Trent Reznor (nine inch nails) won the artist of the year webby award this year. Prince won this same award in 2006. I also won an additional Webby that same year for my work on Prince’s NPG Music Club and attended the ceremony in NYC with Prince. It was the crowning achievement for that 5 year project. Ironically it ended almost immediately after winning the Webby award and Prince’s innovative reputation on the web ended just as immediately.

I have a feeling that Trent Reznor is not about to end his experiments with the internet any time soon. He is an artist that is directly invested in using these tools to reach his audience in new and more direct ways that could only be afforded an artist in 2009 and beyond. Our culture is moving so fast and changing so radically on a consistent basis that it is vital for all artists to learn about these changes and evolve with them. At least if you want your music heard and your voice recognized as a cultural force.

Congratulations to Trent Reznor and his team.

• Nine Inch Nails: New 36 track album download
• NIN: Making of the Closer video