Consequence’s Industrial Week kicks off with a staff list of the genre’s Top 50 albums. Keep checking back throughout the week for more lists, artist-driven content, premieres, essays, and more.
While a handful of rock’s biggest acts have come out of the industrial music scene, the genre has largely remained underground since its emergence in the late 1970s. For every Nine Inch Nails and Rammstein, there are dozens of bands that never broke through to the mainstream. Yet, within the industrial universe, many of these artists are considered legendary acts.
Early pioneers like Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire paved the way for an industrial revolution in the ’80s that included Ministry, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, and others. Nine Inch Nails took the genre to new heights in the early ’90s, as Trent Reznor’s mix of aggression and melody resonated with millions of fans.
Over the years, industrial has taken on many forms, from dissonant noise to metal-heavy riffs to dance-club bangers, with a common thread being electronic and mechanical elements that tie them into one singular, yet hard-to-define musical category.
The greatest industrial albums represent the wide diversity that the genre has to offer, showcasing a style of music that continues to thrive, even as it predominantly remains under the radar. Take a trip through Consequence’s picks for the 50 Best Industrial Albums of All Time below.
-Spencer Kaufman
Managing Editor, Heavy Consequence
