: Reznor famously stated that seeing the music video made him feel like he had "lost a girlfriend" because the song didn't feel like his anymore; it had become Cash's.

: It is frequently cited as the greatest cover of all time by publications like Rolling Stone and NME .

The video, directed by , is inseparable from the song's legacy:

: The video is often viewed as Cash’s "epitaph," as it was filmed just months before his death in September 2003. Legacy and Impact

: While the Nine Inch Nails original is cold, industrial, and agonizing, Cash’s version is acoustic and raw. His weathered, fragile voice adds a layer of authenticity that fundamentally changed the song's identity.

: Cash, a country legend, successfully reached a younger, alternative audience by covering a modern industrial rock track, proving the timelessness of the song's emotional core. Johnny Cash's 'Hurt': A Timeless Musical Tribute | TikTok