Trent Reznor is working on top secret music project for Apple

By

Nine Inch Nails frontman and Apple employee, Trent Reznor. Photo: Acid Polly/Flickr
Nine Inch Nails frontman and Apple employee, Trent Reznor. Photo: Acid Polly/Flickr

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor became an Apple employee this year when Beats was scooped up for $3 billion, but in an interview with Billboard, the former Beats chief creative officer reveals that his position at Apple isn’t just for show, he’s actually working on a secret new music project.

Reznor says that Apple is tapping into his creative energy to help create a new music delivery service, and even though he just wrapped up a huge tour and cemented another Oscar nod with his Gone Girl score, Reznor thinks the new service will have a huge enough impact on the music world that’s it’s well worth the effort.

Reznor says that his new position at Apple is an evolution of the role he had at Beats, but it doesn’t have anything to do with making music directly.

“It’s related to that. Beats was bought by Apple, and they expressed direct interest in me designing some products with them. I can’t go into details, but I feel like I’m in a unique position where I could be of benefit to them. That does mean some compromises in terms of how much brain power goes toward music and creating. This is very creative work that’s not directly making music, but it’s around music.”

The new Apple exec wouldn’t specific exactly what he’s working on, but it sounds like its the next evolution of Beats Music that sports a new type of audio and visual album format that Bono is supposedly helping with too.

Reznor said the offer to come work at Apple was flattering, and confirmed that whatever it is he’s working on, it has to do with music delivery.

“It’s in that world. It’s exciting to me, and I think it could have a big enough impact that it’s worth the effort. I’m fully in it right now, and it’s challenging, and it’s unfamiliar and it’s kind of everything I asked for — and the bad thing is it’s everything I asked for.”

U2’s controversial album release, also came up in the interview, with Reznor saying, “I can see what was appealing to them about that, and they’re getting paid for it. There’s the argument of, “Did that help further devalue music?” Yes, I think it did.

Source: Billboard

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.