Ozzy is not a great singer. However, his almost atonal approach to vocals really helped set the atmosphere that made all of the early Sabbath albums.

While Ronnie James Dio is the better vocalist, I prefer Sabbath with Ozzy.

I can't really remember who I voted for, but in the last few months I've been really digging Martin's era Black Sabbath. He has a really great voice and coupled with some of the best music Black Sabbath has ever done comes out the Ultimate Black Sabbath Era. (I pretend that "Forbidden" doesn't exist.)

"The Eternal Idol" is the cream of the crop of Black Sabbath. It all comes together there, the heaviness of Ozzy-era and the power metal tendencies of Dio. Plus it is pretty atmospheric too. In short:
"The Eternal Idol" = ("Master of Reality" + "Heaven and Hell")ˇ54

Ozzy wins this hands down.
I agree with HugeTheConqeror completely. Sabbath just..sounds like sabbath with Ozzy.

I seem to belong to the majority here. Ozzy just makes Sabbath. He just had a great voice for the music played. Dio is great and all but he just added to much flair to the sound.... Dio has a better voice NOW though.

Come on, if we say Black Sabbath, the first image that comes to our mind his Ozzy eating a bat
Ozzy for me.

Written by Elio on 06.01.2009 at 10:52

Come on, if we say Black Sabbath, the first image that comes to our mind his Ozzy eating a bat
Ozzy for me.

Ozzy didn't bite the head off the bat when in Sabbath but when he was already solo. He did that in 1982

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 06.01.2009 at 11:28

Written by Elio on 06.01.2009 at 10:52

Come on, if we say Black Sabbath, the first image that comes to our mind his Ozzy eating a bat
Ozzy for me.

Ozzy didn't bite the head off the bat when in Sabbath but when he was already solo. He did that in 1982

Well, I meant that I can't imagine the band without that charismatic and legendary man.

Where are mine post? Somebody removed it?

Ozzy but more BS and Paranoid albums, also Never Say Die first 3 works whit Ozzy its more blusy, doomy metal and I enjoy all songs from those albums, other albums whit Ozzy isnt so good anymore something missing

Dio - Heaven n Hell and Mob Rules are good albums heavy, interesting IMO much better how more dio solo vorks, never had hear Dehuminazier but I know song Tv crimes and its good to,

Those 2 are BS vocalist waht I enjom more Ozzy for doomy days Dio for heavy days

Glenn Hughes and Tonny martin are to boriung for me, remainds me lil whitesnake type image not BS anymore

Gillan was OK even his voice was to week there(or maybe irs my tape prolem)

I have always preferred Ronnie James Dio too Ozzy. Ronnie I feel is a much more versatile and powerful singer, and a much better song writer to add too that. The other singers I feel aren't worth a mention as they aren't even in the same league as Ozzy and Dio. Heaven and Hell is by far my favorite album from Sabbath.

IMO the best vocalist Black Sabbath ever had was Ray Gillen (the guy who took over Glenn Hughes on the Seventh Star tour and was supposed to be on Eternal Idol before he quit and Tony Martin joined). Followed by Hughes, Ian Gillan, Dio, Martin and then Ozzy last. This is on a singing stand point, Ozzy was clearly the better showman which is what he really brought to the mix but his voice is nowhere near as great as the others.

I think you can't usually replace a band's singer. Sometimes it works well like in some black metal bands... but in certain cases not. And not necessarily ALWAYS black metal either. Black Sabbath is one of those cases that should never have moved on without Ozzy. Those were the days, man. The greatest releases also featured Ozzy as well and not some other fucking goldbricker.

Black Sabbath without Ozzy isn't Sabbath. Sabbath, Donny, is the one of the greatest bands of all time. That means, I don't listen to Sabbath without Ozzy, I don't go to concerts without Ozzy, and I sure as shit don't fucking bowl without Ozzy!!! Sabbath Bloody Sabbath!

(I must admit, that is well formulated)

Ozzy is one of the most annoying singers I can think of, so Dio wins without any trouble for me. There being any question as to Dio's superiority is just...madness.

Ozzy fo sho homies

The Dio-era is good (well, the last two Dio-era albums anyways), and so is the Ian Gillan era (Born Again rocks my socks). But the Ozzy-era will remain supreme forever tbh.

I voted for Dio because he sings the best out of any other Sabbath singer. Plus this poll says who is the best singer in Sabbath, not who is the definitive Sabbath singer. If that were the case Ozzy wins hands down. But I voted for the singer with the best pipes. Second would be Martin, then Ozzy, then Gillan, then Hughes.

Ozzy is black sabbath. dio was an alright replacement, but the other 3 shouldnt even be there. if it isn't ozzy or dio, it is black sabbath.

I guess it would depend on how you rank any of the singers. Ozzy obviously takes the title for the most recongnizable and more influential, but I'd say that Dio was the most talented of all of them.

Ozzy Osbourne the best...

Written by HugeTheConqeror on 04.01.2009 at 18:41

Ozzy is not a great singer. However, his almost atonal approach to vocals really helped set the atmosphere that made all of the early Sabbath albums.

While Ronnie James Dio is the better vocalist, I prefer Sabbath with Ozzy.

You would be correct. Dio is the better singer; but, Ozzy's haunting wail is a better fit here.

I can't believe anybody would pick Whiny Osbourne over Dio. Ozzy has the absolute worst voice I've ever heard, as far as clean vocals go. Dio on the other hand had a large range, and power surpassing any other vocalist. If there's one band that has an inconsistent choice of vocalists, its Sabbath- They had the very best and the very worst.

Dio all the way.

Close between Ozzy and Dio, but I simply prefer Dio. Rising had more impact on me than...Paranoid, for instance.

As much as I like the doomy atmosphere of the first albums, Dio is just miles better. I don't think it's Ozzy's voice that defines the early Sabbath albums either, it's the heavy-ass riffs. Ozzy wasn't bad, and he was certainly recognizable, but meh.

Personally, I think the best Dio-albums have better songwriting than the older stuff, too. Early Sabbath stands out as a pioneer of doom metal but I wouldn't say they set a very high standard for future bands to take the style into new heights. Paranoid is inconsistent as hell, for example. But Heaven And Hell and Mob Rules stand up to later masters of heavy metal just fine.

Written by Guest on 07.05.2009 at 21:25

Ozzy is black sabbath.

That's what someone who came to my store said. To which I reply: So who was Tony Iommi, then? Was Black Sabbath Ozzy's stage name?

I will never understand why vocalists are appreciated more than the creative forces behind the one thing that identifies a band - the _music_.

Ozzy is nowhere as good a singer as Dio, (or in fact, Gillan, or most of Sabbath's other singers) but his voice just fitted Sabbath so well. He added a more evil sounding touch to them, which for Sabbath was only a good thing! With that said, the Dio fronted Sabbath was awesome as well, and "Dehumanizer" is in my top 5 most underrated albums ever. I also liked Gillan in Sabbath, even though he only lasted for one album. xD

Dio and Tony Martin suited best for my heavy metal taste, very melodic, yet very powerfull.
Ian Gillan only released one album with sabbath, wich is one of their finest.
Ozzy got the most overated era with b.sabbath. Yes, i like Paranoid and other stuff, but i think they only turned to be a GREAT band after vol IV.
However, they did released three very important records to heavy metal, The First one, Paranoid and Master of reality. But for me are not great albuns.
I'm more into Sabotage or Sabbath bloody sabbath.
Well...for the poll, i think Dio is the best, but i'm more into Tony Martin albuns... but the question is for the vocalist, so i'm going into Dio.

DIO \m/

I don't think Ozzy was the best vocalist, but the albums with Ozzy were the best.

Dio is a better vocalist then Ozzy, But i prefer Black Sabbath with Ozzy

Ian Gillan Born again is a great album. Too bad the mix is bad. The should have done another album with Gillan

Black Sabbath is Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne. Dio probably was a better vocalist than Ozzy as some others have said, but imo Ozzy defined the band.

I voted DIO because he is a better vocalist, but i prefer Ozzy era Sabbath better.