Trent Reznor Acknowledges 2019 CMA Awards Win With Another Brooks & Dunn Photoshop
When Trent Reznor learned of his first CMA Awards nomination, due to the inclusion of a sample of Nine Inch Nails’ “34 Ghosts IV” in Lil Nas X's viral hit “Old Town Road,” he celebrated with a hilarious, Photoshopped Instagram post that turned him and collaborator Atticus Ross into Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn. After the song's pre-show Musical Event of the Year win on Wednesday (Nov. 13), the singer and NIN frontman once again channeled his inner Brooks & Dunn on social media.
The new, meme-worthy image proves two things: Reznor didn’t ignore his 2019 CMA Awards win, and he could totally pull off the rodeo rider look. Reznor, Ross and Lil Nas X's Musica Event of the Year victory is also shared by collaborator Billy Ray Cyrus and "Old Town Road" producer YoungKio.
Reznor’s shared CMA win is the latest twist in country music’s relationship with “Old Town Road.” Upon its release, the song gained traction on the TikTok app and debuted at No. 19 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, before being removed from country chart consideration. A hot debate over whether or not the song is "country" ensued, as well as whether or not race played a factor in Billboard's decision to remove "Old Town Road" from the charts.
Reznor isn’t the first heavy rock icon to win Musical Event of the Year (also known as Vocal Event of the Year) at the CMA Awards. Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant won the category in 2008, for “Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On),” from his multi-Grammy award-winning collaborative album with Alison Krauss, Raising Sand.
Test Your CMA Awards Knowledge!
More Surprising CMA Awards Winners