If the following list of Black Sabbath albums ranked worst to best proves one thing, it’s that fans write off the band’s obscure and latter-day records at their own peril.
Everybody knows (and damn well better love) the Ozzy Osbourne era of Black Sabbath for good reason. The original lineup invented heavy metal and rose to superstardom off the back of paradigm-shifting albums such as Black Sabbath and Paranoid. The title tracks off those two LPs — along with songs like “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” “Children of the Grave,” “Sweet Leaf” and countless other favorites — have been inscribed in the annals of heavy metal history.
From Ozzy to Dio: How Black Sabbath Soldiered on With New Singer
When the original Black Sabbath lineup imploded in spectacular fashion, the band wasted little time recruiting Ronnie James Dio and kicking off a new decade with a pair of beloved albums, Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules. But dysfunction stalked the band like the plague (due in no small part to the members’ individual addictions and relational woes), and Dio was out the door by the time Live Evil hit shelves in January 1983.
READ MORE: Black Sabbath Live Albums Ranked
For many casual fans, that’s where Black Sabbath’s story ends. But just because their popularity and cultural relevance dwindled in the ’80s and ’90s doesn’t mean they didn’t release some great music.
Who Sang for Black Sabbath After Dio Left?
There’s the downright demonic-sounding Born Again, featuring ex-Deep Purple howler Ian Gillan on the mic. There’s the oft-overlooked Tony Martin era, which spawned late-period gems like The Eternal Idol and Headless Cross. And don’t you dare forget the thundering Dehumanizer, which reunited the band with Dio for the last time under the Black Sabbath moniker (but not for the last time ever).
Following Osbourne’s death in July 2025 just weeks after Black Sabbath’s Back to the Beginning reunion / farewell show, the band’s studio days are all but guaranteed to be over. Let’s revisit what the godfathers of heavy metal left behind in the following list of Black Sabbath albums ranked worst to best.
Black Sabbath Albums Ranked
From Ozzy to Dio and beyond, we look at all of the band’s studio LPs.
Gallery Credit: Eduardo Rivadavia
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