Year Zero
an alternate reality game by Nine Inch Nails and 42 Entertainment
Campaign
Campaign timeline
Media
Year Zero album "Survivalism" single "Capital G" single Beside You in Time HD DVD and BD Year Zero Remixed album
In-game
Numbers Characters and organizations Drugs and devices
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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	76/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Robert Christgau	A–
Entertainment Weekly	B+
Kerrang
Los Angeles Times
The New York Times	Favorable
Pitchfork	6.7/10
Rolling Stone
Stylus Magazine	A–
USA Today

Year Zero is the fifth studio album by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released on April 17, 2007 by Interscope Records. Frontman Trent Reznor wrote the album's music and lyrics while touring in support of the band's previous album With Teeth (2005). In contrast to the introspective style of songwriting Reznor used on previous albums, Year Zero is a concept album that criticizes contemporary policies of the United States government by presenting a dystopian vision of the year 2022. The album is part of a larger Year Zero project which includes a remix album, an alternate reality game and a potential television or film project. The Year Zero alternate reality game expanded upon the album's fictional storyline by using media such as websites, pre-recorded phone messages, and murals. Disputes arose between Reznor and Universal Music Group, the parent company of Interscope Records, over overseas pricing of the album. In October 2007, Reznor announced that Nine Inch Nails had fulfilled its contractual commitments to Interscope, effectively ending the band's relationship with the label; thus Year Zero was the last Nine Inch Nails studio album released on the Interscope label.

Upon its release in April 2007, Year Zero sold over 187,000 copies in its first week and reached number two on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album also received generally positive reviews, many of which were also favorable toward the accompanying alternate reality game. Year Zero spawned the single "Survivalism", as well as the promotional single "Capital G".

"This record began as an experiment with noise on a laptop in a bus on tour somewhere. That sound led to a daydream about the end of the world. That daydream stuck with me and over time revealed itself to be much more...it takes place about fifteen years in the future. Things are not good. If you imagine a world where greed and power continue to run their likely course, you'll have an idea of the backdrop. The world has reached the breaking point - politically, spiritually and ecologically. Written from various perspectives of people in this world, Year Zero examines various viewpoints set against an impending moment of truth."

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Wikipedia