10 Greatest Tribute Albums In Hard Rock
9. Tribute - Ozzy Osbourne
Most Ozzy Osbourne fans are well aware that the Prince of Darkness can't do it all on his own. No matter how much allure comes with being the greatest metal singer on Earth, Ozzy has always been as good as the musicians he's surrounded himself with over the years. So when you lose an integral part of your musical self, you can't let something like that go unnoticed.
After riding the momentum of albums like Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman, the metal world was dealt a heavy blow when Randy Rhoads was found dead in a plane accident midway through Ozzy's tour. More than just a hired gun, Rhoads' attention to detail both in and out of the studio made him a musical confidante for Osbourne when he was booted from Black Sabbath.
Though Ozzy would bounce back with Bark At the Moon with Jake E. Lee in tow, Tribute is the real final hoorah for the Rhoads era, showcasing show of the best live footage from Rhoads' time with the band. While Ozzy is on the title card, this really is Rhoads' album, giving a masterclass on how to write metal riffs and improvise in front of the audience. Even on the inner sleeve, Ozzy makes mention that he couldn't have made it as a solo star without Rhoads, calling him his main lifeline at a crucial point in his life. For as much potential as Randy may have had before that horrible accident, this is an intimate look at the player we were working with.