Ozzy Osbourne is one of the most influential musicians in the realm of Metal music. He is known as the Prince of Darkness and is famous for biting the heads off of flying mammals. You really can't get much more metal than that. Ozzy is regarded in the industry as a genius amongst men and his antics will forever go down in history of music for their sheer originality.

Ozzy started out releasing music in 1970 while playing with Black Sabbath as the vocalist of the band. Other members included Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. Their first album, the self-titled, would change the music world forever as the band intoxified crowds with guitar-shredding feats of musical wizardry. Tracks on this album include the songs "Black Sabbath", "Sleeping Village", "N.I.B", "Behind the Wall of Sleep" and "Warning". There are two different versions of this album, the U.K version and the US version. The U.K version features the song "Evil Woman" while the US replaces the track with "Wicked World". When the album was later remastered in 1996 it included both tracks in the release.

Sabbath's next album is one of their more famous albums. It was with this album they saw the release of their hit song "Iron Man". "Iron Man" contains Sabbath's most memorable guitar riff and catapulted the group into stardom. Other hits on Paranoid include "Electric Funeral", "Hand of Doom", "Rat Salad" and the albums title track "Paranoid".

Master of Reality was the band's next album in 1971. Tracks on this album contain the songs "Sweet Leaf", "Children of the Grave", "Lord of this World", "Solitude" and "Into the Void". This album was then followed up by Vol 4 which housed the tracks "Tomorrow's Dream", "Changes", "Laguna Sunrise" and "Supernaut".

1973 would show the next album from the band as they had gained notoriety in the music scene and continued a heavy regiment of touring and performing shows. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath would be the bands 5th album. Songs on this work include "Killing Yourself to Live", "Looking for Today", "A National Acrobat" and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath".

Sabotage would hit store shelves in 1975 followed by the band's greatest hits album that same year. Songs from Sabotage include "Megalomania", "Symptom of the Universe", "Hole in the Sky" and "The Thrill of it All". The greatest hits Sabbath album is entitled We Sold our Soul for Rock 'N' Roll and features the hits "Iron Man", "War Pigs", "Fairies Wear Boots" and "The Wizard".

The band's next release is titled Technical Ecstasy and was released in '76. Songs on this work include "Gypsy", "It's Alright", "Rock 'N' Roll Doctor", "Dirty Women" and "All Moving Parts (Stand Still)".

After this album came Never Say Die! which featured the songs "Johnny Blade", "Shock Wave", "Swinging the Chain" and "Never Say Die". Never Say Die would be Ozzy's last album with Sabbath until 1998 when he performed with them on the Black Sabbath Reunion album. This album is a live album which contains Ozzy flavored songs of the band. It also contains two new Black Sabbath hits "Psycho Man" and "Selling My Soul". Other tracks on the album include classic Sabbath tunes "Iron Man", "Black Sabbath" and "Dirty Women".

:Beyond Black Sabbath

With Ozzy being removed from Black Sabbath, it opened up options for him to further his career in a different direction. He is Ozzy Osbourne after all.

Following the Sabbath days, Ozzy did 2 gigs with a band called Law after which that he teamed up with guitarist Randy Rhodes, a former member of the band Quiet Riot and began working on the Blizzard of Ozz. Also added to the mix were bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake two former members from the band Uriah Heep.  With a new band, Ozzy was back in the saddle musically and the group began work on their first album which would be the band’s self-titled album. It’s on this album that the songs “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley” first appear.

Now, if you’ve ever listened to Ozzy, you know how much “Crazy Train” rocks. The guitar work is very technical and Ozzy just jumps out at you in the lyrics. I mean this song just screams metal and shows how Mr. Osbourne has gained the title of the Prince of Darkness. Also included on the Blizzard of Ozz are “Goodbye to Romance”, “Dee” and “Suicide Solution”.

“Suicide Solution” is also one of Ozzy’s most critically judged pieces as an artist and in 1986 he was accused of encouraging suicide amongst his listeners via subliminal messages in this song. This was totally absurd and he was later cleared of all charges. 

Before the release of the next album, Diary of a Madman, Daisley and Kerslake are ousted from the band and replaced with Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo for the upcoming release. Featured on this album is the song “Flying High Again” song that has to do with drug use. Also included are the songs “You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll”, “Believer” “Tonight” “S.A.T.O” and the self titled track “Diary of a Madman”.

Following the release of Diary of a Madman the band faces scrutiny from the Humane Society after a performance by the band during their tour. Although the exact story is hazy at best the result was Ozzy biting the head off of a bat that ended up on stage. Apparently he thought it was a fake bat but soon realized that the bat was indeed real by the resulting trip to the hospital for a rabies shot.

Later that year, Ozzy again has a “Metal Moment” after dressing up like a woman and urinating on The Alamo in Texas. The resulting ban lead to the artist not playing in San Antonio until 10 years later. The band also picks up keyboard player Lindsey Bridgewater for a brief stint before she is replaced with keyboard player Don Airey.

Sadly on March 19th, 1982 the world of Metal would be changed forever as the world mourns the loss of legendary guitarist Randy Rhodes due to a plane accident. In an attempt to recover the band Ozzy hires Bernie Torme to play for the group. Torme lasts only a short while and is quickly replaced with Brad Gillis, formerly of the band Night Ranger.

Later in the year the band would release Speak of the Devil a live version album from the band. Hits on this album include “Snowblind”, “Symptom of the Universe”, and “Children of the Grave” along with other hits like “Black Sabbath”, “Iron Man”, "and “War Pigs”. 

After Speak of the Devil, Gillis leaves the band to return to his former band Night Ranger and Ozzy fills his spot with Jake Lee for the up-and-coming Bark at the Moon album. “Bark at the Moon” is an awesome Metal song and is featured in the recent Guitar Hero series along with being featured on the album. Other tracks on the album include “Rock ‘n’ Roll Rebel”, “Waiting for Darkness” and “So Tired”.

1986 proves to be a revolutionary year for the band as The Ultimate Sin is released and Ozzy replaces most of the band. Included in the new lineup are John Sinclair on keyboards, Randy Castillo on drums and Phil Soussan on bass. It is in ‘86 that Ozzy again makes Metal History by encouraging fans to destroy seating in a sport complex in New Jersey. Other songs on this album are “Lighting Strikes”, “Shot in the Dark”, and “Secret Loser”.

The next year, Ozzy again changes the band by picking up guitarist Zakk Wylde and reuniting with bassist Bob Daisley. It’s also in ‘87 that Ozzy releases the Randy Rhoads Tribute album to commemorate his fallen friend. Also Ozzy plays a preacher this year in the cult movie Trick or Treat.

No Rest for the Wicked was released in 1988 and contained the songs “Tattooed Dancer”, “Hero”, “Fire in the Sky” and “Miracle Man”. This was the first album to feature new guitarist Zakk Wlyde. The band followed up the album with the 1990 album Just Say Ozzy. This album was a live album from the band and holds the songs from No Rest for the Wicked and older Sabbath tunes. Live versions of “Shot in the Dark”, “Miracle Man”, “War Pigs” and “Tattooed Dancer” appear on this album.

Next up for the band would be their release of their album No More Tears. This would be Ozzy’s last album before his retirement. It was also with this album that Ozzy appeared sober throughout the entire album, a drastic change for the artist. It worked out for him too as he brought home a Grammy this year in the Best Metal Performance with Vocal for his song “I Don’t Want to Change the World”. Other songs on this album feature “Mama, I’m Coming Home”, “Mr. Tinkertrain”, “Hellraiser” and “No More Tears”.  All in all, this was a pretty solid Ozzy record and the band releases Live and Loud in 1993 to honor the music of the band. Tracks on this double disc set include “Bark at the Moon”, “Crazy Train”, “Black Sabbath”, “No More Tears” and “I Don’t Want to Change the World” amongst others. 

Although Ozzy had retired and had returned to the role of fatherhood his music career was far from over. See, Ozzy is the Godfather of Heavy Metal, he couldn’t stop rocking if he wanted too. I’m not saying that if he retired for good that everyone wouldn’t give him the respect and privacy he deserves I’m just stating that music is in some peoples blood. It’s something they just have to do, as an artist, to survive and cope with the world on a daily basis. So Ozzy returned to music in 1995 with this album Ozzmosis. Songs on the album include the tracks “Thunder Underground”, “Tomorrow”, “Ghost Behind My Eyes”, “Perry Mason” and “See You on the Other Side”.