing it alongside its companion record.

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Ghosts V: Together is the tenth studio album by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails
Released as a free download on March 26, 2020
Offered as a show of solidarity with fans during the COVID-19 pandemic
A follow-up to the 2008 instrumental album Ghosts I–IV
Released simultaneously with the eleventh album, Ghosts VI: Locusts
Eight tracks, including Together, Hope We Can Again and Still Right Here

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross wrote a score for The Woman in the Window in 2019, but it was withdrawn when the studio re-edited the film after test screenings
The pair's 2019 soundtracks before this album include Watchmen and Waves, following the earlier score for Bird Box
In March 2020 Reznor announced Ghosts V and Ghosts VI as unexpected free releases through the official website, YouTube channel and streaming platforms
Reznor described the music as hours of free material, some of it happy and some not so much
The band's website tied the release to the grim pace of pandemic news and to the value of connection among its members and fans

Formed in 1988 in Cleveland, Ohio, by singer-songwriter Trent Reznor.
Reznor was the sole permanent member until Atticus Ross officially joined in 2016.
The first live performance took place at Graffiti in Pittsburgh on October 27, 1988.
Signed with TVT Records and later moved to Interscope Records.

Core members are Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Robin Finck, Josh Freese, and Stu Brooks form the current live lineup.
Many former live members have been named, including Chris Vrenna, Danny Lohner, and Charlie Clouser.

Released Pretty Hate Machine (1989), Broken (1992), The Downward Spiral (1994), The Fragile (1999), and With Teeth (2005).
Released Year Zero (2007), Hesitation Marks (2013), Bad Witch (2018), and Ghosts V and VI (2020).
Won Grammy Awards for "Wish", "Happiness in Slavery", and "As Alive as You Need Me to Be".
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.

Nine Inch Nails' album was reviewed by NME, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The New York Times, Spin, Sputnikmusic and AllMusic
NME's James McMahon called the album more soothing than balm, and a soundtrack to an edit of 2001: A Space Odyssey where no-one dies
Rolling Stone's Kory Grow thought Ghosts V and Ghosts VI felt like distinct artistic statements unlike the first Ghosts collection
Kory Grow described Ghosts V as spacious, with gentle buzzing, humming and exhaling drones that slowly evolve around often pretty piano music
Pitchfork's Sean T. Collins considered Ghosts V solidly the stronger of the two records and heard a vibe of quiet optimism throughout
The New York Times' Jon Pareles called it the more approachable of the two albums, largely meditative and hinting at confluence, stability and eventual resolution
Pareles noted prettier, warmer ingredients, serenely elegiac piano melodies, counterpoint in plinking bell tones and choirs of sampled voices
Spin's John Paul Bullock described both records as heady, confrontational albums that force consideration and conversation
Bullock said the tracks on Ghosts V are big, bold and dynamic and show a particular mastery of modular synthesis
Sputnikmusic's Simon regarded Ghosts V as more organic and acoustic sounding than Ghosts VI, with a calmer sound where tension slowly mounts
AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung called the album the warm yang to its partner's darker yin, an atmospheric and soothing work meant to comfort and offer hope

On Metacritic, the album received universal acclaim with a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 11 critic scores

FX comedy-drama The Bear featured two tracks from this album: Hope We Can Again in the season two finale, and Together extensively in the season three premiere.
The album was released without being announced in advance, through the official Nine Inch Nails website, YouTube channel and streaming platforms.
The free download was offered from Nine Inch Nails' official online store and was delivered alongside Ghosts VI: Locusts, and it was also available as an individual download.
The music is credited to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.