12 '80s Hard Rock Albums All Fans Should Own

'Blizzard Of Ozz' was the first Osbourne album to feature Randy Rhoads, who had been a hotshot guitarist on the Sunset Strip metal scene, but was otherwise unknown when he auditioned for Ozzy. Randy's biggest influence was Mick Ronson, who'd played on the early '70s Bowie albums, sporting the same blonde barnet and white Les Paul combo.

In Randy, Osbourne had unknowingly uncovered the formula for his subsequent decades of success. Thereafter the Oz has always had an iconic guitar hero in tow to provide the sonic fireworks and the songwriting chops. Zakk Wylde, Jake E Lee, Gus G - the list goes on. Randy only recorded one more album with Oz before he died in a plane accident, cutting short a career destined for the kind of lifelong adulation the likes of Eddie Van Halen have enjoyed.

'Blizzard' is such a strong album that many of the songs still feature in Ozzy's live set to this day. 'Crazy Train' is the one everybody knows, but 'Suicide Solution', 'Mr Crowley' and 'Steal Away' are also staples. 'Diary Of A Madman', the final Oz/Rhoads studio hook-up, is also an essential no-brainer!