Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath, formed in Birmingham, England, in 1968, is often regarded as the pioneers of heavy metal. The original lineup consisted of Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), and Bill Ward (drums). With their eponymous debut album released in 1970, Black Sabbath unleashed a dark and heavy sound characterized by Iommi’s ominous guitar riffs, Butler’s rumbling bass, and Osbourne’s haunting vocals. The release of “Paranoid” later that same year solidified their status as heavy metal icons, featuring classics like “Iron Man” and “War Pigs.” Black Sabbath’s music explored themes of doom, occultism, and the macabre, setting the tone for the emerging genre. The band underwent lineup changes over the years, with Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, and others stepping in as lead vocalists at various points. Despite these changes, Black Sabbath continued to produce influential albums like “Heaven and Hell” (1980) and “Mob Rules” (1981). Their 1978 release, “Never Say Die!,” marked the end of the Ozzy Osbourne era, but the original lineup reunited in the late 1990s. The band’s farewell tour, “The End,” concluded in 2017, marking the conclusion of their legendary career.