10 Guitarists Who Inspired The Sound Of Modern Rock & Metal Music

When singer Ozzy Osbourne was sacked by Black Sabbath in 1979, he spiralled into a deep drug-induced depression, believing his musical journey to be over. But fuelled by the ambition of his manager and future wife Sharon, Ozzy would go on to forge a hugely successful solo career, that started with the release of his comeback album Blizzard of Ozz (1980). And the band that he put together to relaunch himself featured the extraordinary talents of guitarist Randy Rhoads.

Rhoads had been playing with the LA-based hard rockers Quiet Riot, but the pull of playing with the former Black Sabbath vocalist was too strong to turn down, and his guitar playing would ultimately define the sound on Ozzy’s debut solo record. Songs such as Crazy Train, I Don’t Know and Mr Crowley are among the most popular and well known in Ozzy’s repertoire to this day, and Rhoads' soloing was out of this world, naturally drawing comparisons to Eddie Van Halen at the time.

Ozzy followed up with his second successful studio album, Diary of a Madman (1981), which rubber stamped the success of his solo career, and with his relationship with Randy Rhoads at the centre of the sound. But Rhoads’ legacy and status as a legendary player would sadly end with his death in an airplane accident whilst on tour with Ozzy in 1983. His playing on those two records has subsequently become immortalised, earning him the reputation as one of the great rock lead guitarists.