The Fragile (also known as Halo 14), released on September 21, 1999, is the fourth studio album by Nine Inch Nails. The album features a rich array of electronic beats, ambient noise, and heavy guitar. While it received critical acclaim from many, it did not receive the commercial success that its predecessor, The Downward Spiral, did (attributed variously to the difference in musical climate, and insufficient promotion by Interscope Records). Prior to its release, the single The Day The World Went Away came out on July 20; following The Fragile, We're In This Together was released in three parts on December 14. A collection featuring several remixes and new material from The Fragile was released as Things Falling Apart on November 21, 2000. Reznor described The Fragile in a 1999 interview: "There's a general theme to the album of systems failing and things sort of falling apart. In keeping with the idea of making everything sound a little broken, I chose stringed instruments because they're imperfect by nature. Although it may not sound like it, most of the album is actually guitar - and that includes the orchestral sounds and weird melodic lines. When it came to instruments that I didn't really know how to play - like the ukulele or the slide guitar - we were able to get some really interesting sounds by making the studio the main instrument." In terms of narrative, the album is an unofficial continuation of The Downward Spiral. Reznor compares the lyrical content of the t