Studio album rankings, best to worst, Part 7: Black Sabbath

[JeanGary Diablo]

I've only ever seriously listened to the first eight Black Sabbath albums, so I cannot honestly give a "full" ranking for Black Sabbath, a band with about 20 studio albums to date.

To me, there is only one phase of Black Sabbath: 1969-1979 -- the Ozzy years. Everything else is Tony, Geezer and sometimes Bill playing with two or three other guys.

I've had short listens to the Dio stuff, but I really didn't care for it, no offence to Ronnie Dio.

My Top 4 favourites are extremely tight.

Black Sabbath (the Ozzy years) studio albums, ranked best to worst:

Paranoid (1970)
Volume 4 (1972)
Black Sabbath (1970)
Master of Reality (1971)
Sabotage (1975)
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
Never Say Die! (1978)
Technical Ecstacy (1976)
13 (2013)

Pink Floyd albums ranked best to worst:

https://terb.cc/xenforo/threads/studio-album-rankings-best-to-worst-pink-floyd.761778/

Beatles albums ranked best to worst

https://terb.cc/xenforo/threads/studio-album-rankings-best-to-worst-part-2-the-beatles.761891/

Rolling Stones albums ranked best to worst

https://terb.cc/xenforo/threads/studio-album-rankings-best-to-worst-part-3-the-rolling-stones.761972/#post-7250954

Rush albums ranked best to worst

https://terb.cc/xenforo/threads/studio-album-rankings-best-to-worst-part-4-rush.761980/#post-7250432

Led Zeppelin albums ranked best to worst

https://terb.cc/xenforo/threads/studio-album-rankings-best-to-worst-part-5-led-zeppelin.762071/#post-7252514

The Who albums ranked best to worst

https://terb.cc/xenforo/threads/studio-album-rankings-best-to-worst-part-6-the-who.762214/#post-7253033

 

[Ref]

I would put Sabbath Bloody Sabbath a little higher but fairly complete for the Ozzy only years.

I think Sabbath was just as good with Dio and Heaven and Hell would be in my top three.

Funny thing is, if you included Ozzy's solo stuff there are a lot of albums that would be on the list. Blizzard of Oz, Diary of a Madman & No More Tears would rank right up there.

 

[Sonic Temple]

Agreed with the top 4 - hands down - would add 13 in the number 5 position.

 

[Fun For All]

Agreed with the top 4 - hands down - would add 13 in the number 5 position.

Absolutely...the debate is ranking the first 4...Master of Reality, Paranoid, Vol. 4, Black Sabbath...Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabatoge are pretty good too.

 

[Bbw hunter]

The Fathers of Metal!
Ozzy Era for me:
1. SABOTAGE
2. PARANOID
3. MASTER OF REALITY
4. BLACK SABBATH
5. SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH
6. TECHNICAL ECSTASY
7. VOLUME 4
8. NEVER SAY DIE
9. 13
If all albums are included put HEAVEN AND HELL #3 and MOB RULES # 6.
Love the Dio Era.