The genre was made more accessible to mainstream audiences in the 1990s with the aid of acts such as Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson, both of which have released platinum-selling records.

Richie Unterberger assessed the Red Krayola as "a precursor to industrial rock"[1] with their 1967 record The Parable of Arable Land exhibiting music made by 50 people on anything from industrial power tools to a revving motorcycle whilst Pitchfork's Alex Lindhart cited their 1968 follow up God Bless the Red Krayola and All Who Sail With It as being "bootleg Einstürzende Neubauten at its grimiest atonality".

AllMusic critic Alex Henderson has stated that experimental group Cromagnon's 1969 record Orgasm foreshadowed the industrial rock sound.

Chrome has also been credited as the "beginning of industrial rock"[10] and their 1978 Half Machine Lip Moves was listed on Wire's "100 Records That Set The World On Fire (When No One Was Listening)".

Pere Ubu's debut, The Modern Dance, was described by Jim Irvin as "industrial",[13] and Chris Connelly said the musical project Foetus was "the instigator when it comes to the marriage of machinery to hardcore punk.

"[14] Music journalist Simon Reynolds considered Killing Joke, which saw mainstream success with their 1985 album Night Time,[15] "a post-punk version of heavy metal.

[17] The New York City band Swans were inspired by the local no wave scene, as well as punk rock, noise music (particularly Whitehouse) and the original industrial groups.

[22] In 1986, Canadian band Skinny Puppy released the album Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse,[23] with its lead single, "Dig It", seeing frequent airplay on MTV.

[27] Ministry's 1988 album The Land of Rape and Honey, departed from the band's synthesizer-oriented sound for a rock style that drew from hardcore punk and thrash metal, while retaining electronic elements and samples.

[28][29] Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen was also involved in multiple industrial rock side projects that were signed to Wax Trax!, including Revolting Cocks, 1000 Homo DJs and Pailhead.

Rob Zombie's 1998 solo debut studio album Hellbilly Deluxe was certified 3× platinum by the RIAA less than two years after its release date.