7. Blizzard Of Ozz (1980) - Ozzy Osbourne
Okay, I know what some of you fans of heavier stuff out there might be thinking. You're thinking I'm crazy for putting Ozzy Osbourne's debut solo album on a list of hair metal albums. Or maybe you're not thinking that and I'm just being paranoid and covering my bases. Regardless, you can't deny that Blizzard Of Ozz was influential to the genre. This album actually has a couple of worthy milestones associated with it. First off, it proved that Ozzy could do just fine, if not better, on his own. And secondly, of course, the album introduced us to Randy Rhoades. Need I say more? Actually yes, I do! One of the things I've always loved about Ozzy (and Black Sabbath) was that his lyrics were usually deeply personal and serious. When he sings a love song, it isn't cheesy. You feel his heartache (I'm referring to Goodbye To Romance of course). And of course, the album features Crazy Train, Ozzy's best known tune. You can't turn on classic rock radio without hearing it. And you can't walk into Guitar Center without hearing some kid attempting to play it. But there's a reason for that. It's a classic. Then again, so are Mr. Crowley, I Don't Know and No Bone Movies. Also, if you don't have this album and are considering buying it, make sure you buy the original version and not the one with re-recorded bass and drum tracks. The less said about that, the better.
Okay, I know what some of you fans of heavier stuff out there might be thinking. You're thinking I'm crazy for putting Ozzy Osbourne's debut solo album on a list of hair metal albums. Or maybe you're not thinking that and I'm just being paranoid and covering my bases. Regardless, you can't deny that Blizzard Of Ozz was influential to the genre. This album actually has a couple of worthy milestones associated with it. First off, it proved that Ozzy could do just fine, if not better, on his own. And secondly, of course, the album introduced us to Randy Rhoades. Need I say more? Actually yes, I do! One of the things I've always loved about Ozzy (and Black Sabbath) was that his lyrics were usually deeply personal and serious. When he sings a love song, it isn't cheesy. You feel his heartache (I'm referring to Goodbye To Romance of course). And of course, the album features Crazy Train, Ozzy's best known tune. You can't turn on classic rock radio without hearing it. And you can't walk into Guitar Center without hearing some kid attempting to play it. But there's a reason for that. It's a classic. Then again, so are Mr. Crowley, I Don't Know and No Bone Movies. Also, if you don't have this album and are considering buying it, make sure you buy the original version and not the one with re-recorded bass and drum tracks. The less said about that, the better.