On a Roll
Adaptation of Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like a Hole" for Black Mirror.
May be found at the following website: https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Biykbi5t7glhl5q2zx6ew7oeryy&tid=song-Tufyxdrqhzueo3xvfuamhl2stlq&hl=en_US · via Wikipedia: On a Roll · Fair use
"On a Roll" is a song performed by American singer and actress Miley Cyrus, credited to the fictional character Ashley O from the Black Mirror episode "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too". The track is an adaptation of the 1989 Nine Inch Nails song "Head Like a Hole", with lyrics rewritten by Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker to be "uber-positive" as a contrast to the episode's dark themes. Released as a promotional digital single on June 14, 2019, by RCA Records and The Null Corporation, the song charted at number 28 on Billboard's 100 Best Songs of 2019 list and made Cyrus the first act to chart under three different identities on the Billboard Hot 100.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Ashley O
- B-Side
- Right Where I Belong
- Released
- 2019-06-14
- Genre
- Dance-pop
- Label
- RCA · Null Corporation
- Writer
- Charlie Brooker / Trent Reznor
- Producer
- The Invisible Men
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The song was created for the Black Mirror episode "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too", originally released on June 5, 2019. Charlie Brooker gained permission from Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor to adapt "Head Like a Hole", and Reznor approved the adaptations, later releasing Black Mirror-themed merchandise. The B-side, "Right Where I Belong", is based on the 2005 Nine Inch Nails song "Right Where It Belongs". The track was produced by the Invisible Men and written in the key of G minor at 122 beats per minute. BuzzFeed noted online observations that the chorus "Hey yeah woah-ho" sounds like "Hey I'm a hoe", describing it as a mondegreen.
Reader's Guide
"On a Roll" represents a notable intersection of television, pop music, and industrial rock, demonstrating how a dark Nine Inch Nails song could be recontextualized into an upbeat pop track. The song's release as a promotional single and its inclusion on Billboard's year-end list highlight its cultural impact despite not being released to US radio. Cyrus's performance at Glastonbury Festival 2019, where she sang both "On a Roll" and "Head Like a Hole", underscored the duality of the adaptation. The track also made chart history by allowing Cyrus to become the first act to chart under three different identities, including her Disney character Hannah Montana. Critical reception was positive, with Rolling Stone noting the "underlying darkness" of the juxtaposition, and Billboard calling it "just A Bop" that requires no knowledge of the original to enjoy.
Did You Know?
- The song is an adaptation of Nine Inch Nails' 1989 single "Head Like a Hole".
- Trent Reznor approved the adaptations and released Black Mirror-themed merchandise.
- Cyrus performed the song live at Glastonbury Festival 2019.
- The song's chorus was noted as a mondegreen, sounding like "Hey I'm a hoe".
Elsewhere in Black Mirror
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