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The Prince Of Darkness

Ozzy Osbourne Albums Ranked Worst To Best

by Christopher Thelen

Had he never recorded another note after his departure from Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne’s position in the world of hard rock/heavy metal would have been assured. Yet he was able to rise from the ashes of despair and addiction (though he would struggle with the latter for most of the rest of his life) to forge a successful solo career leading his own band.

With his recent passing in 2025, it seemed like the right time to take a look at his solo discography to see—at least in this reviewer’s eyes—how his albums ranked from worst to best. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve listened to these albums over the course of, in some cases, 40-plus years; each one got a fresh listen before I passed judgment.

There will almost certainly be significant disagreements—in fact, I know there are statements that will flat out piss people off. But, hey, if you like a certain album that I didn’t, that’s fine. This is just one reviewer’s opinion.

Unlike many of these compilations, I’m electing to include most of the live albums—mostly because one of them, Tribute, plays an important part in Osbourne’s history as it is the only one to capture the late Randy Rhoads on stage. Given Osbourne’s penchant for changing out band members, one has to wonder how long Rhoads would have stayed with the band had he not perished in a tragic accident in 1982, or how his playing style would have matured over time. (There are, however, exceptions to what is being included; other than Just Say Ozzy, any of the extended play releases are not being considered, nor is the Record Store Day release Ozzy Live. C’est la vie.)

I am, however, electing to not include Prince Of Darkness, the box set chronicling his career to that point. It’s not that I wasn’t keen on listening to Ozzy’s duet with Miss Piggy on “Born To Be Wild” (spoiler alert: I actually wasn’t), but it’s more due to the fact that the fourth disc was later released as Under Cover, which is being included.

18. Speak Of The Devil (1982)

In a sense, one almost wants to forgive Osbourne for this release. He had just lost Rhoads in a tragic plane crash, and this disc served both as a way to reclaim his stake on music from his past and issue a middle finger to the remaining members of Black Sabbath. The problem with the concept, though, is the plan to record an album of Sabbath covers had been in the works all along, so one can’t simply write it off as a placeholder disc. Under the circumstances, Osbourne and his backing band take on a Herculean task, but one has to wonder if it might have been a better idea to allow Osbourne proper time to let the wounds heal before rushing anything out to market. It’s not a terrible release, but it’s also not a good one.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Symptom Of The Universe,” “The Wizard”

17. Scream (2010)

Industrial Ozzy seems to be in fuller force with the sound on this album, and… no. Just, no. Every time it seems like Osbourne’s rock side wants to kick back in, it’s slammed into submission by the overall sound. Honestly, that’s a shame, because the good tracks on this one (and there are good songs) get buried by the sonic crap—especially when Osbourne was tackling difficult subjects like religion and mortality (“Diggin’ Me Down,” “Latimer’s Mercy”). Gus G.’s only appearance as lead guitarist shows he has decent chops, but was faced with the tall challenge of replacing Wylde (and I’m not certain it was a successful changeover). Had this been the final studio effort from Osbourne, it would have been a disappointing finale; the closing snippet “I Love You All” almost suggested that this possibly was the end of the road. (Spoiler alert: It wasn’t.)
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Life Won’t Wait,” “Time,” “I Love You All”

16. No Rest For The Wicked (1988)

It seemed like every time Osbourne made a significant change in his band, the music went through an adjustment period as well. This time, out was guitarist Jake E. Lee, in was Zakk Wylde—and while Wylde’s string work is good, this time the songwriting and overall sound nose-dives. Coming off of what had been (to me, at least) a strong studio record, I’m left scratching my head on this one, wondering just what the hell happened. The few bright moments on the album, unfortunately, are outweighed by what can only be called sub-par offerings. Even songs about Charles Manson (“Bloodbath In Paradise”) and mocking televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart (“Miracle Man”) don’t have the punch one would have hoped for. There’s a reason this one nearly caused me to completely lose interest in Osbourne’s solo career… all more amazing when I admit that “Fire In The Sky” remains one of Osbourne’s best songs of his career, proving even a rose can grow in shit.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Fire In The Sky,” “Breaking All The Rules”

15. Ozzmosis (1995)

Well, retirement didn’t last long for the Prince of Darkness… but the sound he returned with was nothing like anything he had created prior to this album. At times, it seems to work, but for the most part, Osbourne sounds far too polished, almost as if he was taking aim at the top of the pop charts. (I’m sorry, but when I first heard “Perry Mason,” I had an idea this whole album was going to be in trouble.) Thing is, Osbourne was (and always will be) a rock and roller; over-relying on sappy ballads that were light on hard rock muscle and Zakk Wylde’s cutting leads proves to be this album’s downfall (even if a few of these turned out to be some of the best work on the disc). It’s not terrible, but definitely not one I find myself going back to often—even with the presence of Geezer Butler on bass.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “I Just Want You,” “Ghost Behind My Eyes”

14. Black Rain (2007)

This one is a difficult album to pin down, as it begins a shift in Osbourne’s sound to industrial Ozzy—and I’m not entirely sure I like this move. Wylde’s guitar work is almost a second thought to the overall sound, which seems to go against everything Osbourne had done in his career to that point. I know the argument: music needs to change and adapt. I get it. But, some formulas just shouldn’t be tampered with, and Osbourne’s hard rock history is one such thing. There are still some notable songs on this one, but it’s not the strongest effort he had ever put out, and should be approached with some caution.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Black Rain,” “Lay Your World On Me”

13. Ordinary Man (2020)

Ten years after his last studio effort, Osbourne returned to a hard rock sound, but took some time to find his footing with this one. Even with the help of established artists like Chad Smith, Duff McKagan and (on one track) Elton John, there were times that Osbourne sounded like he was floundering (“I’ll make you scream / I’ll make you defecate”? Really?!?)… and his collaborations with Post Malone, while not terrible, make one question if Osbourne felt he was no longer relevant in today’s musical world. While this disc does have some strong moments that save it from obscurity, one has to question whether it was too little, too late at this stage in Osbourne’s career.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Goodbye,” “Under The Graveyard”

12. Bark At The Moon (1983)

Jake E. Lee’s first outing as lead guitarist features Osbourne still drifting a bit aimlessly musically. While the album definitely has some enjoyable moments, it lacks the overall punch that Osbourne and his band had with their previous studio effort, and ends up being a bit of a disappointment. Was Osbourne still mourning the loss of Rhoads? Entirely possible, though Lee proves to be a suitable player. Still, there are a few jewels hidden within its eight tracks.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Bark At The Moon,” “Rock And Roll Rebel,” “So Tired”

11. Under Cover (2005)

Admittedly a throw-away album that, save for one song, comprises the fourth disc from the Prince Of Darkness box set (with a few new covers thrown in), this actually turns out to be a surprisingly enjoyable album. Osbourne doesn’t necessarily stay completely faithful to the original songs, but he does show them a lot of respect… and actually had me interested in a few songs I can’t honestly stand from the original artists, like “All The Young Dudes.” Essential listening? No… but not a terrible album to “clean out the pipes”.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Working Class Hero,” “In My Life,” “Fire”

10. Down To Earth (2001)

Musically, this was a return to form for Osbourne, though it would be Wylde’s last studio appearance for a few years. The new rhythm section of bassist Robert Trujillo and drummer Mike Bordin seemed like a good fit. The only thing wrong with the album is that the songwriting, while good, just isn’t memorable. It’s more of a rock album than Ozzmosis was, and sometimes felt like old ground was being retread— “Dreamer” sounds a lot like “Goodbye To Romance,” but is still enjoyable. Not an album I’d find myself going back to often, but still respectable.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Dreamer,” “Junkie,” “Facing Hell”

9. Live And Loud (1993)

On paper, this should have been a far superior release than the Just Say Ozzy EP, featuring the equivalent of a full-length show chronicling what was allegedly Osbourne’s retirement. (Spoiler alert: he didn’t retire.) And, to be sure, there are some great performances on this set. But, more often than not, it just doesn’t have the same level of excitement one would have expected from a live set from the Prince of Darkness (though it has more than its fair share of obscenities screamed by Osbourne). Maybe if a few hidden nuggets from his catalog had been featured instead of relying on the then-recent album No More Tears, it would have been a more interesting picture of Osbourne’s career at that stage.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Road To Nowhere,” “Miracle Man,” “Black Sabbath”

8. Just Say Ozzy (1990)

Why we needed a live EP just a few years after Tribute was released, I don’t quite know, but this one is surprisingly enjoyable, even if it leaves you wishing it had been more than six songs (and that “Sweet Leaf” hadn’t been a snippet leading into “War Pigs”). If anything, this release showcased Osbourne’s reunion with former Black Sabbath bandmate Geezer Butler, while showing how well Wylde had established his role as the axe-slinger. I’m aware that Live & Loud would be released in a few short years, but I still wish this one had been a full live show. Then again, seeing the positions on this list, perhaps less was actually more in this instance.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Shot In The Dark,” “Bloodbath In Paradise”

7. Blizzard Of Ozz (1980)

Unpopular take: Had it not been for the catchiness and success of “Crazy Train,” Osbourne’s first dipping of the digits into the solo world might have been his last. That doesn’t mean the album is bad, but—if we’re really honest with ourselves—there’s really not a lot on this one that would have made someone jump to attention like a lot of the work he had done with Black Sabbath did. Strip away the nostalgic view of it being only one of two studio albums with Rhoads, and you’re left with a tentative first step that hinted at greater things ahead, but not enough to send this disc into the stratosphere.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Crazy Train,” “I Don’t Know,” “Suicide Solution”

6. Patient Number 9 (2022)

Coming off an uneven album and a 10-year hiatus from the studio, Osbourne assembled a crack team of musician friends to quickly follow it up with a surprisingly strong album—certainly not something expected from someone over 40 years into his own solo career. The thing is, appearances from such legends as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Tony Iommi don’t distract from the overall product; if anything, they complement the material surprisingly well. Wylde’s return as a lead guitarist also feels right at this time. This proved to be Osbourne’s final release… but was definitely not a bad way to bow out.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “One Of Those Days,” “Patient Number 9,” “Nothing Feels Right”

5. Tribute (1987)

Osbourne might not have been in the best state emotionally to have released this in 1982 instead of Speak Of The Devil, but—removing the fact that this is the only legal live release featuring the guitar work of Rhoads—it is the far superior live release of the two. Even the Black Sabbath covers shine brighter. As for Osbourne, he sounds better vocally on this one—though it could be understood why he essentially phoned it in for Speak Of The Devil.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Crazy Train,” “Suicide Solution,” “Children Of The Grave”

4. Live At Budokan (2002)

This pick might surprise some people… but for an album that probably had no reason to exist (especially since it had only been a few years since Live & Loud came out), this proves to be the best live recording from Osbourne in his career. He balances his attention well between his recent releases and classic songs, only dipping once into the Black Sabbath well, but he remains strong in voice (even if I was thrown a little bit by lowering a few songs’ chord ranges). Wylde provides solid backing vocals to complement the boss’s work, too.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Believer,” “Road To Nowhere,” “Bark At The Moon”

3. The Ultimate Sin (1986)

Maybe it’s my sentimentality about what was the first compact disc I ever bought, but I just prefer this—the album that proved to be Jake E. Lee’s swansong with Osbourne’s band—over Blizzard Of Ozz. I’m sorry, but this just feels overall like a more complete album, even if it’s occasionally dated. Songwriting, performances and overall energy nudge this one ahead for me. I get that the production might be a bit dated… then again, it was the first time since Diary Of A Madman that Osbourne was properly showcased as a singer. Let the flame wars begin; just know I’m willing to die on this hill.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Secret Loser,” “Never Know Why,” “Lightning Strikes,” “Shot In The Dark”

2. No More Tears (1991)

The first album that found Osbourne shifting towards using outside writers in addition to bandmates, this is quite possibly his most approachable disc. And, let there be no doubt, it contains some of his best material—some of which came thanks to Lemmy Kilmister’s contributions. There are, however, still a few weaker moments that dare to upset the applecart; “Mr. Tinkertrain” is not the way I’d have opened such a powerful album. But the strong tracks easily outweigh the few near-misses.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “Desire,” “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” “Road To Nowhere,” “No More Tears”

1. Diary Of A Madman (1981)

Recorded shortly after Blizzard Of Ozz was released, this was the disc that showed just how powerful Osbourne and his solo band could be. Sonically, it was a major improvement; in terms of songwriting and playing, this one is simply in a league all its own. There’s a reason that “Flying High Again” gets a lot of attention on classic rock airwaves, but nearly every song on this one could have easily been a huge hit. Unfortunately, this captures Rhoads’s final studio performances, leaving everyone to wonder what could have been.
WORTH CHECKING OUT: “You Can’t Kill Rock And Roll,” “Little Dolls,” “Flying High Again”