Ranking every Black Sabbath vocalist from worst to best
When news of the Black Sabbath reunion broke, it was as if the heavy metal world had downed tools in an effort to bind together and celebrate one of the greatest bands of all time. The Godfathers of a new age of rock, all pioneered by the innovative members who made up Black Sabbath. Each person contributed massively to the sound that they ended up championing; however, it has to be said that the most iconic aspect of Sabbath has always been their frontman, Ozzy Osbourne.
If you were to ask the average Metalhead for a fact about Black Sabbath, you would likely get a plethora of information; however, if you were to ask the average music fan, they would probably tell you that Ozzy Osbourne is the lead singer. He’s certainly the most famous member of the band, with a charisma that has inspired reality TV series and made him a celebrity, famed for his personality as well as his musical ability. However, he is the only singer in ten who has fronted the band throughout their six decades of making music.
The greatest Black Sabbath vocalist tends to divide opinion, and it’s easy to see why. Every previous band member has been able to bring their own unique take on the band, which has led to the unique-sounding records that make up Black Sabbath’s discography. Of course, while there is no denying every singer has been talented, we at Far Out couldn’t help but throw our hat into the ring and cast our votes on who Black Sabbath’s greatest vocalist is.
Here is our definitive list of every Black Sabbath vocalist, ranked from worst to best. It’s worth noting that we’ve left out singers such as Ron Keel, David Donato, and Rob Halford, who only sang for Sabbath during short periods and moments of transition. The list will contain five Black Sabbath vocalists who worked with the band for extended periods and released music with them.
Black Sabbath’s vocalists from worst to best
Glenn Hughes
Glenn Hughes is a fantastic vocalist—there is no way around it. Unfortunately, when it comes to the strong competition he has amongst fellow Black Sabbath vocalists, he falls slightly flat. It could be that when he started recording with Tony Iommi, he didn’t know he was recording a Black Sabbath album, so he didn’t go all in, but there is just a slight edge missing when compared to his counterparts.
He originally started recording the album under the guise that it would be a Tony Iommi solo project, but it eventually turned into a fully-blown Black Sabbath album. “Being in Black Sabbath was not something I wanted to do. I was trying to help Tony out, doing his solo album,” admitted Hughes, “But I enjoyed working with Tony. I’ve made three albums with Tony now. So, long may that continue.”
Ian Gillan
Black Sabbath seemed to understand the concept of a supergroup before supergroups were a thing. When they were looking for a new singer to front their band, who else was better to turn to but one of the greatest vocalists in rock who had already fronted one of the biggest bands in the world? Taking a break from Deep Purple, Ian Gillan joined Black Sabbath as their lead singer, and the result was exceptional.
While Gillan was a great vocalist for the band, it is hard to rank him higher than fourth purely because he only recorded one album with the band and only performed for them for a short period. That being said, the album he did record, Born Again, is a favourite for many fans and exists now as a standalone piece of the band’s work, separate from anything else they did.
Tony Martin
Justice for Tony Martin! Martin is arguably one of the most commonly overlooked Black Sabbath lead singers, despite recording three albums for the band and being one of their best vocalists. He is often glossed over because none of the albums he worked on turned out to be hits; however, he was often hampered by external circumstances.
For instance, with the album Forbidden, they collaborated with the rapper Ice-T, who basically took over production and made something far removed from a Black Sabbath album. Tony Iommi admitted, “Forbidden has been a thorn in my side for years.” He recently remixed the album, and the power of Martin’s vocals truly shines through.
Ronnie James Dio
Here we arrive at the classic debate: Who was the better Black Sabbath vocalist, Ronnie James Dio or Ozzy Osbourne? In all honesty, whoever you pick, you’re right. The reason this debate rings on decades later is because both singers have very unique qualities, and your favourite boils down to which of those qualities you champion over others.
It’s not unfair to say that Ronnie James Dio is the best singer out of these five. When you listen to his work, both with Sabbath and as a solo artist, his talent is second to none. He makes octaves look easier to climb than stairs, and the heavy metal grit is so intrinsically ingrained within his voice that it sounds as though he was born with it. However, there is more to being Black Sabbath’s lead singer than just vocal ability, and in the case of this list, that’s where Dio falls short of the mark.
Ozzy Osbourne
You could say that this is a cop out answer, but nothing beats the original. There is so much more to Ozzy Osbourne than just his voice; everything about him made him the perfect frontman for Black Sabbath. His singing is pained, laced with the frustration and energy that Sabbath originally embodied. However, he is also one of the most charismatic men on the planet, which was necessary when fronting a band that made such a statement every time they hit the stage.
When it comes to lead singers, simply put, there is nobody better than Ozzy Osbourne. He has the quality necessary to sing any song and make it sound like a masterpiece. Equally, he has all of the star qualities required to be a frontman, and people cannot take their eyes off him.
