Year Zero is the fifth studio album by American Industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released on April 16, 2007, by Interscope Records. Frontman Trent Reznor wrote the album's music and lyrics while touring in support of the group's previous release, With Teeth (2005). In contrast to the introverted style of songwriting Reznor used on previous records, Year Zero is a concept album that criticizes contemporary policies of the United States government by presenting a dystopian vision of the year 2022. The album is part of a larger Year Zero project which includes a remix album, an alternate reality game, and a potential television or film project. The Year Zero alternate reality game expanded upon the album's fictional storyline by using media such as websites, pre-recorded phone messages, and murals. Year Zero received very positive reviews, many of which were also favorable toward the accompanying alternate reality game. The album produced two singles, "Survivalism" and "Capital G", the latter released as a promotional single. Disputes arose between Reznor and Universal Music Group, parent company of Interscope Records, over the overseas pricing of the album.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Zero_%28album%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1536:

An expedition to the New World led by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Mendoza founded what is now Buenos Aires, Argentina. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buenos_Aires

1709:

Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk was rescued after spending four years as a castaway on an uninhabited island in the Juan Fernández archipelago, providing the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Selkirk

1848:

The Mexican–American War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, granting the United States the Mexican Cession. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Guadalupe_Hidalgo

1922:

The novel Ulysses was first published in its entirety after this material by author James Joyce first appeared in serialized parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920, becoming one of the most important works of Modernist literature. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_%28novel%29

1943:

World War II: The Soviet Red Army captured 91,000 tired and starving German soldiers, ending the Battle of Stalingrad, one of the bloodiest battles in human history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

cunctation (n): (obsolete) Delay, hesitation, procrastination http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cunctation

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

History, Stephen said, is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake. --James Joyce http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Joyce