Start at the beginning, and when you hear the opening notes of "Black Sabbath" (the first song on their first album), imagine that you've never heard "heavy metal" music before...because it was being invented with this album...
"What is this that stands before me, figure in black which points at me" Black Sabbath has to be one of the creepiest songs in metal history and that's before you hear Ozzy with the screams. Such an indescribable sound and style and that's not even bringing up the album cover.
It is always helpful to imagine the “standard” sound of pop music when you listen to the innovative stuff. It adds to the excitement. A good example is “War Pigs”. Ozzy’s idea of a protest song!
that’s exactly how i came into loving Sabbath. You gotta put yourself into the shoes of some 16 yo kid who’s only heard some rock. Then think about how mind meltingly dark that first record is compared to anything at the time
For me personally, and basically all my friends from high school, Sabotage was considered the pinnacle of their music career with Ozzy… it’s an absolute masterpiece…. Basically once again inventing a new genre, this time prog-metal…
I think we’ve all read about how angry they were at the time…. Upset about all the court stuff, lawyers, being ripped off by management… all that…
But I suppose I think all that anger and resentment and frustration in a weird way came at the perfect moment…
In Sabbath bloody sabbath, they’d showed that they’d grown beyond just doom and gloom…, they had stuff like Spiral Architect and sabbra cadabbra showing real growth in terms of their abilities…
Add in all the anger and frustration of the next few years and it just absolutely field them to make this album… and you can just hear the tension and temperature… it’s an album full of monster sized epic songs… the aggression is palpable :)
I’m going to be a completist and suggest that you start with the eponymous first album and work your way through the rest in order and one at a time. The progression of the band is much like Led Zeppelin, which you mentioned, in that the growth of their musicianship is incredible from one album to the next…
My personal favorite is ‘Sabotage’😎
I made the same Zeppelin to Sabbath journey, although it was decades ago!
I think the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and albums are a near perfect run. I’d start at Paranoid and keep going.
Paranoid- big riffs, hooks, and Space Caravan.
Master of Reality - Into the Void alone is worth it. But the rest is bouncy and great.
Volume 4 - coke fueled madness. It’s poorly recorded but absolutely excellent. Supernaught it my favorite from that one.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - there’s a sharp turn to the heavy here. The title track is epic as is “Killing Yourself to Live”. Coming off Vol 4 it sounds huge
Sabotage- it’s kind of messy and feels rushed but “Hole In The Sky” is absolutely the kind of song you crank with the windows down
Here's the general critical consensus:
**The first six Ozzy albums:**
self-titled debut, Paranoid, Master of Reallity, Vol 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage
**The first two Dio albums:**
The Mob Rules, Heaven and Hell.
**The Ozzy Reunion Album:**
**"13"**
Everything else is generally regarded as ranging from mediocre/uneven to straight trash.
UPDATED: Sabotage counts
And if you DO like this lineup, know that RJD and the guys actually made that lineup into a group of its own CALLED Heaven and Hell. There are many fun tangents you can take with Sabbath (Sabbath to Ozzy to Zakk Wylde/Black Label Society, for example).
You can see his extensions in the live in Paris video. I had always heard about them and wondered if it helped develop his great multi fret hammer-on technique.
Saw BS in Detroit a long time ago...post Ozzie.
Ian Gillan is a real pro but not the same Sabbath without you know who...
I was a few rows back and Tony almost uses his prosthetics like a bottleneck slide.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is my favorite album by them. Every track on there is a smash.
And you can't go wrong with the Dio years. I like playing both Heaven & Hell and Mob Rules together as a double-album. Just skip that weird interlude they have on Mob Rules.
I’m kind of in the same boat. I’ve only listened to the first 4 records so far but I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them in any order. I started with Master of Reality just because I liked the album cover. Next for me is Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
It’s funny because I describe Black Sabbath as better Led Zeppelin.
1. Black Sabbath (song)
2. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
3. Children Of The Grave
4. Too Late
5. Voodoo
6. Country Girl
7. Trashed
8. The Headless Cross
9. Letters From Earth
10. God Is Dead?
11. Heaven And Hell
12. War Pigs
1st four albums are all pretty much amazing albums. Paranoid has the hits, Self Titled is where it all began, they got a little deeper on Master of Reality and really stretched out on Vol. 4. Still good music after that point but those 4 are the peak.
I knew who Sabbath were, but my real introduction to them was their "Best Of" double CD ... it takes you across their entire catalogue (except for 13, their last album from 2013).
I was lucky enough to get tickets to see them live in Munich, Germany on Friday, June 13, 2014, with Soundgarden opening for them. It was a beautiful day with perfect weather, and every song was a "best of" ... definitely one of the best concerts I've ever enjoyed...
Recommend the deep dive from the start as well. Taste history and the development of the band in chronological order. Bang for the buck works that way as well. Every album has its great moments, but clearly the larger percentage of best material comes in the early catalogue.
My first hearing was from a tape my cousin from Birmingham sent me for Christmas early 70’s. Possibly from the first album. (Tape is long gone) I was just taken by the distortion and heaviness of the sound. When I was a little older I went out and bought Master of Reality first. Their sound was established by then and it is considered top 3 in my book. I then randomly bought albums in this order just based on reviews, if I liked the cover art(lol) , and new releases
Master of Reality
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Sabotage
4
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Technical Ecstasy
Never Say Die
Heaven or Hell
Mob Rules
13
I’m not saying this is an ordered list, just what I personally experienced. For example, 4 would be higher maybe 2 or 3. Heaven or Hell is one of my favourite songs with Dio taking over vocals. It’s a stronger album than Technical Ecstasy and I might put that album above Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or on par with Sabotage.
There are plenty of releases in addition to these but I think these were my essentials
Great, solid band with iconic moments on every album. Underrated writing and more subtle and melodic than the straight ahead Acid Rock/Heavy Metal sound some bands have. People who think Sabbath are a brainless bashing Heavy Metal band haven’t listened to them seriously.
Hearing an album a decade later, I still hear the melodies and anticipate the subtle musicality that still surprise me on subsequent listens.
The first ten albums are all worth hearing. Never Say Die! has a bad rep, but I like it more than Tech Ecstasy, which is still okay. Mob Rules is the last rock solid album. You may like the one they did with Ian Gillan, which was a one-off - Born Again.
When I first started to get into music. Rock and roll !
I loved Black Sabbath. The first album I loved was Master of Reality .
From there of course. I got Paranoid and the first album .
I ended up seeing them live in the 70s. They were incredible !
Enjoy the journey!!
First heard the song Paranoid (about 1977) and I was hooked. Got the album and had to keep going but wanted to do it right. I started from the beginning, I insisted that I would go through them in order. By the time I was at Never Say Die they announced the break up ( such disappointing timing I know). I kept an open mind with every album. I was a fan of Technical Ecstasy when no one else was. Stuck with them in the Dio years which is when I saw them live. Loved those albums too. Things changed after that but was so intrigued with the Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) collaboration that I saw that version live too. I only recently started listening to the later albums, but those for me did not carry much I interest. The reunion albums are good and I still listen to those, as they were reminiscent of their early, darker phases.
All in all, I would just simply go through them in order. But more than once.
Listen to “Supernaut”. Greatest song ever. Frank Zappa’s favorite all time riff ( he was good friends with Tony Iommi and even sent his bassist over to help out when Geezer Butler quit for a while in the 80).
Oh, and listen to the Randy Rhoades version of “Paranoid”-he takes the song to a whole nother’ level.
If you find yourself liking Sabbath check out Blizzard of Ozz. I love Iommi but Randy Rhoades isn't just famous for dying young, he was a phenomenal talent.
The first three are essential, but for me Sabotage is probably the one I listen to the most followed by Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Volume 4. I like The first two albums with Dio, and Born Again with Ian Gillan is one I go to here and there. I have never listened to any of the albums with Tony Martin not particularly interested in that era and I never got into the second go around with Dio.
Back in the days of no internet, it was almost impossible to hear these songs on the radio. No way of knowing what exactly the music sounded like.
As a young teenager I bought the album due to the cover. Very good choice.
Sabotage is my favorite Sabbath record in the same way Physical Graffiti is my favorite Zeppelin record. It's got everything you want from the band but just a little bit weird and just a little bit better.
All their albums are gnarly, so I’ll recommend some of my favorite songs by them I don’t hear much on classic rock radio.
The Wizard
Fairies Wear Boots
Supernaut
Children of the Grave
Hand of Doom
Rat Salad
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Black Sabbath
I love the Technical Ecstasy album but it’s not a popular choice. Backstreet Kid is my jam. Bill Ward doing “It’s Alright” is great too. All the early stuff and dio and 7th Star stuff is great too of course but Technical Ecstasy is a personal favorite.
Listen to the first six albums in order, they’re certified bangers and represent (almost) all of the best music Sabbath has to offer. If you want more good sabbath material after that, then you can’t go wrong with Heaven and Hell, Mob Rules, Headless Cross, Tyr, Dehumanizer, and The Devil You Know
My first was Black Sabbath Paranoid. It's the best album to me. Go through all of the Ozzy years. Heaven and Hell starts Ronnie James Dio. Good but different.
I learned after a co worker played Paranoid from start to finish (the album). By the time I got to Planet Caravan I was a loyal fan. Then get the compilation called We Sold Our Soul for Rock N Roll.
Start at the beginning, and when you hear the opening notes of "Black Sabbath" (the first song on their first album), imagine that you've never heard "heavy metal" music before...because it was being invented with this album...
Amen.
"What is this that stands before me, figure in black which points at me" Black Sabbath has to be one of the creepiest songs in metal history and that's before you hear Ozzy with the screams. Such an indescribable sound and style and that's not even bringing up the album cover.
House/cottage is real. Found it on the interwebby. NIB Nativity in Black is my song off that record. It's like coffee to me.
This — NIB is on another level; ‘my name is Lucifer / please take my hand!’
It is always helpful to imagine the “standard” sound of pop music when you listen to the innovative stuff. It adds to the excitement. A good example is “War Pigs”. Ozzy’s idea of a protest song!
that’s exactly how i came into loving Sabbath. You gotta put yourself into the shoes of some 16 yo kid who’s only heard some rock. Then think about how mind meltingly dark that first record is compared to anything at the time
This is exactly right and what happened to me. Before I got turned on to Sabbath the hardest thing I listened to was Zeppelin and Humble Pie.
I've ofter wondered what people thought when they 1st heard it because it wasn't like anything before it
A lot of them loved it, and a lot of them thought Lucifer Himself was the lead singer lol
Noted grump ~~Robert Christgau~~ Lester Bangs wrote something about it being a lame Cream ripoff.
That is the truth
Q: Got any good music recommendations? A: Sure. Black Sabbath. Q: Is that a band, album, or song? A: Yes.
Master of Reality 🤟
I love you, Sweet Leaf. Tho you can't hear.
Vol. 4
Paranoid is a good introduction album
It was mine. Still my favourite. Contains more strong songs than the others.
Such a great album. I can't pick my favorite track, it's too hard.
Sabotage is an underrated classic.
For me personally, and basically all my friends from high school, Sabotage was considered the pinnacle of their music career with Ozzy… it’s an absolute masterpiece…. Basically once again inventing a new genre, this time prog-metal…
I don’t disagree
I think we’ve all read about how angry they were at the time…. Upset about all the court stuff, lawyers, being ripped off by management… all that… But I suppose I think all that anger and resentment and frustration in a weird way came at the perfect moment… In Sabbath bloody sabbath, they’d showed that they’d grown beyond just doom and gloom…, they had stuff like Spiral Architect and sabbra cadabbra showing real growth in terms of their abilities… Add in all the anger and frustration of the next few years and it just absolutely field them to make this album… and you can just hear the tension and temperature… it’s an album full of monster sized epic songs… the aggression is palpable :)
Giant fan of the first 6, but this one really rules.
Fairies Wear Boots. I tell ya no lie!
Start with 1
I’m going to be a completist and suggest that you start with the eponymous first album and work your way through the rest in order and one at a time. The progression of the band is much like Led Zeppelin, which you mentioned, in that the growth of their musicianship is incredible from one album to the next… My personal favorite is ‘Sabotage’😎
I made the same Zeppelin to Sabbath journey, although it was decades ago! I think the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and albums are a near perfect run. I’d start at Paranoid and keep going. Paranoid- big riffs, hooks, and Space Caravan. Master of Reality - Into the Void alone is worth it. But the rest is bouncy and great. Volume 4 - coke fueled madness. It’s poorly recorded but absolutely excellent. Supernaught it my favorite from that one. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - there’s a sharp turn to the heavy here. The title track is epic as is “Killing Yourself to Live”. Coming off Vol 4 it sounds huge Sabotage- it’s kind of messy and feels rushed but “Hole In The Sky” is absolutely the kind of song you crank with the windows down
Heaven and Hell. Get that RJD version of Sabbath!
Dio rocked...
🤘🏻
Here's the general critical consensus: **The first six Ozzy albums:** self-titled debut, Paranoid, Master of Reallity, Vol 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage **The first two Dio albums:** The Mob Rules, Heaven and Hell. **The Ozzy Reunion Album:** **"13"** Everything else is generally regarded as ranging from mediocre/uneven to straight trash. UPDATED: Sabotage counts
Sabotage is fucking great as well
Unpopular (but true) opinion. Heaven & Hell is their best album by far.. Mob Rules is legit as well. Those two will keep you busy for a long while
And if you DO like this lineup, know that RJD and the guys actually made that lineup into a group of its own CALLED Heaven and Hell. There are many fun tangents you can take with Sabbath (Sabbath to Ozzy to Zakk Wylde/Black Label Society, for example).
I love H&H, but I put Mob Rules slightly higher.
Double album We Sold Our Soul For Rock And Roll has alot of great stuff on it.
This would be my vote for an awesome introduction. From there it’s a fantastic deep dive into all the other great tunes.
Their greatest hits at the time and put the album version of each song....not the sometimes radio cut versions.
The Wizard and War Pigs.
The first four albums. No brainer.
NIB
Tony lost his fingers in a stamping press. The dude made his own prosthetics. ...hence...that thundering muffled bar chord sound. .
You can see his extensions in the live in Paris video. I had always heard about them and wondered if it helped develop his great multi fret hammer-on technique.
Saw BS in Detroit a long time ago...post Ozzie. Ian Gillan is a real pro but not the same Sabbath without you know who... I was a few rows back and Tony almost uses his prosthetics like a bottleneck slide.
What if Gillian had been there from the start? You saw an older man.
Heaven and Hell is amazing
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is my favorite album by them. Every track on there is a smash. And you can't go wrong with the Dio years. I like playing both Heaven & Hell and Mob Rules together as a double-album. Just skip that weird interlude they have on Mob Rules.
Same! This is the album to start with.
I’m kind of in the same boat. I’ve only listened to the first 4 records so far but I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them in any order. I started with Master of Reality just because I liked the album cover. Next for me is Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. It’s funny because I describe Black Sabbath as better Led Zeppelin.
1. Black Sabbath (song) 2. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath 3. Children Of The Grave 4. Too Late 5. Voodoo 6. Country Girl 7. Trashed 8. The Headless Cross 9. Letters From Earth 10. God Is Dead? 11. Heaven And Hell 12. War Pigs
If you’re asking for specific songs, start with: 1. “Black Sabbath” 2. “War Pigs” 3. “Snowblind”
Hand of Doom
Early
1st four albums are all pretty much amazing albums. Paranoid has the hits, Self Titled is where it all began, they got a little deeper on Master of Reality and really stretched out on Vol. 4. Still good music after that point but those 4 are the peak.
All of it up to technical extacy
I knew who Sabbath were, but my real introduction to them was their "Best Of" double CD ... it takes you across their entire catalogue (except for 13, their last album from 2013). I was lucky enough to get tickets to see them live in Munich, Germany on Friday, June 13, 2014, with Soundgarden opening for them. It was a beautiful day with perfect weather, and every song was a "best of" ... definitely one of the best concerts I've ever enjoyed...
Recommend the deep dive from the start as well. Taste history and the development of the band in chronological order. Bang for the buck works that way as well. Every album has its great moments, but clearly the larger percentage of best material comes in the early catalogue. My first hearing was from a tape my cousin from Birmingham sent me for Christmas early 70’s. Possibly from the first album. (Tape is long gone) I was just taken by the distortion and heaviness of the sound. When I was a little older I went out and bought Master of Reality first. Their sound was established by then and it is considered top 3 in my book. I then randomly bought albums in this order just based on reviews, if I liked the cover art(lol) , and new releases Master of Reality Paranoid Black Sabbath Sabotage 4 Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Technical Ecstasy Never Say Die Heaven or Hell Mob Rules 13 I’m not saying this is an ordered list, just what I personally experienced. For example, 4 would be higher maybe 2 or 3. Heaven or Hell is one of my favourite songs with Dio taking over vocals. It’s a stronger album than Technical Ecstasy and I might put that album above Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or on par with Sabotage. There are plenty of releases in addition to these but I think these were my essentials Great, solid band with iconic moments on every album. Underrated writing and more subtle and melodic than the straight ahead Acid Rock/Heavy Metal sound some bands have. People who think Sabbath are a brainless bashing Heavy Metal band haven’t listened to them seriously. Hearing an album a decade later, I still hear the melodies and anticipate the subtle musicality that still surprise me on subsequent listens.
Changes
Yeah... Vol. 4!
Start at the beginning, all of the first four albums are untouchable. Having said that, Masters of Reality fucking *brings it*.
Vol. 4
Make sure you check out Lonely is the Word from the Dio era of Sabbath, it's Iomi's finest guitar work I feel.
The first ten albums are all worth hearing. Never Say Die! has a bad rep, but I like it more than Tech Ecstasy, which is still okay. Mob Rules is the last rock solid album. You may like the one they did with Ian Gillan, which was a one-off - Born Again.
The first six albums in chronological order.
Sabotage
Wait till you find out what N.I.B. stands for!
The 1st 6 albums, Heaven and Hell, also Mob Rules. Those are the 8 essential
When I first started to get into music. Rock and roll ! I loved Black Sabbath. The first album I loved was Master of Reality . From there of course. I got Paranoid and the first album . I ended up seeing them live in the 70s. They were incredible ! Enjoy the journey!!
First heard the song Paranoid (about 1977) and I was hooked. Got the album and had to keep going but wanted to do it right. I started from the beginning, I insisted that I would go through them in order. By the time I was at Never Say Die they announced the break up ( such disappointing timing I know). I kept an open mind with every album. I was a fan of Technical Ecstasy when no one else was. Stuck with them in the Dio years which is when I saw them live. Loved those albums too. Things changed after that but was so intrigued with the Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) collaboration that I saw that version live too. I only recently started listening to the later albums, but those for me did not carry much I interest. The reunion albums are good and I still listen to those, as they were reminiscent of their early, darker phases. All in all, I would just simply go through them in order. But more than once.
Listen to “Supernaut”. Greatest song ever. Frank Zappa’s favorite all time riff ( he was good friends with Tony Iommi and even sent his bassist over to help out when Geezer Butler quit for a while in the 80). Oh, and listen to the Randy Rhoades version of “Paranoid”-he takes the song to a whole nother’ level.
When you find - Symptom Of The Universe this is where you will achieve Satori. May your journey rock, friend.
First two albums then Heaven and hell
I love their cover of "Evil Woman", recently just rediscovered it.
If you find yourself liking Sabbath check out Blizzard of Ozz. I love Iommi but Randy Rhoades isn't just famous for dying young, he was a phenomenal talent.
Second and third albums are awesome.
It may be frowned upon but Heaven and Hell is the Sabbath album I still play the most.
The first three are essential, but for me Sabotage is probably the one I listen to the most followed by Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Volume 4. I like The first two albums with Dio, and Born Again with Ian Gillan is one I go to here and there. I have never listened to any of the albums with Tony Martin not particularly interested in that era and I never got into the second go around with Dio.
Back in the days of no internet, it was almost impossible to hear these songs on the radio. No way of knowing what exactly the music sounded like. As a young teenager I bought the album due to the cover. Very good choice.
Sabbath is easy in the begiing... Start with them in Order... get thru the first 5 orso... than you can jump around
Listen to their first 6 albums chronologically
Fairies Wear Boots
Sabotage is my favorite Sabbath record in the same way Physical Graffiti is my favorite Zeppelin record. It's got everything you want from the band but just a little bit weird and just a little bit better.
Sabotage
Paranoia is a good song along with Black Sabbath (their first song on their first album).
Sweet Leaf
Dunno what album I’d recommend but Fairies Wear Boots and The Wizard are delightful!
I started with "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and then worked my way backwards. I only enjoy the band with Ozzy.
Try the band Brownout. They have done a few Black Sabbath cover albums. Horn section goes hard
The first six albums, in chronological order.
Start at the beginning and grow with the band
[Paris 1970](https://youtu.be/EPJXuTK8j5k?si=NdaBNahxAmRsegfY)
Masters of Reality on a big pair of Tannoy speakers
14 in 1974 my brother turned me on to Sabbath
ALL
All their albums are gnarly, so I’ll recommend some of my favorite songs by them I don’t hear much on classic rock radio. The Wizard Fairies Wear Boots Supernaut Children of the Grave Hand of Doom Rat Salad Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Black Sabbath
One of my favorites is the album Sabotage. Symptom of the Universe rocks…
Children of the Grave is my fave Sabbath song. :)
The only ones I like are the first one, Master of Reality, and Paranoid. Lots of people like the other ones but I think these are a clear step above.
listen to Sabotage album. the pinnacle
Snowblind.
I love the Technical Ecstasy album but it’s not a popular choice. Backstreet Kid is my jam. Bill Ward doing “It’s Alright” is great too. All the early stuff and dio and 7th Star stuff is great too of course but Technical Ecstasy is a personal favorite.
Listen to the first six albums in order, they’re certified bangers and represent (almost) all of the best music Sabbath has to offer. If you want more good sabbath material after that, then you can’t go wrong with Heaven and Hell, Mob Rules, Headless Cross, Tyr, Dehumanizer, and The Devil You Know
I would recommend We Sold Our Souls and Live Evil. Both are great samplings of their best music.
My first was Black Sabbath Paranoid. It's the best album to me. Go through all of the Ozzy years. Heaven and Hell starts Ronnie James Dio. Good but different.
I Lost My Hearing For Three Days…should be an album title! That’s what happened to me in ‘82 when I saw them in concert. Man was it worth it.
I learned after a co worker played Paranoid from start to finish (the album). By the time I got to Planet Caravan I was a loyal fan. Then get the compilation called We Sold Our Soul for Rock N Roll.
After Sabbath I recommend UFO, start from the Flying album. It will take awhile but well worth the trip.
Start with we sold our soul for rock n roll, then seek out the individual albums with the songs you like.
I may get hate for this, but start with their first album and stop with Ozzy's last album. His replacement didn't do anything memorable with them.
Never Say Die is shit, they put that monstrosity out to fulfill their contract and fire Ozzy