Black Sabbath didn’t just invent heavy metal, they layered it with dread, atmosphere, and riffs that still shake stadiums. With total sales in excess of 75 million records globally, this list reflects lasting influence, verified chart success, and legendary status.
1. Paranoid (Paranoid, 1970)
Released on 7 August 1970, it was Sabbath’s first single and reached #4 on the UK Singles Chart and #61 on the US Billboard Hot 100, their only US charting single despite releasing many iconic tracks. According to Geezer Butler, the song took only five minutes to write, then two hours to complete lyrics and was originally meant as filler for the album Paranoid. The album has been hailed as a genre-defining landmark, citing its fusion of working-class anxiety and musical urgency
2. War Pigs (Paranoid, 1970)
Originally titled “Walpurgis”, this anti-war epic became a Sabbath staple. Though it wasn’t released as a single due to label concerns, critics such as Martin Popoff and Guitar World have ranked it among Sabbath’s greatest songs, with Guitar World calling it “the greatest heavy metal song ever”
3. Iron Man (Paranoid, 1970)
Recorded in 1970, the track peaked at #52 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (their highest-charting single there) and later received the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for a live version. Rolling Stone ranked it among the top heavy metal songs, and it’s frequently cited as Sabbath’s most recognisable riff
4. Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath, 1970)
Released 13 February 1970. The title track’s tritone riff and tolling bells are widely credited with launching heavy metal. Critics call it apocalyptic and foundational; the band’s literal namesake for sound and tone
5. Children of the Grave (Master of Reality, 1971)
A martial rhythm meets dark melody, inspiring later thrash and doom bands. Though not released as a single, it remains one of Sabbath’s most covered and enduring tracks, cited across subgenre discussions
6. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, 1973)
Title track of their fifth album, this song showcased more complex layered arrangements and progressive sensibility. It earned praise from Rolling Stone and AllMusic, and its horror-film tones were cited as evolutionary in their songwriting
7. Heaven and Hell (Heaven and Hell, 1980)
Opening track on Sabbath’s first album with Ronnie James Dio. The album went Gold in the US and marked a new era of Sabbath’s power-metal leanings
8. Fairies Wear Boots (Paranoid, 1970)
Its lyrical mixture of fantasy, blue-collar Britain, and crypto allegory, paired with a shuffle groove, captures Sabbath’s early bluesy experimentation and narrative style.
9. Symptom of the Universe (Sabotage, 1975)
This aggressive opener from Sabotage (UK Albums #7, US Billboard #28) was described by Yngwie Malmsteen as his first exposure to Iommi’s riff style and is considered proto-thrash in structure
10. Into the Void (Master of Reality, 1971)
Slow, heavy, hypnotic. It’s inspired generations, from Soundgarden to Kyuss, and often cited as Sabbath’s most influential slow burner.
11. N.I.B. (Black Sabbath, 1970)
Named after drummer Bill Ward’s goatee beard which looked like the “nib” of a pen. Features one of Geezer Butler’s most famous bass intros. Though not a single, it’s a fan and critic favourite for its narrative and musical swagger
12. The Wizard (Black Sabbath, 1970)
Showcases Ozzy on harmonica and Sabbath’s roots in blues. Though least heavy on the album, the track remains a jewel in Sabbath lore for its stylistic contrast.
13. Snowblind (Vol. 4, 1972)
Arguably Sabbath’s most overt drug song, named after cocaine’s street slang. It marked a turning point in lyrical risk-taking, aligning Sabbath with darker lyrical edge.
14. Planet Caravan (Paranoid, 1970)
A mellow, psychedelic interlude, and a bold contrast to the album’s intensity. It was later covered by Pantera, showing Sabbath could bend genre while staying influential.
15. God Is Dead? (13, 2013)
From their final studio album, which hit #1 on UK Albums Chart and #12 in the US. Critics lauded it as a reflective, philosophical closing statement.
