Less Than

Album:Add Violence

Length:3:30 / 3:33 (Video version)

Tempo:128 BPM

Versions:Less Than
Less Than (Main)
Less Than (Instrumental)
Less Than (Acapella)

Live:I Can't Seem To Wake Up 2017 through present

"Less Than" is the first track on the 2017 EP Add Violence. It was first made available through the official Nine Inch Nails YouTube channel on July 13, 2017. The lyrics of this song seem to reference the How To Destroy Angels album Welcome Oblivion, and/or its title track.

In 2020, a promotional CD from Capitol Records was put up for sale on eBay, containing multitracks for this song as well as "The Background World".

Song Credits

• Additional Vocals: Sharlotte Gibson & Allison Iraheta

Appearances

Halos

• Add Violence

Video Games

• Fortnite (available as in-game purchase)

Versions

Less Than

This is the original version.

Less Than (Main)

Released on a three-track CD-R promo from Capitol Records. Slightly different, unmastered version of the final track.

Less Than (Instrumental)

Released on a three-track CD-R promo from Capitol Records. Instrumental of the "main" version.

Less Than (Acapella)

Released on a three-track CD-R promo from Capitol Records. Acapella of the "main" version.

Live

"Less Than" made its live debut at the first show of the I Can't Seem To Wake Up 2017 tour. It was a staple throughout that tour and Europe + Asia 2018, and continued to appear at most shows of the Cold And Black And Infinite Tour.

Music Video

Screenshot from the "Less Than" video

On July 13, 2017 a music video directed by Brook Linder was posted on the official Nine Inch Nails YouTube channel. It features a woman playing a video game that incorporates lyrical lines from the song. The game being played is a customized version of Polybius, which was inspired by the subject of an urban gaming legend from the 1980s. The creator of the game was contacted by Trent Reznor and asked to create a special build for the video.

Lyrics

  Focus? 
  We didn't even notice 
  We awake in a place we can barely recognize, yeah 
  Hypnosis
  And you can justify it all your back was up against the wall again
  (Shut up)
  Silence 
  Add a little violence 
  And offend and pretend and defend and demand my compliance 
  And you can always justify the missile trails across the sky 
  Again

  So what are you waiting for? 
  You got what you asked for 
  Did it fix what was wrong with you? 
  Are you less than? 
  Go and look what you gone done 
  Welcome oblivion 
  Did it fix what was wrong with you? 
  Are you less than?

  Needful 
  Too many fucking people 
  You'll have to take care of yourselves (you know I've got my hands full)
  And you can always justify the missile trails across the sky 
  Again

  So what are you waiting for? 
  You got what you asked for 
  Did it fix what was wrong with you? 
  Are you less than? 
  Go and look what you gone done 
  Come on welcome oblivion 
  Did it fix what was wrong inside?
  Are you less than?

An additional line is included in the MP3 tag though not sung:

  Yes this is about you

Further lyrics are printed on the physical component. The final line seems to reference "March Of The Pigs":

  true believers 
  did it feel [sic] that hole
  doesn't it make you feel better

External Links

• "Less Than" music video

Previous track - "N/A" Track 1 from Add Violence Next track - "The Lovers"