After a year that saw Nine Inch Nails roar back to life on stage, Trent Reznor has confirmed that the band’s next phase will be defined by the studio, not just the road. In a new update following the band’s recent accolade as the “Best Live Act of 2025” by Consequence, the industrial rock visionary revealed that he and creative partner Atticus Ross are actively working on a follow-up to 2020’s Ghosts VI: Locusts.
While the duo has spent much of the last decade celebrated for their Oscar-winning film scores, Reznor made it clear that the pendulum has swung back toward their own music.
“We are working on new stuff and we’re excited to work on it, and we are prioritizing working on Nine Inch Nails over just taking on every single thing that comes up in the other category,” the 60-year-old musician stated. “So, beyond that, I can’t say much, but the difference between now and a year ago is the fuse has been lit and the desire is there.”
This renewed energy marks a shift in perspective for Reznor. Just last December, he admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that he felt “disillusioned” by the modern music landscape, citing that film scoring provided a necessary challenge when the industry felt stale.
“The business s*cks. The way people consume music is not as inspiring as it used to be, it’s marginalized in a lot of ways,” he confessed at the time.
However, that time away seems to have reignited the spark.
“We’re taking the inspiration we’ve garnered and funneling it into a Nine Inch Nails project, which we’re working on now,” Reznor explained regarding the current sessions. “We’re ready to be back in the driver’s seat.”
The news comes as the band prepares for a major North American trek in early 2026. Following their successful return in Dublin and the release of the “TRON: Ares” soundtrack earlier this year, the “Peel It Back” tour will see NIN hitting arenas across the US and Canada starting in February.
Nine Inch Nails “Peel It Back” 2026 North American Tour Dates:
- Feb. 05 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
- Feb. 07 – Jacksonville, FL @ VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
- Feb. 10 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
- Feb. 11 – Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena
- Feb. 13 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
- Feb. 14 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
- Feb. 16 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
- Feb. 18 – Hamilton, ON @ TD Coliseum
- Feb. 20 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
- Feb. 22 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
- Feb. 23 – Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum
- Feb. 25 – St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center
- Feb. 27 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center
- Mar. 01 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center
- Mar. 03 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
- Mar. 06 – Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
- Mar. 07 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
- Mar. 09 – San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena
- Mar. 10 – Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center
- Mar. 13 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center
- Mar. 15 – San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center
- Mar. 16 – Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center
