"Starfuckers, Inc." (known as "Starsuckers, Inc." in its censored form) is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from their third studio album The Fragile.
[1] The song directly references "You're So Vain", Carly Simon's ode to a self-absorbed lover, by quoting the chorus: You're so vainI bet you think this song is about youDon't you?These lyrics were changed for the video version of "Starsuckers, Inc." to: OverplayedAnd soon you'll make us forget about youWon't you?The lyrics are speculated to be directed towards Marilyn Manson and Courtney Love.
"[2] The word "Starfucker" may have been taken from The Rolling Stones' song "Star Star" (original title "Starfucker"), which appeared on their 1973 album Goats Head Soup,[3] or more likely from the song "Professional Widow"—also rumoured to be about Love—by Tori Amos, to whom Reznor was close prior to what he refers to as "some malicious meddling on the part of [Love]".
"[5] The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2000, but lost to Black Sabbath's live rendition of "Iron Man".
The music video for "Starfuckers, Inc." was directed by Robert Hales and Marilyn Manson,[6] and revolves around the same themes as the song, albeit in a darkly humorous manner.
With the blonde videotaping his antics, Reznor throws baseballs at images of musicians such as Michael Stipe, Billy Corgan, Fred Durst, Marilyn Manson, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, David Lee Roth, Garth Brooks, Mark McGrath, Courtney Love, Cher, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and even Reznor himself.