Capital G

"Capital G" is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from their fifth studio album, Year Zero (2007). It was released on June 11, 2007 as a limited-edition nine-inch vinyl in the United Kingdom, serving as the album's second and final single.

This article is about the Nine Inch Nails song. For the Latin letter, see G. For the Canadian electoral area, see Capital G, British Columbia.

"Capital G"
Single by Nine Inch Nails
from the album Year Zero
B-side	"Survivalism" (Dave Sitek Mix)
Released	June 11, 2007 (2007-06-11)
Recorded	2006
Genre	Electro-rock[1] glam rock[2]
Length	3:49
Label	Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Trent Reznor
Producer(s)	Trent Reznor Atticus Ross
Nine Inch Nails singles chronology
"Survivalism" (2007) "Capital G" (2007) "Discipline" (2008)

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

Music and lyrics

Though numerous reviews of the album speculated that "G" refers specifically to the G in George W. Bush, Trent Reznor stated that the "G" stands for "greed".[3][4][5]

Release and reception

"Capital G" was not released with a Halo number due to Reznor's increasing awareness of the overpricing of retail music, and his record label's alleged plans to overprice Halo releases to take advantage of Nine Inch Nails' dedicated fan base.[6] Art collaborator Rob Sheridan confirmed this fact:

It will not be a halo. It's a simple 9" vinyl release the record company really wanted to put out—Europe only, I believe. Side A is Capital G, side B is the Dave Sitek Survivalism remix. It will be nice for the people who have the 9" collector box, but we kept a halo # off of it because it doesn't warrant one, and so regular collectors wouldn't feel any pressure to pick it up just for the sake of completeness.

— Rob Sheridan, The Spiral fanclub

The song was first played on radio on April 4, 2007. As of April 27, 2007, "Capital G" is listed on the Mediabase Jump![7] and Taking Off[8] charts, which record the track's increase in radio airplay over seven days. "Capital G" officially became available for airplay on May 14–15,[9] although it received the most adds in the alternative category during the week of April 27, according to Radio & Records.[10]

The song is available for download as an "exhibit" in WAV format at exterminal.net, a website within the Year Zero alternate reality game revealed by decrypting a binary code sequence on the Year Zero's thermo-chrome disc when heated.

On April 26, 2007, the official Year Zero website published the multitrack audio files of "Capital G" for GarageBand and Logic Pro, as well as WAV files for other applications.[11][12]

The song is available for download in the video game Rock Band.

"Capital G" is Nine Inch Nails' fifth consecutive top 10 single on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart.[13]

Formats and track listings

• UK limited-edition 9" single[14]

A. "Capital G" – 3:49

B. "Survivalism" (Dave Sitek Mix) – 4:30

• US promotional CD single (INTR-12130-2)[15]

1. "Capital G" (edit) – 3:49
2. "Capital G" (album) – 3:49

• US promotional CD single (INTR-12230-2)[16]

1. "Capital G" (Phones 666 RPM Mix) – 7:23
2. "Capital G" (Switch Remix) – 5:01

• German promotional CD single[17]

1. "Capital G" (album) – 3:51
2. "Capital G" (edit) – 3:49

• European promotional 12" single[18]

A. "Capital G" (Phones 666 RPM Mix) – 7:23

B. "Capital G" (Switch Remix) – 5:01

Credits and personnel

• Trent Reznor – songwriting, production, vocals
• Josh Freese – drums
• Geoff "Double G" Gallegos – baritone saxophone
• Matt Demeritt – tenor saxophone
• Elizabeth Lea – trombone
• William Artope – trumpet
• Atticus Ross – production

Charts

Chart (2007)	Peak position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[19]	89
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[20]	38
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[21]	140
UK Rock and Metal (Official Charts Company)[22]	2
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[13]	6
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[23]	25

References

1. Borthwick, Jamie (June 10, 2007). "Nine Inch Nails – Capital G". The Skinny. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
2. Pelone, Joe (September 25, 2009). "Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero (2007)". Punknews.org. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
3. Dan Aquilante (April 15, 2007). "A Good 'Year'". New York Post. Archived from the original on January 8, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2007. Even though the "Year Zero" story is set 12 years in the future, the 16-song disc is anchored in the present with not-so-veiled references to President Bush, who's portrayed as a war monger in "Capital G."
4. James Munson (April 18, 2007). "Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero Review [2]". 411mania. Archived from the original on January 8, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2007. He mutters the insult "mo-tha-fu-ckers" in the most absurd manner possible on the 80's synth-pop, Bush-bashing "Capital G".
5. Jason Nahrung (April 19, 2007). "Dark days ahead". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved April 19, 2007. Nowhere is the target of his ire more obvious than on the bouncy little ditty, Capital G, which embraces the big end of town as well as Dubya.
6. Daniel Kreps (May 14, 2007). "Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor Slams Records Labels for Sorry State of the Industry". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 6, 2008. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
7. "7 Day Charts – Jump! – Alternative". Mediabase. April 19, 2007. Archived from the original on February 27, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
8. "7 Day Charts – Taking Off – Alternative". Mediabase. April 19, 2007. Archived from the original on July 10, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
9. "Active & Mainstream Rock Available For Airplay". FMQB. April 2007. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2007.
10. "Alternative Most Added". Radio & Records. April 27, 2007. Archived from the original on May 5, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2007.
11. "Year Zero". Nine Inch Nails. April 26, 2007. Archived from the original on April 29, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2007.
12. "Multitracks for 3 YZ songs posted on nin.com". The NIN Hotline. April 26, 2007. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
13. "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
14. "Capital G Limited Edition 9 inch vinyl". What Records. Retrieved April 27, 2007.
15. "Capital G" (US promotional CD single). Nine Inch Nails. Interscope Records. 2007. INTR-12130-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
16. "Capital G" (US promotional CD single). Nine Inch Nails. Interscope Records. 2007. INTR-12230-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
17. "Capital G" (German promotional CD single). Nine Inch Nails. Interscope Records. 2007. NINCAPGCDP1.CS1 maint: others (link)
18. "Capital G" (European promotional 12" single). Nine Inch Nails. Interscope Records. 2007. CAPG12PRO.CS1 maint: others (link)
19. "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
20. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
21. "Chart Log UK: 1994–2010: Nadanuf – Michael Nyman". Zobbel. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
22. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
23. "Nine Inch Nails Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2016.